Resumes political talks after over one and half years
Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 20
The stalled political negotiations between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM) resumed with retired Intelligence Bureau Special Director AK Mishra representing the GoI. The closed-door meeting was held at a safe location in Dimapur on September 20 with the NSCN (IM) leadership led President Q Tuccu and General Secretary Th Muivah.
Other senior leaders, who attended, included Vice President Tongmeth Konyak, Collective Leadership members Rh Raising and VS Atem, besides other members.
What was actually discussed in the meeting remained confidential with Rh Raising confirming to the media, after the meeting, the official resumption of talks. According to Raising, the talks should be initiated on the basis of the Framework Agreement, including the contentious matter of Naga flag and Constitution.
As per other sources, today’s meeting was more of an icebreaker and the issue of flag and Constitution did not feature much. It was though added that the NSCN (IM) leadership was critical of Interlocutor RN Ravi’s handling of the talks and the subsequent souring of relations that reportedly resulted in AK Mishra standing in as the GoI negotiator.
Ravi was said to have last sat down with the NSCN (IM) in early 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic put a brake on the talks, meanwhile, Mishra served as the representative in between. It was informed that Mishra will sit with the NSCN (IM) again before heading back to Delhi.
Mishra is reported to be on his first visit to Nagaland as GoI representative in the Indo-Naga political negotiations. However, he is not new to Nagaland as he had once served as the Nagaland head of the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau as Joint Director and was based in Kohima.
He is also scheduled to meet the Narendra Modi government’s main person in the northeast, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on September 21 in Dimapur though it was not officially confirmed. Sarma will be meeting Nagaland government officials besides NSCN (IM) leaders. Muivah will not be among the leaders, who will meet Sarma.
