Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) stated that negotiation between the Naga rebel groups and the Government is complete and only the accord is left to be signed, reports Assam Tribune on January 21. Sources said that as part of the agreement reached between the Government and the rebel groups, two autonomous councils would be set up in the Naga inhabited areas of Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur under the provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India. Nagaland will have one more Lok Sabha (lower house of Indian Parliament) seat and the Government will take effective steps for the rehabilitation of the members of the rebel groups. Sources said that though there was a demand for cultural integration of the Naga inhabited areas, that has been rejected as a large section of people of Nagaland is opposed to it. Moreover, the demand for a separate constitution and flag for Nagaland has been rejected. Sources said that the Centre’s interlocutor for Naga talks, RN Ravi, who is now the Governor of Nagaland, had detailed talks with the Naga civil society groups to ensure that the political solution of the Naga problem is an “inclusive one”. The Governments of Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh were also consulted. A major issue currently facing the Government is that a few hundred National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM) are still in Myanmar and they would have to be brought back to India before the signing of the Accord so that they also surrender along with the other cadres.
Another major issue is that some members including senior cadres of the NSCN(I-M) are involved in unlawful activities such as gun running and car-jacking, adds Assam Tribune. The Government has stated that this was unacceptable.