Kohima, August 26 (MExN): The Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) on Wednesday said that the NSCN (IM)’s “allegations” against the Centre’s interlocutor to the Naga Peace talks with regard to modifying the Framework Agreement and creating of the Working Committee, Naga National Political Groups (WC,NNPGS) were “wild, baseless and unfounded. “
In a clarification issued by NTC President Toniho Yepthomi and General Secretary Nribemo Ngullie on August 26, the council placed “factual positions” against the allegations.
It said that the NTC on October 18, 2019, attended the consultation meeting called by the Interlocutor RN Ravi at Hotel Japfü, Kohima wherein volunteers were called to read out both the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015 and the Preamble signed between centre and the NNPGs.
“It was loud, clear and distinctly heard by all present the word ‘new’ in the August 3, 2015 Framework Agreement,” the NTC claimed while adding that “the whole event of reading out of the agreements were seen duly audio recorded.”
NTC did not see on that day distribution of any printed Framework Agreement or the Preamble, nor received any of such copy, it added.
On the creation of the WC, NNPGS, it said that even after the Framework Agreement and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public announcement that the political negotiation would be concluded within 18 months, no results emerged.
Stating that any negotiation without all the NPGs involved would not bring lasting solution, it said “NTC decided to mediate through its Mediation Committee amongst NNPGs of those who were not taken on board for the long drawn 18 years political negotiation with GOI.”
It said that the NTC managed to bring six NNPGs under a common platform called “Working Committee” for negotiation with the centre and “The NTC together with the NGBF humbly approached the GOI to have inclusive negotiation with the NNPGs,” following which political negotiations began in 2017.
“In due course of time, through the initiative of NGBF, the NSCN (Khango) group joined the WC, NNPGs and today 7 NNPGs have been having dialogue with the GOI in the greater interest of the Nagas,” it said.
Stating that it has been working dedicatedly without prejudice and malice towards any individual or groups, the NTC asserted that “it is futile for anyone to blame the Interlocutor RN Ravi for the formation of the WC, NNPGs.”
The NTC has also reacted to the statement by Maj (Retd) Hutovi Chishi, Convener of the NSCN (IM) Steering Committee where he said, “We have to choose which way to go; either to allow ourselves to be carried away by the wave of anti-Naga forces in collusion with Ravi led forces or choose to stay active defending the historical and political rights of the Naga people.”
“It is unfortunate for the convenor, Steering Committee, NSCN (I-M) to misconstrue the unification efforts of NTC and NGBF as anti-Naga,” it said.
