Envoy meets stakeholders on Naga unification

The Prime Minister’s envoy for Naga peace-talks, Mr R.N. Ravi, on Tuesday concluded his two-day-long consultations with stakeholders in Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts of Arunachal Pradesh.

The NSCN (I-M) has been demanding unification of all the Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.

Informing that more than 60 representatives comprising traditional village heads, zila parishad members, student leaders and public representatives attended the consultation meeting, Mr Ravi told this newspaper, “Our approach is inclusive. The solution that we wish to arrive is comprehensive. When I say inclusive, it is not just the Naga armed groups but it is also the civil society of the frontier state. They being the important stakeholders of the civil society, I wanted to get their views, their doubts and their questions.”

Pointing out that more than 60 representatives of Tirap, Changlang and Longding district expres-sed their views, Mr Ravi said that representatives of civil society groups advocated for the creation of a union territory comprising three frontier districts of Arunachal Pradesh. He said it was an exercise to reach out all the stakeholders while pointing out that the government of India would also consult the state governments before taking a final decision on the resolution of the Naga issue.

Meanwhile, representatives of the civil society groups who attended the consultation meet told this newspaper that the civil society of the frontier state has expressed their reservation on the inclusion of Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts in greater Nagalim of NSCN.

Pointing out that the civil society was unanimous in their view and rejected proposed unification demand of Naga-dominated areas, sources said that civil society groups, however, advocated the creation of a union territory comprising three trouble-torn districts of Arunachal Pradesh for better governance and development of remote areas.