NSCN (I-M) has said that the Framework Agreement that speaks of the unique history of the Naga people and their sovereign independence identity embraces the flag and constitution and there is no scope provided to have separate talk on Naga flag and constitution.
“By having separate talk on flag and constitution, government of India is sending a wrong signal that is not in sync with the Framework Agreement. GoI should not undo its commitment and backtrack from the Framework Agreement by distorting what has been agreed upon,” stated a release issued by the Ministry of Information and Publicity, NSCN (IM).
The release stated that even the appointment of the then Interlocutor as Nagaland state Governor is believed to have been deliberately done with the sinister design to undo his own signature from the Framework Agreement.
“NSCN is, however, committed to stick to Framework Agreement to solve Indo-Naga political issue. The sticking point is, in total contradiction with the Framework Agreement RN Ravi gave misleading report to the Parliamentary Standing Committee. Such reports that are not connected with any agreement with the NSCN Negotiating team have now become the source of soreness in the Indo-Naga political talks,” it stated.
It maintained that the recognition of the unique history and situation of the Nagas by the GoI on July 11, 2002 is a political milestone in the Indo-Naga political negotiations. It comes after five years of tough talking for the NSCN negotiators to drive home the point from the historical perspective. The political significance of the recognition of the uniqueness of Naga history is that before or after the declaration of Naga Independence on 14th August, 1947, Nagas has never taken a single step to join the Union of India, either by conquest or consent, it said adding that NSCN respect GoI for accepting historical fact in order to take forward the Indo-Naga political talks to a meaningful level.
It recounted that Naga people exercised their sovereign option on May 16, 1951 when Naga National Council conducted Naga plebiscite where 99.99 percent voted in favour of sovereign Naga independence.
While saying that respecting each other’s position, shared sovereignty was defined in the competencies, it continued that how certain part of Naga sovereignty and vice versa was to be shared with union of India was defined in the competencies accordingly.
In the talks that followed, an understanding was reached that “enduring inclusive” was for lasting relationship of all the Nagas including other factions to be included in the Framework Agreement. “New relationship” implies that old relation of violent confrontation will end once for all. New relationship of two entities pertains to peaceful coexistence of the two entities, it added.
