Imphal: AK Mishra, the Centre’s representative for the Indo-Naga peace talks, met with the top leadership of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) in Dimapur on Tuesday, sources confirmed.
Mishra, who arrived in Dimapur on September 17, held an informal closed-door meeting with the NSCN-IM collective leadership, led by Ato Kilonser Thuingaleng Muivah, on the same day.
Muivah was accompanied by Chairman Q. Tuccu, Vice-Chairman Tongmeth Wangnao, Deputy Ato Kilonser Lieutenant General (Retd.) VS Atem, and NSCN-IM Army Chief Anthony Ningkhan Shimray, who also serves as the coordinator of the Indo-Naga peace talks.
Mishra was joined by officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the sources added.
“We had a fruitful meeting with the representatives of the Government of India and have agreed to resume talks in Delhi, based on the principles of the Framework Agreement, in the first week of October 2024,” an NSCN-IM leader present at the meeting told EastMojo.
Details of the discussions during the informal meeting were not disclosed and remain confidential, sources noted.
This is not the first time the two sides have held informal talks, the sources mentioned. However, the last official meeting between the Government of India and the NSCN-IM took place in Delhi on December 7 last year.
The NSCN-IM top leader also stated that the prolonged delay in holding official talks was attributed to various factors such as the Parliamentary elections, government formation, instability in Manipur, and other excuses.
However, the core issue remains the lack of a clear-cut policy from the Government of India on the Naga issue, according to the Naga leader.
Dear Reader,
Every day, our team at EastMojo travels through rain, rough roads, and remote hills to bring you stories that matter – stories from your town, your people, your Northeast.
We do this because we believe in truthful, independent journalism. No big corporate backing, no government pressure – just honest reporting by local journalists who live and breathe the same air you do.
But to keep doing this work, we need you. Your small contribution helps us pay our reporters fairly, reach places others ignore, and keep asking the tough questions.
If you believe the Northeast deserves its own fearless voice, stand with us.
Support independent journalism. Be a Member.
Thank you,
Karma Paljor
Editor-in-Chief, eastmojo.com
Led by Thuingaleng Muivah, the NSCN-IM is one of India’s oldest insurgent groups, fighting for the self-determination of Nagas across the border. The group has been engaged in peace talks with the Center since 1997 in an effort to find a lasting solution to the Indo-Naga conflict.
Also Read | Manipur: Govt to provide essential commodities at reasonable prices