Naga leaders confident of final solution soon
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 14 2017: Many Naga leaders are confident that the Government of India and NSCN-IM would arrive at a final settlement at the earliest .

The Naga leaders are confident that the final settlement may be sealed before Christmas or before the Nagaland State Assembly election, if it is delayed for sometime .

The Central Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is keen to work out a solution to the protracted political dialogue .

Many BJP leaders think that the party can reap rich political dividends from the North East region if a final settlement can be sealed ahead of the Lok Sabha election of 2019, sources informed .

Keeping aside the possibility of reaping political dividends, the BJP-led Central Government and all the stake holders of Manipur wish an early solution to the protracted political dialogue .

As no solution can be worked out by keeping only NSCN-IM or Naga people in mind, interlocutor RN Ravi has been working hard to work out a solution which would be acceptable to all stake holders .

Keeping aside the demands of NSCN-IM, the negotiators have been exploring all aspects in search of a most feasible solution, informed the sources .

NSCN-IM has already dropped its demand for sovereignty.

As such, they may insist on Sixth Schedule or a similar provision or pan-Naga development council or greater autonomy, said sources .

Given the vehement opposition raised by the people of Manipur, particularly Meiteis against any disturbance to the territorial integrity of Manipur, the negotiators may work out a formula under which the aspirations of Nagas are fulfilled somehow while keeping the State's territorial integrity intact .

As such, Sixth schedule or a similar provision or pan-Naga development council or greater autonomy may emerge as the final solution to the protracted political dialogue .

Asking if it is okay to bring a final settlement to the Naga issue without disturbing Manipur's territorial integrity, the sources maintained that how far the NSCN-IM's demands are fulfilled would depend on bringing an understanding with all stake holders .

Meanwhile, the Government of India has been talking with all stake holders at different levels.

RN Ravi has held several rounds of talks with six Naga National Political Groups which were previously never taken within the purview of the political dialogue .

At the same time, NSCN-IM has been holding dialogues with several Kuki organisations .

After his meeting with a team of State intellectuals yesterday, RN Ravi held another meeting some NNPGs .

Even as the sources refused to divulge details of what transpired during the meeting, they claimed that the meeting was quite positive .

Nagas may accept Sixth Schedule or a similar provision or pan-Naga development council or greater autonomy as a solution to the protracted dialogue for such an arrangement can be assumed as a road to integration of Naga inhabited areas in future.

Many Naga leaders are confident that a final settlement which would not affect the territorial integrity of Manipur is quite near, added the sources.

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