Govt signs peace accord with Naga rebels

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 3

In an attempt to restore peace in the North-East, the Centre today signed an accord with a dominant Naga insurgent group, the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah). The Centre called it a ‘historic’ event but left everyone guessing about the contents of the agreement.

Video: Centre signs peace accord with NSCN (IM) - 1

Centre signs peace accord with NSCN (IM) - 2

The NSCN (Khaplang), a breakaway faction of the NSCN(IM), which attacked and killed 20 Army men on June 4, is not a signatory to the accord that was announced and signed in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence tonight.

Among those present on the occasion were Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag. Government’s Interlocutor for Naga peace talks RN Ravi, a former intelligence officer, signed the agreement on behalf of the government. 

Isak Chishi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah, chairman and general secretary of the NSCN(IM), respectively, were the signatories from the Naga rebels’ side. Muivah said: “I thank God for this momentous occasion.... Under PM Narendra Modi, we have come close to understand each other, and worked out a new relation between the two parties ... Nagas will forever remember you for your statesmanship.”

After Muivah finished his speech, the PM described as “historic” the signing of the peace accord. He praised NSCN(IM) leaders Muivah and Isak Swu for showing “wisdom and courage” and for making the historic agreement a reality. The PM said Naga courage and commitment were legendary. They also represented the highest levels of humanism, he said.

The NSCN was formed by Isak Chishi Swu, Thuingaleng Muivah and SS Khaplang in early 1980s for opposing the 1975 Shillong Accord that was signed between the then Naga National Council and the Centre. The objective of the group was to establish a sovereign nation called Nagalim through insurgency. In 1988, the NSCN split into two groups—NSCN (Isak-Muivah) and NSCN (Khaplang). There was a disagreement between leaders of these groups over holding peace talks with the Centre. Under the Shillong Accord, the then Naga leadership had accepted the Constitution of India.