NPF spells out its role in peace process

Newmai News Network
DIMAPUR, Nov 8: The Central Headquarters of the Naga People's Front (NPF) has said that the party leaders had camped in New Delhi recently to oversee the "crucial" round of negotiation between the Government of India and the "Naga negotiators".
According to a press communique from the party, the party delegation comprising its MLAs and party senior leaders led by the Legislature Wing leader, TR Zeliang met the leaders of both the NSCN (IM) and the 7 NNPGs in New Delhi on the eve of the "crucial" Indo-Naga peace talks and impressed upon both the groups to come together by burying all their differences and work out for the sake of a better Naga future and to work collectively for an honourable solution with the Government of India.
It also said that the NPF leaders had also appealed both the Government of India and the "Naga negotiators" to give space to each other by understanding each other's difficulties and arrive at a logical, acceptable and honourable conclusion "keeping in mind the complex situation of the region and the world at large".
The NPF reiterated that the "topmost priority" of the party is to work and assist in any possible manner for a peaceful solution of the Indo-Naga political issue "and since then, the party is tirelessly working as a facilitator".
According to the communique, some of the sequence of events on the ongoing Indo-Naga peace process vis-a-vis the facilitator's role played by the NPF was that, "the party has initiated for genuine reconciliation amongst the Naga National Groups and towards that end, a delegation comprising the Naga Hoho and the Eastern Naga People's Organization was deputed to Myanmar to meet late SS Khaplang in February 2016 and the mission was done under the full knowledge of the Government of India".
Secondly, the NPF said that although the Government of India has entered into a ceasefire pact with the NSCN (IM) in 1997 and another ceasefire with the "some Naga National Groups" from 2001, the Government had engaged political negotiation with only the NSCN (IM) and subsequently, the Framework Agreement was signed between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM) on August 3, 2015.
Meanwhile, the NPF said it had expressed its desire to the Government of India and the NSCN (IM) to include the 6 NNPGs (now 7 NNPGs), at the negotiating table, to which both the parties agreed. "The party has taken this initiative keeping in mind the party's stand on inclusive, honourable and acceptable solution".
Thirdly, the press note said that the NPF party in an effort to usher in a permanent peace and harmony amongst its neighbouring States and its people, the NPF Government led by the then Chief Minister, Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu undertook a goodwill journey to Manipur in 2017 and had a fruitful meeting with Manipur Chief Minister, Biren Singh.
"The NPF party has also been giving a consistent effort to bring all the other Naga Political Groups who are yet to join the ongoing peace process," the press note added.