Itanagar, Nov. 1 (PTI): Arunachal Pradesh on Friday welcomed the Centre’s decision to consult all stakeholders, including the three states sharing borders with Nagaland, before finalising any settlement in the Naga peace process.
Several organisations led by the apex student body, All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU), also reiterated that the outcome of the Naga peace process should not disturb the state’s territorial jurisdiction.
The Centre on Thursday said it is yet to conclude talks with Naga insurgent groups and will consult all stakeholders including the states of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh before finalisation of any settlement.
Welcoming the central government’s decision to consult all stakeholders on the issue, Arunachal Pradesh Home Minister Bamang Felix termed it as a “comprehensive policy”. “The state government will place its opinion to the Centre keeping in view the interest of the state and its people when called for consultation,” Felix told PTI.
AAPSU General Secretary Tabom Dai also welcomed the central government’s decision but said administrative interferences within the territory of Arunachal Pradesh would not be tolerated at any cost.
“The ongoing peace talks should have been more transparent from the very beginning for all stakeholders to follow and place their valued opinion,” Dai said.
Arunachal Civil Society (ACS) chairperson Patey Tayum said if the Centre accepts the NSCN-IM’s demand for unification of all Naga inhabited areas, the people in three eastern districts of the state would suffer a lot.
“The people of Tirap, Changlang and Longding are suffering because of decades-old insurgency problem and pace of development have been slow in those districts,” Tayum said.
The peace talks to find a lasting solution to the seven-decade-old insurgency problem in Nagaland continued for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday, with the Centre’s interlocutor and Nagaland Governor R N Ravi holding discussions with the NSCN-IM.
The outcome of Thursday’s meeting is not known immediately.
While the dialogue with the Naga National Political Groups (NNPG) is said to be over, talks with the NSCN-IM, a major insurgent group in the Northeast, has been centred on its demands for a separate flag and Constitution for the Nagas.
BJP seeks cooperation from neighbouring states
Dimapur, Nov. 1 (EMN): As the final agreement between the government of India and the NSCN-IM and the NNPGs is in sight after the Indo-Naga political talks came to a logical conclusion on Thursday, to usher in era of peace and tranquillity in all the Naga-inhabited areas, deputy chief minister of Nagaland Y Patton has appealed to neighbouring states of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal on behalf of Nagaland BJP to extend full cooperation towards inking the final settlement.
Through a press release issued on Friday, Patton reminded that Naga political issue has been dragging on seven decades and requested the neighbouring states to support the magnanimous effort and sagacious decision of the GoI under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to bring peace in entire Northeast.
