Jolt to peace talks as Naga groups ‘suspends’ negotiation with Delhi

Naga Republic News

The Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) Working Committee (WC) has decided to suspend all negotiations unless the Government of India “comes clean on the question of haphazard actions of its agencies.”

This comes following a raid conducted on June 2 at the residence of the committee’s Co-Convener and General Secretary, NNC (Parent Body), V Nagi.

The next round of negotiations was tentatively scheduled for June 7.

Reported widely in Nagaland’s local newspapers, the media cell of the NNPGs Working Committee said that this incident “raises the pertinent question why Nagas cannot trust the GoI.”

Following the raid, it was informed that the committee held an emergency meeting wherein it condemned the “policy and attitude of the Government of India to use the Assam Rifles to raid even the residences of Naga leaders negotiating at New Delhi.”

“The action of the men in uniform crossed all moral and ethical values and it comes as a deep shock,” it added.

The NNPG leaders concluded that it “serves no purpose to continue the dialogue since all the progress in the Indo-Naga political Negotiations between the two entities appears to be a trivial matter on the part of GoI.”

“The latest action of the Assam Rifles comes across as an insult to all section of Nagas who have come to trust the ongoing political talks between GoI and NNPGs,” it said.

NNPGs Working Committee leaders with Government of India Interlocutor RN Ravi (File Photo)

The NNPGs Working Committee meanwhile called upon the Naga people to be “vigilant in the present time because the Working Committee believes that a cordial atmosphere extended in New Delhi must be ensured equally at Kohima or in any part of Naga Homeland.” “Uniformed men going berserk in Nagaland while talks are on in Delhi shows a betrayal of trust,” it stated.

In another media report, the NNC ‘Parent Body’ “strongly condemned” the midnight raid at the house of its leader V. Nagi, the General Secretary (NNC) & Co-convener of NNPGs Working Committee (WC) by Assam Rifles. The raid reportedly began around 11:30 pm on June 2 and lasted till 3:00 am the next morning.

A press release from YC Lotha, E. Patton, and LK Zeliang of Information & Publicity Wing, NNC alleged that the Assam Rifles came with “three camouflaged local youth in drunken mood” and ransacked the house after breaking the door lock in Nagi’s absence.

The AR troops were accused of taking the NNC leader’s “personal dollars collection from 1994 onwards of old notes, family members’ fixed deposits money of compensation/acquisition of land for four lane roads at Sechü Zubza, Kohima, two old Japanese rifle/one Lady Rifle of World War 2 with two helmets for use at Japanese Memorial site Puliebadze, Jotsoma on occasions, two licensed cartridge gun (not shotgun), one Air-Gun, one country made spoiled 9mm, one small normal binocular, one spoiled night vision, one spoiled .22 pen gun, some old photos of peace work, his personal security pistol, old records of NNC appeal/request for fund for peace and unity work in the homeland but not received amount of money records, NNC (Non-Violence Group) files/records, and family files of land/property etc.”

The Assam Rifles, NNC stated, raided and ransacked the house without warrant of any document from authority concerned with “certain intention of harm to our leader if at all present.” They nearly shot his son, it alleged.

The statement further claimed that the AR troops even raided girls’ hostel run by the family and terrified the hostellers. They are going to lodge complaint to the Women Commission/authority concerned, NNC added.

Alleging that the AR terrified all the family members including small children holed up, it added, they even threatened to come back again for such search.

“The Assam Rifles personnel came and did all these horrific and mental damage with one Captain Ankit and his army of about forty (40) jawans at this peaceful and negotiations (talk with GoI) time,” NNC noted.

“Did Assam Rifles carry out this search and ransack with specific input from negotiation table or from the government (GoI)?” it questioned. “These are all conspiracy against NNPGs on negotiation table and the leader in particular.”

Meanwhile the Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) maintained that the “relentless provocations” by the security forces “has ultimately created its share of distrust between the GOI and Working Committee (Naga National Political Groups) which is a matter of serious concern.”

“The worst of all is the reaction of the Working Committee to keep the ongoing negotiation process on suspension till the GOI gives clarification on its stance. The posture adopted by the WC is justifiable for the fact that negotiation has to be wholesome and not double standard,” NTC added in a press statement issued by Media Cell.

NTC had stated, “One is perplexed at times when the GOI applies the ‘carrot and stick’ policy by provoking the prominent leaders of NNPGs who are officially engaged with GOI through raids of their homes by security forces in the name of keeping law and order.”

NTC asserted that those victims in particular and everyone who upholds the principles of ceasefire deserves better treatment than doubting and undermining their position. “What NTC does not understand is how bullying and provocative raids can virtually pave way for sustainable peace in the region,” it said.

NTC further noted it had remained stoic silent on the past incidents of raids of homes of few leaders in the hope that better sense on the part of security forces would prevail for the sake of peace in Nagaland and beyond.

Asserting that NTC has been working all these while to see that nothing derails the process of negotiation till it attains logical result, it urged the GoI to come out with clear cut policy without any ambiguity if at all it intends to fulfill its commitment on the negotiation and end with solution on time.

Meanwhile, it questioned the involvement of Nagaland Police in the raid at Nagi’s residence as reported in the local media. “All through these years, every successive Governments including PDA made repeated pledges to support the ongoing political negotiation between the NNPGs and GOI. Whereas, knowing fully that such provocative action as raid can hamper the process of negotiation, the participation of Nagaland Police is indeed dubious,” NTC stated.

“In fact, the Nagas deserve to know what is the stand of the state government in relation with political negotiation vis-à-vis raids.”

With inputs from Nagaland newspapers