Ensure progress of last 23 yrs is not forsaken: Deve Gowda to PM Modi

Guwahati: Former PM HD Deve Gowda, who had held initial talks with the NSCN-IM leadership way back in 1997, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that progress made in the past 23 years by successive governments is not forsaken now.
Gowda said: “Newspaper reports indicate that the Union government’s negotiations with NSCN-IM to resolve the Naga problem has run into rough weather. From recent statements made by those involved in the negotiations it is apparent that distrust has crept in.”

Gowda added: “The Naga ceasefire agreement in 1997, which followed my meeting with Isak Chishi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah in Zurich in February 1997, was the result of constructive diplomacy. We should ensure that the progress made in the past 23 years by successive governments is not forsaken now. There is a constitution and also a 2015 framework agreement, which should help us move towards a solution.”

Gowda said: “I sincerely hope that distrust is put aside, talks continue and a peace accord is reached at the earliest. The people of Northeast India deserve to live in harmony and witness economic progress.”

NSCN-IM leaders are in New Delhi currently and have held a couple of rounds of informal talks in the last one week, which were attended by IB officials.

Talks are in a stalemate as NSCN-IM has sought the replacement of interlocutor RN Ravi. NSCN-IM has raised the demand for a separate flag and constitution, which the Centre had ruled out earlier.