Centre likely to create three councils to settle Naga issue

Guwahati: The Centre may agree to create two autonomous councils in the frontier state of Arunachal Pradesh and one in Manipur in the process of final settlement of the ongoing Naga talks, which is in the advance stage but facing frequent intervention of China.

Informing that Centre has started the process of taking all stakeholders including non-Nagas on boards, security sources in the ministry of home affairs told this newspaper that Centre has agreed to create two autonomous councils in Arunachal Pradesh— one for Nagas living in Tirap and Changlang district and another for Buddhist in Tawang simultaneously.

It is significant that Arunachal Pradesh Assembly has passed several resolution for creating Mon Autonomous District Council for Tawang and West Kameng districts in past.

Pointing out that a Naga autonomous district council has been proposed in Manipur also, security sources however clarified that Centre has decided to take all the stakeholders on board before taking a formal decision on forming the council in Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.

Indicating that Prime Minister’s envoy for Naga talks R.N. Ravi has succeeded in creating a consensus between the Centre and Naga groups almost on all the issues, security sources said that Central government is of view that all the stakeholders should be taken on board before signing the final peace accord with Naga groups.

Asserting that Centre wants that solution is acceptable to all the stakeholders, security sources said that Centre was also trying to ensure that solution to Naga problem should not trigger another agitation in the region.

Pointing out that some external forces from China was taking keen interest in the ongoing Naga peace-process, security sources said. that Chinese agencies which have very strong connections with Northeast insurgent groups operating from Myanmar have been trying hard to provoke both—Naga and non-Naga groups for provocative statements.

Informing that Naga groups holding talks with Centre has now understood the game plan of these external forces, security sources said that of late they have distanced themselves from engaging and responding to such provocative remarks.

About the reasons China taking interest in Naga talks, security sources said that security circles of South East Asia believe that once government of India succeeds in resolving the Naga issues, no insurgent group would be able to survive in the region.

About the recent remarks of Naga groups on integration of Naga dominated areas of Northeast, security sources clarified that they have agreed for solution to the Naga issues but it doesn’t imply that Naga group will not pursue their political demands. “Even after the final settlement and signing of the peace accord, Naga group may continue to fight for their political rights. Like any other Indian, they also have constitutional right to pursue their demand at the political level,” security sources said clarifying that Naga talks involve the problem of all the Nagas so the ongoing Indo-Naga political negotiations was not confined to Nagaland alone.