Nagas looking forward to next round of NSCN(IM)-GoI talks

Guwahati, Jul 26 (UNI) The hill state of Nagaland and its people are looking forward to the next round of talks between the rebel NSCN-IM and Government of India scheduled to be held in Bangkok on July 28 and 29.

The current phase of six-month long ceasefire with the Naga rebel group is set to expire on July 31. Union Minister Oscar Fernandez who is leading the team of government negotiators, paid visit to Nagaland last week to feel the pulse before proceeding to Bangkok to hold next round negotiation with the rebel group.

Mr Fernandez has met politicians and representatives of various NGOs in Nagaland. The ceasefire is likely to be extended for another term as both sides are aware that people of the hill state are longing for a peaceful solution to Northeast's oldest insurgency problem.

Nine years have passed by since the NSCN-IM and Government of India entered into truce and started negotiation in 1997 to find a solution to the problem. Since then it has been uneasy peace in Naga society where people are keeping their fingers crossed waiting for a final outcome of the peace process.

Both the sides have kept utmost confidentiality about the progress hitherto made in the peace negotiation while it is being construed that a road map for a solution to Indo-Naga conflict is being hammered out.

The apparent major roadblock in the progress of the peace process seems to be the NSCN-IM's demand for all Naga-inhabited areas of Asom, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. New Delhi's response to the demand has been that it required consensus among all the concerned states although it is yet to take up the issue with Asom, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.

State governments in Manipur, Asom and Arunachal Pradesh have already expressed their opposition to any disturbance to their present geographical boundaries. Not only the governments, different political and social organisations in these states are vociferous against NSCN-IM's demand for integration of Naga inhabited areas.

UNI XC PL RN1715