Centre signs pact in bid to resolve 60-yr Naga conflict
Indrani Bagchi
New Delhi
Terms Not Out, Nagas May Get More Autonomy
Putting an end to decades-long bitter insurgency in Nagaland, the Centre signed a historic peace accord with the rebel NSCN(IM) on Monday that promises a return to normalcy in the state and boost India's Act East Policy that had stalled because of insurgency .
The agreement was signed by chief Indian interlocutor R N Ravi with T Muivah, chairman of NSCN (IM), the largest of the Naga insurgent groups, at the PM's residence on Monday evening. The signing was witnessed by PM Narendra Modi, home minister Rajnath Singh and national security advisor Ajit Doval.From the other side, 19 top Naga leaders from different organizations and civil society groups were present.
The terms of the accord have not been announced, triggering speculation about what the details could be.Sources said Muivah did not insist on the demand for the creation of greater Nagaland by clubbing all Naga-dominated pockets scattered across Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. This suggests that the breakthrough could be about an agreement over the degree of autonomy that Nagas outside Nagaland will have.
Modi termed the accord a “landmark“ and welcomed it saying, “We will not only try to heal wounds and resolve problems, but also be your partner as you restore your pride and prestige.“ Muivah said the government and Nagas were entering a “new relationship“. However, the insurgent leader sounded more cautious than Modi. An optimistic Modi said: “Today , we mark not merely the end of a problem, but the beginning of a new future.“
While Muivah promised that Nagas would honour the accord, he acknowledged that challenges still remain.
The accord promises to end the longest running insurgency in the northeast, which has significant implications for development of the region. Naga violence has been a big deterrent to investment in those states. But more than that, it has alienated generations of Nagas, which has made peace more difficult.
It could also isolate the NSCN (Khaplang group), which was responsible for attacks on Indian security forces, particularly the Dogra regiment convoy , which resulted in an Indian army cross-border action to destroy their camps in Myanmar.
But the importance of the development is not just domestic. The insurgency has been on obstacle for the efforts to deepen engagement with Myanmar and the larger “Act East Policy“.
A former Union home secretary , who was the Centre's interlocutor for 12 years, called the peace accord a “big breakthrough“.
“The Naga political issue had lingered for six decades, taking a huge toll on generations of our people,“ Modi said. Over 3,000 lives have been lost in this insurgency.
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