Categories: India

Manipur urges Centre to share draft accord with NSCN-IM

&lt;p class=&quot;p1&quot;&gt;The Manipur government yesterday said that it had earlier requested the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to make available a copy of the draft agreement with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) to the state government to facilitate it to express its views, an official release said.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class=&quot;p1&quot;&gt;An official release issued by the home department of the Manipur government said that the state government had earlier requested the MHA to make available a copy of the draft agreement with the NSCN-IM to the state government at least one month before the date fixed for a consultation so that it may be in a position to express its views and comments.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class=&quot;p1&quot;&gt;&quot;On the Naga issue, there is no discussion yet between Manipur and the Central government,&quot; the release said.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class=&quot;p1&quot;&gt;According to officials in Nagaland, a nine-member team of NSCN-IM led by its chief negotiator Thuingaleng Muivah has been holding informal talks with the Centre since early last week in New Delhi as a prelude to the formal parleys expected to begin soon. Some significant development on the issue is expected by September.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class=&quot;p1&quot;&gt;While officials of the Home Ministry and the Nagaland government refused to say anything on the talks, the NSCN-IM delegation has expressed resentment against Nagaland Governor R.N. Ravi, who is also the Centre&#039;s interlocutor for parleys with various Naga outfits.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class=&quot;p1&quot;&gt;The NSCN-IM and intelligence sources said that while many of the 31 demands of the Nagas have been almost resolved, differences remain over a separate flag and separate Constitution.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class=&quot;p1&quot;&gt;Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh had earlier asserted that the Centre&#039;s ongoing peace talks with the NSCN-IM in Delhi won&#039;t affect the territorial boundaries of his state.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class=&quot;p1&quot;&gt;Various civil society organizations in Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam have strongly voiced their opposition to any decision that affected the territorial boundaries of these states.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class=&quot;p1&quot;&gt;United Committee Manipur (UCM), one of the influential civil society groups, has again urged the government and state leaders to make their stand clear on the issue.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class=&quot;p1&quot;&gt;The UCM said it always welcomed the peace process in the north-eastern region but would not compromise on any agreement that affected the territorial integrity of Manipur in any way.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class=&quot;p1&quot;&gt;In another development, the All Arunachal Pradesh Students&#039; Union has reiterated that there are no Nagas in their state, as claimed by the NSCN-IM, and asserted that any &quot;territorial changes&quot; while finding a solution to the Naga problem would not be tolerated.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class=&quot;p1&quot;&gt;Nagalim, a long-pending demand of the NSCN-IM for a separate Naga state, encompasses the Naga-inhabited areas of Myanmar as well as parts of northeastern states bordering Nagaland. The Nagalim map the outfit published a few years back includes Tirap, Changlang, Longding, Anjaw, Lohit, and Namsai districts of Arunachal Pradesh.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class=&quot;p1&quot;&gt;Students and social organizations in Assam are also opposed to any settlement that affects the territorial boundaries of the state.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class=&quot;p1&quot;&gt;The NSCN-IM has held a number of rounds of negotiations with the central government in Delhi and even outside India after signing a ceasefire pact in August 1997. The Modi government signed a &quot;framework agreement&quot; with the NSCN-IM in 2015.&lt;/p&gt;.