Nagaland PAC calls for ‘Naga Common Platform’ to break political deadlock

In a renewed push to resolve the long-pending Naga political issue, the Nagaland government’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC) on January 17 called for the formation of a ‘Naga Common Platform’ to bridge divisions among various civil society organisations and present a unified voice in negotiations.

The PAC meeting was held at the Rhododendron Hall in Chumoukedima under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio. Addressing mediapersons after the meeting, Deputy Chief Minister and PAC Co-Convenor T R Zeliang said the committee, after extensive deliberations, proposed the creation of a single apex body to articulate the Naga political position.

Zeliang said the existence of multiple organisations and NGOs speaking in different directions has weakened the collective mandate of the Naga people. He stressed that the state government is urging tribal hohos, the apex tribal bodies, to come together and persuade all Naga political groups to unite under one umbrella. “The solution has to be one. There cannot be two or three solutions,” he asserted.

He added that the primary objective for the current year is to overcome internal divisions, noting that fragmentation within civil society has diluted effective representation. While elected representatives speak for the people under the Constitution of India, the PAC emphasised that a unified civil society platform is essential to ensure a single, cohesive voice during political negotiations.

Although no formal resolution was adopted at the meeting, Zeliang said the discussions were comprehensive and focused on breaking the prevailing political deadlock.

The Naga peace process has been underway for decades. A major milestone was achieved on August 3, 2015, with the signing of the Framework Agreement between the NSCN(IM) and the Government of India in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, following over 80 rounds of talks spanning nearly 18 years. Earlier, a ceasefire agreement was reached in 1997, ending decades of insurgency that began soon after Independence.

Subsequently, the Centre also signed an Agreed Position with the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs), an umbrella body of seven organisations, in December 2017. However, a final settlement remains elusive, largely due to differences over the NSCN(IM)’s demand for a separate Naga flag and constitution.

Earlier in the day, a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Rio and attended by PAC members discussed development-related hurdles concerning the Dimapur Railway Station and the expansion of Dimapur Airport. Rio said the state government would take up the matter with the concerned ministries and explore alternatives. “If the Assam Rifles are not willing to vacate from the current place, they have to give us a new airport. That is the issue,” he said.

MLA Achumbemo Kikon said the PAC would continue to play an active role in facilitating a political settlement. He said that as elected representatives entrusted with this responsibility, members of the committee would vigorously pursue efforts towards a resolution of the Naga political issue.