Naga accord 2 autonomous councils in ArP, Manipur likely

GUWAHATI, Jan 21
Two autonomous councils would be set up in the Naga inhabited areas of Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur as part of the Naga peace accord.
The two autonomous councils would be created in the Naga inhabited areas of the two neighbouring States of Nagaland under the provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, Assam Tribune reported.
Apart from this, Nagaland will have one more Lok Sabha seat and the Government will take effective steps for the rehabilitation of the cadres of the rebel groups as part of the Accord.
According to reports, negotiation process between the NSCN (IM) and other Naga rebel outfits and the Central Government is complete.
“No major issue is left to negotiate between the Centre and NSCN (IM) and Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) and only the Accord is left to be signed,” the newspaper reported.
The ongoing Naga peace process between the Centre and Naga rebel outfits, which was started in 1997, turned 23 this year.
The Union Government had simply fixed October 31, 2019 to conclude the Naga peace process, but it failed to do the same.
Centre’s Interlocutor for Naga talks, RN Ravi, who is now the Governor of Nagaland, had detailed talks with the Naga civil society groups to ensure that the political solution of the Naga problem is an “inclusive one”.
On the issues holding up the signing of the formal agreement, sources said that the Government has been talking with the NSCN (I-M) and NNPG separately.
Sources said that though there was a demand for cultural integration of the Naga inhabited areas, that has been rejected as a large section of people of Nagaland is opposed to it. Moreover, the demand for a separate Constitution and flag for Nagaland has been rejected, the Assam Tribune reported.
The second major issue is that a few hundred cadres of NSCN (I-M) are still in Myanmar and they would have to be brought back to India before the signing of the Accord so that they also surrender along with the other cadres.
The third major issue is that some members including senior cadres of the NSCN(I-M) are involved in unlawful activities. A few were even reportedly involved in supply of weapons to criminal gangs in other parts of the country and some are running car lifting rackets. This is not acceptable for the Government of India and that has been informed to the leaders of the rebel group.
NE Now and Assam Tribune