Key meeting on Naga peace talks on Thursday

Kohima, Dec 8, : The important meeting of the Core Committee regarding the Naga political problem will be held here on Friday, sources said.

They also added that Himanta Biswa Saarma, Assam Chief Minister, will attend the meetingAccording to a senior official of the Nagaland government, the Core Committee on the Naga Political Issue would discuss peace negotiations between the Central government of Naga and the various Naga outfits (NSCN-IM) according to a spokesperson.

The convener is the core committee, which includes Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Brazil and former Chief Minister T.R.Zeliang and Planning and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Neibakronu are the co-conveners, while Zeliang is the member-secretary.The committee was formed on June 10, to pursue the Naga political question (Naga peace talks).

It includes all 60 state MLAs "The Core Committee is likely urging the Centre to expedite Naga peace negotiations at the earliest," the official stated under anonymity.He refused to give details about other issues likely to be discussed during the crucial meeting.

After the December 4 shooting by security forces, which left 14 civilians dead and another 30 injured, Thursdays meeting at the Core Committee on the Naga Political Issue assumes significance.The meeting would take place against the backdrop of Nagalands demand for the withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Power Act (58 (AFSPA)) from the state.

Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam Chief Minister, had previously stated that he and his Nagaland counterpart (Neiphiu Rio) would soon meet with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in order to discuss the Naga political problem and the opposition-less United Democratic Alliance government in Nagaland.Rio and Sarma had held separate talks about the Naga peace negotiations with Shah.

Meanwhile, the Centre is meeting with leaders of the various Naga outfits.Sarma, the convener of the BJP led alliance of regional parties -- North East Democratic Alliance - (NEDA), has already participated in peace talks and met with A.K., the representative of the Central government.Mishra in Dimapur in September.

According to media reports, the Framework Agreement is a hindrance to the "final settlement” of the Naga political dispute.Rio led the UDA, which was formed a coalition of the ruling and opposition parties in Nagaland to advance the Naga peace process.

The governments partners include the Bharatiya Janata Party which is an ally to the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party(NDPP), the opposition Naga Peoples Front(NPF) and two Independent MLAs.Separately, the Central government has held peace talks with the NSCNIM and eight other Naga outfits.

These groups came together a few decades ago under the banners of Naga National Political Groups.In 1997, the Centre entered into a ceasefire with the NSCN-IM and other outfits.

The NSCN-IM held 85 rounds of negotiations since August 1997 with the Centre.Sources close to the intelligence and the Naga outfit stated that although many of the 31 demands from the Naga groups were almost resolved during talks with the Centres, there were still differences over a separate flag or a separate constitution.

All three states strongly opposed the NSCN-IMs demand to integrate Naga-dominated areas in the neighboring states -- Manipur Assam, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh.sc/pgh #Naga #Thursday #Amit Shah Assam #Manipur #Nagaland #Kohima # Assam #Bharatiya Janata Party #Democratic.