Nov 14 talks between Centre, NSCN-IM was inconclusive but not deadlocked: Naga group

Kohima, Dec 9 (IANS) The Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) on Saturday said that the last round of formal talks on Naga political issue with the Central government on November 14 in Delhi "was not conclusive but also not deadlocked".

The NSCN-IM said that the outfit's General Secretary and its chief negotiator, Thuingaleng Muivah had unequivocally stated that a solution without the Naga national flag and constitution would never be acceptable to the Naga people.

The dominant Naga group in a statement said: "On the issue of Naga territorial integration, our chief Negotiator stated that the Nagas were divided by the colonial power and placed them under different units for their administrative convenience. The Nagas are the victims of that "divide-and-rule policy".

On the issue of the Naga national flag, the government representative had earlier said: "The government of India has acknowledged/recognized the Naga national flag."

"We were utterly disappointed when he backtracked later. Notwithstanding this, we submitted our draft on the subject matter of the flag," it added.

Despite the Central government's wavering stand, nothing could be further from the truth as the flag and constitution are the integral parts of sovereignty, the NSCN-IM said. "Sovereignty without flag and constitution is a form without content. Nagas have been in existence for thousands of years in their own land in accordance with our own sets of law."

It said that the Naga national movement is blessed with divine presence that no power on the earth can uproot it.

"It was through the mighty name of the Lord that the Naga issue has been salvaged from the devious plots of the adversary time and again.

"As we repose our faith in God's grace, we shall handle our struggle of destination no matter how daunting the task may be," the leading Naga group said.

The Centre has been holding separate negotiations with the dominant Naga outfit, NSCN-IM since 1997 as well as the Naga National Political Groups, comprising at least seven groups, since 2017.

The stalemate continued as the NSCN-IM remained firm on its demand for a separate flag and constitution for the Nagas besides the integration of Naga inhabited areas of the northeast.