Kohima: Nagaland Assembly today urged the Centre to expedite the political dialogue by involving groups other than the NSCN(IM) to solve the vexed Naga issue before the next state Assembly election, due in 2018.
The Assembly at its special session unanimously reiterated its views that an honourable and amicable settlement would be achieved as a result of the ongoing political talks.
MLA Dr T M Lotha said the Naga issue has been pending for a very long time with the present dialogue between the Centre and NSCN(IM) going on for almost 21 years.
The Government of India had signed a ceasefire agreement with NSCN(IM) on July 25, 1997, which came into effect on August 1, 1997. Over 80 rounds of talks between the two sides were held subsequently. Both the Centre and the NSCN(IM) then entered into a Framework Agreement on August 3, 2015 and the dialogue is almost in the “final stage”, the legislator said. However, because of the “disunity among the Naga people, both underground and over-ground, the negotiating parties are finding it difficult to solve the issue”, he said.
He therefore suggested that the negotiating parties should call other groups to join the talks for arriving at a solution.
Responding to Dr Lotha, Leader of the House Dr Liezietsu said the Naga issue was very complex and talks with one faction of the Naga group cannot bring an “honourable and amicable solution”. (PTI)
