Northeast Desk, 29th August: The Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of the Nagaland government has announced plans to hold consultative meetings with apex tribal bodies and civil society organizations to further discussions on the Naga Political Issue. This decision follows a meeting on Wednesday attended by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and the state’s two Members of Parliament.
K.G. Kenye, Nagaland’s Parliamentary Affairs Minister, revealed the PAC’s decision in a press conference. The PAC, established in November 2023, consists of all 60 members of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly from eight political parties and aims to facilitate a unified resolution to the Naga Political Issue.
Despite ongoing negotiations between the Centre, NSCN-IM, and the Working Committee of the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs), no final solution has been reached. The Framework Agreement with NSCN-IM and the Agreed Position with NNPGs have been signed, but unresolved issues within the Framework Agreement are hindering progress.
Kenye emphasized that the state government seeks public, civil society, and tribal input to chart the best course forward. Consultations are expected to commence soon.
Additionally, the PAC discussed the ongoing dialogues between the Centre and the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) regarding their demand for a Frontier Nagaland Territory. With new leadership in ENPO, the PAC remains hopeful that tripartite talks will progress, potentially leading to a resolution.