GUWAHATI, Dec 24 - The Government of India will have to take a decision at the �highest level� regarding the signing of an agreement with the rebel groups of Nagaland. Meanwhile, the division in the ranks of the Khaplang faction of the NSCN is now complete with all the cadres hailing from India expressing willingness to join the peace process.
Highly placed sources in the Government of India told The Assam Tribune that though the Niki Sumi faction of the NSCN(K) has expressed its desire to join the peace process, the government is yet to take the decision on involving the outfit in the process. Niki Sumi on Wednesday issued a statement expressing the desire to join the peace process. �Sumi has only issued a statement through the media expressing his desire to join the peace process. He will have to write formally to the government on the issue and only then, the government will take a decision. Moreover, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has also registered a case against Sumi,� the sources said.
The sources said that the NSCN(K) had signed a ceasefire agreement with the Government of India in 2010, but it broke the agreement in 2015. However, after the death of SS Khaplang, there were divisions in the ranks of the outfit. Khango Kanyak, who took over as the �chairman� of the outfit, later came overground to join the peace process and now Niki Sumi has also expressed the desire to come for talks. Now, majority of the members of the outfit who are now in Myanmar are nationals of that country and most Indians in the outfit have come back to India to join the peace talks, the sources added.
On the progress of talks with rebel groups of Nagaland, the sources said that the NSCN (I-M) was still insisting on a separate flag and constitution for Nagaland and that was holding up the talks. �The government has made its stand clear on the issue and it is up to the leaders of the outfit to take the final decision on the issue. But the government is still hopeful that the outfit would agree to sign the agreement,� the sources said.
Sources said that now the government has to take the decision on signing of the accord at the �highest level�. The government�s interlocutor for the Naga talks has completed the process of talks with the Naga National Political Groups (NNPG), an umbrella body of seven Naga rebel groups, and now the organisation is putting pressure on the government to sign the agreement at the earliest. But the government is keen on inclusive solution involving all the stakeholders. �The leaders of the NSCN(I-M) have been told categorically what can be offered to them and it is up to them to decide whether to accept that or not,� the sources added.
