GUWAHATI, Oct 28 - Formal talks on the demands of the working committee of six rebel outfits of Nagaland will start next week and the Government of India is hopeful that the NSCN(K) will also join the peace process following pressure from the Naga civil society.
Highly placed sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) told The Assam Tribune that the working committee of the six rebel groups has been categorically told that there would be no question of changing the boundary of states and they would have to seek solution within Nagaland.
The Centre�s interlocutor for Naga talks, RN Ravi already had two rounds of talks with the working committee leaders, once in Delhi and the other in Dimapur recently. But those talks were basically for confidence building and the formal talks on the demands of the six outfits would start only next week. A delegation of the working committee is scheduled to visit Delhi for the talks but the dates are yet to be finalised.
Sources said that so far, the NSCN(I-M) has not agreed to sit together with the other rebel groups for talks, but the government has made it clear that there would be only one agreement for a lasting solution to the Naga political issues. Sources added that the government is of the view that signing different agreements with different groups would only complicate the situation and would not bring a lasting solution to the problem. �There have been reports that the government is holding parallel talks with the NSCN(I-M) and the working committee of six rebel groups. But this is not a fact. There will be only one agreement and efforts are on to engage all the stakeholders for lasting peace,� sources pointed out.
MHA sources revealed that talks with the NSCN(I-M) are in the final stage as most of the major issues and differences have been settled. Only a few minor issues are to be resolved and at this moment, the formal talks with the working committee of the six rebel groups have also started and point by point discussions on the demands raised by the committee will start next week so that an agreement on the common points can be brought out for preparation of the final agreement. The Naga civil society organisations, including the Naga Hoho, have also been involved in the peace process.
On the apprehension in Assam about inclusion of its territory in the Nagalim, sources said the Union Home Minister and the Centre�s interlocutor for Naga talks have already made it clear that there would be no change in the geographical boundary of any state and there is no reason for anyone to feel apprehensive.
The Centre is also hopeful that the NSCN(K) would also rejoin the peace process. �Though we are yet to get any intimation from the outfit, the Naga civil society is putting pressure on the outfit to rejoin the peace process. If the outfit does not join the process soon, they will be isolated and left out of the process,� sources said.
