The Crossbill News Desk
The National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM), led by Thuingaleng Muivah, has issued a strong ultimatum to the Indian government, threatening to resume armed resistance if the 2015 Framework Agreement is not fully respected.
The agreement, originally signed with the intent of addressing the long-standing Naga political issue, has become a point of contention, particularly over the NSCN-IM’s demand for a separate Naga flag and constitution.
In a recent statement, Muivah emphasized the group’s position that the government has not upheld the principles of the agreement, which it claims recognize the Naga people's “unique history and sovereign identity.”
The NSCN-IM entered peace talks with the Indian government in 1997 to seek a non-violent solution to the Naga issue, which has since involved over 600 rounds of discussions.
However, Muivah's statement accuses the government of a “deliberate betrayal” of the 2015 Framework Agreement, which he contends was acknowledged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be a political conflict between two entities, requiring a unique and sovereign resolution for Nagalim. In response to what it views as repeated violations by the government, the NSCN-IM now demands third-party mediation, potentially from a foreign entity, as a final attempt to resolve the stalled negotiations.
“However, in the first place, we propose a third-party intervention to resolve the betrayal of the letter and spirit of the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015 but if such a political initiative is rejected by the GOI, the NSCN shall resume the violent armed resistance against India for defending the Nagalim unique history and her sovereign existence,” the statement read, according to a report in The Indian Express.
The ceasefire, which has been in effect since 1997, remains technically active, though tensions have intensified around the demand for a "Greater Nagalim," encompassing Naga-inhabited areas in Assam, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh.
Parallel to these talks, the Indian government also negotiated separately with the Naga National Political Groups (NNPG), a coalition of seven Naga factions, culminating in an “Agreed Position” signed in 2017.
Former Nagaland Chief Minister S.C. Jamir on Friday disclosed that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had rejected the NSCN-IM’s demands for a distinct Naga flag and constitution, The Asian Age reported.
Despite the ongoing tensions, no new interlocutor has been appointed since former Nagaland Governor R.N. Ravi, who was instrumental in the Framework Agreement, was reassigned in 2021. Notably, Muivah, has delegated recent discussions to his advisors, adding an air of uncertainty to the group’s next moves.
The agreement, originally signed with the intent of addressing the long-standing Naga political issue, has become a point of contention, particularly over the NSCN-IM’s demand for a separate Naga flag and constitution.
In a recent statement, Muivah emphasized the group’s position that the government has not upheld the principles of the agreement, which it claims recognize the Naga people's “unique history and sovereign identity.”
The NSCN-IM entered peace talks with the Indian government in 1997 to seek a non-violent solution to the Naga issue, which has since involved over 600 rounds of discussions.
However, Muivah's statement accuses the government of a “deliberate betrayal” of the 2015 Framework Agreement, which he contends was acknowledged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be a political conflict between two entities, requiring a unique and sovereign resolution for Nagalim. In response to what it views as repeated violations by the government, the NSCN-IM now demands third-party mediation, potentially from a foreign entity, as a final attempt to resolve the stalled negotiations.
“However, in the first place, we propose a third-party intervention to resolve the betrayal of the letter and spirit of the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015 but if such a political initiative is rejected by the GOI, the NSCN shall resume the violent armed resistance against India for defending the Nagalim unique history and her sovereign existence,” the statement read, according to a report in The Indian Express.
The ceasefire, which has been in effect since 1997, remains technically active, though tensions have intensified around the demand for a "Greater Nagalim," encompassing Naga-inhabited areas in Assam, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh.
Parallel to these talks, the Indian government also negotiated separately with the Naga National Political Groups (NNPG), a coalition of seven Naga factions, culminating in an “Agreed Position” signed in 2017.
Former Nagaland Chief Minister S.C. Jamir on Friday disclosed that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had rejected the NSCN-IM’s demands for a distinct Naga flag and constitution, The Asian Age reported.
Despite the ongoing tensions, no new interlocutor has been appointed since former Nagaland Governor R.N. Ravi, who was instrumental in the Framework Agreement, was reassigned in 2021. Notably, Muivah, has delegated recent discussions to his advisors, adding an air of uncertainty to the group’s next moves.
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