What is holding back the signing of the Agreement, DNA learnt from several stakeholders driving the talks, are a few issues on which both sides have not been able to agree on.
While reports of the possibility of the signing of the Naga Peace Accord has been surfacing every now and then, the patience in Kohima is slowly running out. Naga leaders from civil society organisations recently held a meeting with interlocutor RN Ravi this week to speed up the discussion; it was widely believed that the Agreement will be signed before the monsoon session of the Parliament.
What is holding back the signing of the Agreement, DNA learnt from several stakeholders driving the talks, are a few issues on which both sides have not been able to agree on.
One of the hurdles is the word "constitution". While the Naga leaders and the Centre seem to have agreed on a separate constitution for the Nagas, the Centre is not keen on using the word 'constitution'. While a consensus is yet to be developed, the word 'izabo' is likely to be adopted instead.
The demand for a separate Naga flag is also making New Delhi uncomfortable. While the leaders contend that several states, such as Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir, Meghalaya, Sikkim etc., have their own flag, the issue seems to be stuck.
What the Centre is also pushing forward as a hurdle is who will be the signatory to the Accord. Ravi has insisted on "one solution" for what the Centre is one problem. The Centre signed the Framework Agreement with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) faction (NSCN-IM) in 2015, in November 2017, the Centre signed on six Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) as part of the talks to reach a solution. While the NSCN Khaplang faction has held no political talks with the Centre for the last decade, the Centre is keen on involving them and an effort has been initiated in with neighbouring Myanmar to that effect.
Sources also told DNA that the NSCN (IM)'s demand for Greater Nagalim was watered down to allow for separate autonomous Naga councils administering the Naga inhabitants of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Manipur. Another demand, to reintegrate the outfit's cadre in the Indian Army has also proved to be a roadblock.
Naga leaders feel that the BJP government might not be too keen on signing the Accord before 2019 Lok Sabha elections as it has the potential for an upset in the neighbouring states. Once the draft is ready, a Cabinet sub-committee will have to approve it, after which the Parliament will have to pass it.
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