|
Days after the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Social Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) issued two statements stating that they were adamant on their demand for separate Constitution and flag, the rebel outfit has issued a clarification now, saying that their earlier statements were misquoted by the media.
Issuing a clarification, the rebel leaders said that they along with the Central government have been serious and committed to resolve the issue through the Indo-Naga political talks and they are also willing to arrive at a tangible solution based on the principle of Framework Agreement signed in 2015. The recent statements issued by the rebel outfit were misquoted by the media and also created confusion among people, they added in a fresh statement. "Despite differences on certain issues, it is to put on record that the Gol and the NSCN are serious and committed to concretize the Indo-Naga political talks and arrive at a tangible solution based on the principle of Framework Agreement", the Naga rebel leaders said. The principal Naga group issued two separate statements on October 15 and 23 reiterating that they would not be carried away by the "post solution narrative" of the government, which they described it as a well laid trap by the central government and cannot compromise on the demand of separate Constitution and flag. It was learnt that the government's interlocutor A.K. Mishra had strongly objected to NSCN's statements and had communicated his resentment to the rebel leaders in the last meeting held recently. The sources, aware of these developments said that the two statements issued by the rebel group were not appreciated by the government's interlocutor and officials involved in negotiation and they resented that when the talks have been underway how they could issue such press notes? The narratives stated in the statement could be seen as a pressure tactics, the sources added. They also said that when the Naga peace talks resumed with the new interlocutor after a gap of two years, it was assumed that the issues will be resolved by the end of this year within the principle of the Framework Agreement signed in August, 2015. In their last press note, the NSCN leaders, pressing their demand for separate flag, had stated that the Naga flag was not just a piece of cloth to the Nagas but a feeling of pride which helped hundreds of Naga martyrs to sacrifice their lives by just seeing the flag flying high and NSCN would take the stand to defend it to the last man standing and not succumb to the flattering 'post solution' offer. Both Centre and the Naga leaders had indicated to be keen on resolving this long pending issue by the end of this year in an amicable manner. The NSCN-IM and the other outfits entered into a ceasefire agreement with the Government of India in 1997 and over 80 rounds of negotiations with the Centre had been held in the past in successive governments. --IANS ams/skp/ ( 508 Words) 2021-10-26-21:18:03 (IANS)
|
