The Long Road Ahead: On Naga Political Issue

Just days after Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio stated that the Home ministry had hinted at appointing a Union minister of state and an intelligence bureau expert to take the Naga peace process forward, it has emerged that the centre had appointed retired IPS officer and former Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) chief Ajit Lal as the Adviser (Northeast) in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to replace AK Mishra, who was involved in talks with various Naga political groups since 2021 to end the decades-long Naga political issue, as well as with Kuki-Zo insurgent groups based in Manipur. Unlike in the past, when the announcement of the Indian government’s interlocutor for Naga peace talks usually generated much interest in political and social circles, along with speculations and renewed hope, Lal has made a rather quiet entrance, without any sensational headlines. Perhaps the centre has intentionally decided to keep the transition low-profile. Perhaps the general public—the Naga people—are disheartened by past experiences of unfulfilled promises and false hope. Perhaps it is a combination of both and more, as various interlocutors have come and gone without making any noticeable progress for over two decades now. However, this doesn’t lessen the importance of the task at hand, that is, to bring the protracted issue to a logical and acceptable conclusion that has remained elusive so far. In fact, he has his tasks cut out for him, as the stakes are higher today and patience is running thin. This is evident from the frustration expressed by various Naga political parties, civil organisations, and public leaders in the media.

Lal is no stranger to the Northeast, having overseen several major insurgency-affected areas in the region as Special Director in the Intelligence Bureau. He also served as the interlocutor for Naga talks for a few months in 2014 before he was replaced by RN Ravi. After more than a decade since his brief stint, he is now tasked with steering the Naga peace talks, which is currently in limbo. As he takes up the charge again, he will be expected to end the deadlock and resume the parley at the earliest. However, it is not the frequency of talks but sincerity and political will that matter the most for a positive outcome. To advance the talks, he should focus on finding common ground regarding the complex issues arising from the Indian government's signing of the Framework Agreement with the NSCN (IM) in 2015 and the Agreed Position with the WC-NNPG in 2017 for a single matter. It is also important to defuse the misunderstanding that is currently building between the NSCN (IM) and the Kuki-Zo insurgent groups that have signed the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with India. Failing to do so could impact the course of the negotiations and lead to mistrust. Talks will be futile without sincerity.