Dimapur, September 7 (MExN): The Concerned Naga Forum of Nagaland (CNFN) on Monday mounted a scathing attack on the Nagaland government and the NSCN (IM), accusing them of acting as “anti-solution lobbyists” intent on trashing years of negotiated progress toward settling the protracted Naga political issue.
The Dimapur-headquartered civil forum alleged that the recent political manoeuvrings, specifically the push for appointing a Union Minister of State (MoS) as interlocutor, amount to throwing the historic 2015 Framework Agreement and the 2017 Agreed Position into the “dustbin” in order to start negotiations afresh.
In a press release issued by its Media Committee, the CNFN stated that while official ceasefires exist between the Centre and Naga political groups, there is “hardly any ceasefire” for the general public, who face unabated multiple taxation, kidnappings for ransom, threats, and harassment by armed tax collectors. It noted that Dimapur, once a thriving commercial hub, has been reduced to a “dying city” after remaining a haven for anti-social elements for decades.
Highlighting the timeline of negotiations, the forum recalled that the Framework Agreement was signed with NSCN (IM) on August 3, 2015, followed by the Agreed Position with the Working Committee of Naga National Political Groups (WC-NNPGs) on November 17, 2017. It maintained that the groundwork concluded and negotiations officially closed on October 31, 2019, under the then interlocutor and Governor, R N Ravi.
These agreements were subsequently tabled in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) during its 5th session on January 17, 2020, through the Governor’s address, and adopted via a Motion of Thanks, fulfilling the state government’s facilitation mandate.
However, the CNFN alleged that the state government headed by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and the NSCN (IM) under Th Muivah later “lobbied hard” to successfully remove Ravi, dealing a devastating blow to the logical conclusion of the peace process, after which the Centre declined to appoint an interlocutor of equivalent political status.
The forum took sharp exception to the state government's Political Affairs Committee (PAC) demanding an MoS-level interlocutor, as well as CM Rio’s Independence Day address on August 15, 2026, wherein he announced that the Centre had constituted a committee headed by the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs to steer the peace talks.
“The very PAC's demand implies that all those efforts of years invested by the successive Interlocutors and the Naga negotiators... are literally considered worthless and therefore treated as trash,” the statement said, adding that any new ministerial head would mean totally fresh negotiations.
The CNFN pointed out contradictions within the NSCN(IM), stating that while its Deputy Ato Kilonser V S Atem fully endorsed the PAC resolution and the Chief Minister's announcement, effectively abrogating the Framework Agreement, NSCN(IM) Chairman Q Tuccu reiterated adherence to the pact in his Naga Independence Day address. The forum demanded that the outfit clarify its stance without “deception,” warning that citizens will no longer tolerate “exploitative patriotism”.
It further noted that signatories of the Agreed Position (WC-NNPGs) continue to push for an early settlement based on already concluded negotiations, adding that a facilitator body like the PAC lacks the locus standi to superimpose itself over the actual negotiators or make a mockery of an elected 60-member Assembly by bypassing legally adopted resolutions.
Raising critical questions in the public domain, the forum asked whether the Centre had officially authorized CM Rio to announce the MoS-led committee. It questioned the capacity under which the announcement was made, expressed concern over the Centre's silence on the matter, and demanded an explicit statement on whether the concluded twin agreements are being officially superseded.
