Naga Peace Talks: 'Final Meeting' Ahead of Oct 31 Deadline to be Held Today

New Delhi, October 28, 2019:

A crucial meeting to resolve the protracted Naga dispute between the Government and the NSCN (IM) will be held today. An earlier meeting held on October 24 between the two parties proved "inconclusive".

This meeting has been dubbed as the last talk ahead of the October 31 deadline set by the Government of India to conclude the peace talks.

A sixteen-member NSCN (IM) delegation led by Ato Kilonser Th. Muivah, is camped out in Delhi and will participate in the meeting that is to be held later today.

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However, some believe that the peace talks may extend beyond the Government-imposed deadline of October 31.

NSCN-IM’s Army Chief, Anthony Shimray, reportedly said that the deadline will be extended after further consultations. He further added that although the date had not been decided formally, the peace talks would continue.

It may be mentioned that the Centre had earlier set October 31 as the final date to find a solution to the Naga issue. However, the demand for a separate “Naga national flag” and “Naga constitution” of the NSCN-IM has caused a deadlock between the two negotiating parties.

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With the October 31 deadline for a final settlement to the Naga dispute approaching fast amid protracted peace talks, the Nagaland and Manipur governments have put the respective police forces on “high alert”, reports The Tribune.

In Nagaland, all deputy commissioners of the districts and administrative officers have been asked to remain in their place of posting, and within their jurisdiction till further orders.

Barring medical leaves, all police personnel have been barred from leaving their places of posting.

Meanwhile, security forces in the state of Manipur, which has a large population of Nagas, have also been beefed up, and personnel have been deployed at key areas, including near the Raj Bhavan in Imphal.

It may be mentioned here that the crucial round of peace talks on October 24 to find a lasting solution to the seven-decade-old Naga insurgency problem has remained “inconclusive”, sources have informed.

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