Naga Peace Talks Interlocutor R N Ravi today called upon Naga people, including the Naga armed groups, to be united to achieve a solution and asserted that the Centre is serious to find a solution to the decades old Naga political issue.
"My most extreme concern is the fact that Naga society is divided and the biggest challenge is how to forge that unity," he said while speaking on the eighth day of the cultural extravaganza of Hornbill Festival at the Naga Heritage village Kisama here.
He appealed to the Naga people to "please extend the unity beyond culture... Extend it to other facets of Naga life".
Seeing the spirit of cultural unity, he said "Naga unity is not impossible", he said.
As an interlocutor, Ravi said he is immensely encouraged by the spirit of unity displayed through the celebration with the coming together of the diverse Naga culture.
"We are at a historic opportunity... The moment is historic," he said while maintaining that Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, who has deep respect and enormous regard for Naga people is determined to resolve the Naga political issue.
"He (Modi) has made explicitly clear that resolution of the Naga issue has to be on the principle of equality and mutual understandings and respect", Ravi said.
The Centre's Interlocutor said "There cannot be better foundational principle than this on which the whole hope of solution is build.
But to achieve this it is very important to be united," he said.
Ravi also maintained that this foundational principle had been enunciated in the Framework Agreement of August 3, signed between the NSCN(IM) and Centre.
He also made it clear that the political process is inclusive and all stakeholders will be taken on board.
"I have been reaching out to all the different groups, civil societies, including the Naga armed groups for unity," he said urging the Naga people to appreciate the importance of this occasion and opportunity and not miss on it.
On the banning of NSCN(K), Ravi said "it was the group
which abrogated the ceasefire agreement and carried on with hostility".
"The Central government waited, but banned the NSCN(K) only after the June incident. We tried to bring them back while Naga civil societies also appealed to them but they refused. The NSCN(K) instead started forming alliance with other insurgent groups and violence continued. Perhaps, the government lost hope," he said.
18 soldiers were killed and 11 others injured when NSCN(K) militants ambushed an administrative convoy of the Army in Chandel district of Manipur in June this year.
On the extension of Disturbed Area Act, Ravi said the Act has been there in this part of the country for the past 60 years or more and "we were trying to dispose it, but because of the unfortunate abrogation of ceasefire and the violence it has to be continued".
The Interlocutor also had a three-hour long closed door meeting with the tribal bodies of different Naga tribes from Nagaland and Manipur today.
"The meeting was held to understand the feelings and aspirations of the Naga tribal bodies and also to clear the doubts arising from the signing of the Framework Agreement," he told reporters here after coming out of the meeting.
"I have told them that the solution to arrive at will be inclusive and comprehensive," he said.
