Dialogue with NSCN (IM) : 6th Schedule offer turned down in the course of negotiation
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 09 2014: With a view to resolve the vexed Naga insurgency issue, the Government of India offered 6th Schedule as a possible solution three times in the course of the ongoing political dialogue between New Delhi and the NSCN-IM leadership.

One key Naga leader who is actively engaged in the ongoing peace process told The Sangai Express that the Government of India is still unable to work out an amicable solution even though the peace process is now 17 years old.

The core demand of the Naga people is sovereignty.

But the question of sovereignty is no longer on the agenda.

Yet, any solution to the Indo-Naga peace process cannot be less respectable.

As a solution to the Naga solution, the Government of India offered 6th Schedule to the United Naga Council (UNC) three times but the UNC rejected all these offers.

Caption

Notably, the Pan Naga Development Council was mooted at one instance in the course of exploring a solution to the Naga issue.

But the idea could not fructify as a solution to the peace process.

Subsequently, some sections suggested the model of Mizo Accord.

But a viable solution still eludes the protracted peace process.

The Naga leader maintained that any proposal put forward as a solution to the Naga issue should be respectable and acceptable to the Naga people.

"At one instance, one army official suggested the model of Mizo Accord to thrash out a solution to the Naga issue but I only said Nagas are not Mizos", narrated the Naga leader.

Political concessions granted by the 16 Point Agreement are much greater than compared to the Mizo Accord of 1966 .

As per the provisions of the 16 Point Agreement, Nagas are the owners of land and all kinds of natural resources found in Nagaland.

Outsiders have no authority to cut down even one bamboo.

As such, resolution of the Indo-Naga issue on the line of Mizo Accord is simply unimaginable, forget about being acceptable, said the Naga leader.

The report that the Prime Minister would not meet the NSCN-IM leadership and only the interlocutor should talk with the collective leadership is no big deal.

Whether it is the Prime Minister or the Home Minister or the interlocutor is not an issue.

What matters is holding dialogue and working out an amicable solution.

The Narendra Modi Government has already made it clear that resolution of Indo-Naga issue is a time-bound matter, and Naga people keep faith in this declaration.

During the 10 years of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, both sides could not work out an amicable solution.

Nonetheless, Naga people are hopeful of an acceptable solution from the Modi Government, the Naga leader confided.

A possible solution is being explored after ruling out the options of 6th Schedule, Pan Naga Development Council and the Mizo Accord model.

Meanwhile, a well placed source informed that New Delhi has started studying the feasibility of a possible solution which could have direct and serious impact on the integrity of Manipur.

Taking due note of the proposed solution's potential to unmake Manipur, New Delhi has been studying the proposal with utmost care.

But the source refused to divulge details of the new proposal which is being worked out as a possible solution to the vexed Naga issue.