No peace process without Naga flag, constitution, NSCN (IM) insists

The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) has once again said that a political solution to the Naga issue cannot be finalised without the Naga national flag and constitution.

The issue remains unresolved 25 years after the ceasefire between the Centre and the NSCN (IM) and several rounds of talks since.

In September 2021 all 60 MLAs in Nagaland came together to form the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) government with the objective of giving a “final push” to the negotiating parties.

“The ongoing Indo-Naga political talks, which have entered a critical stage, are being watched with much curiosity by people around the world because it matters how the Naga people rise up to the occasion to defend their political identity as symbolised by the Naga national flag and the constitution (Yehzabo). We cannot afford to waver at this crucial stage. We have to take our stand no matter what the heat of the pressure that may come,” NSCN (IM) chairman Q Tuccu said on Thursday.

The chairman called upon NSCN (IM) members to exercise “revolutionary responsibility to forbear any hardship” and continue their campaign.

UDA chairman and former chief minister TR Zeliang said that the lawmakers’ panel, the core committee on the Naga political issue, would soon meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi to ascertain the Centre’s latest position.

“After that, we want to meet NSCN (IM) to hammer out the differences and arrive at a meeting point with an amicable settlement. Otherwise, if we keep on like this, then we are surely going to meet a deadlock in this negotiation,” he said.

Zeliang said the flag and constitution issues should be amicably settled. 

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio also confirmed that the Naga legislators would meet central leaders to “know their actual mind”.