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Naga peace talks : Centre may involve affected states |
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In a move to break the stalemate in Naga peace talks over NSCN(IM)’s demand for integration of Naga-inhabited areas, the Government is considering involving representatives of other affected states in the peace process.
Minister of State for Programme Implementation Oscar Fernandes who heads the inter-ministerial group talking to the NSCN(IM) told the Indian Express, on May 23 that it was time to bring in the other states - Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh - in the dialogue and consider their views on the issue.
The group including Minister of State for Home S. Regupathy and Minister of State in PMO Prithviraj Chavan had already discussed the issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and briefed him on the developments in the dialogue process.
“Substantial progress has been made in talks with the NSCN(IM) leaders,” Fernandes said, adding that it was now imperative to include the other affected states.
The dialogue process between the Centre and NSCN(IM) had hit a dead end for quite some time over the issue of greater Nagaland or Nagalim.
Meanwhile, media reports quoting highly placed sources actively involved in the ongoing peace talks with the NSCN(IM) said on May 26 that the Centre has agreed to offer the Naga militant outfit greater autonomy and to discuss a state with a separate identity and Constitution. The sources said the Home Ministry has also agreed to the NSCN(IM) proposals for greater autonomy in all departments except currency, external affairs communications and defence.
The NSCN(IM) had submitted a 31-point charter of demands to New Delhi through K. Padmanabhaiah, the Government’s chief interlocutor. The most contentious issues in the charter were the demands for the unification of Naga-dominated areas in the north-east into Nagaland, a separate flag, opening of trade and tourist promotion centres under new Naga flag, control over taxation policy, greater control over natural resources, new names for the Ministers and the State Assembly in the ethnic language and a common defence mechanism. The Naga leaders had also proposed a separate constitution to rule the state according to their ethnic traditions.
Though the next round of talks is just a week away, the outfit has claimed it was kept in the dark about the Centre’s intention to include representatives from Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in the peace dialogue in New Delhi.
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