Nagas Talk remain deadlocked

The All-Important Naga talk has remained deadlocked with both sides refused to budge from their known stand on the issue of separate flag and constitution for Nagaland.

Another round of talks will be held between the Naga National Political Group (NNPG) and the Naga Peace Interlocutor R N Ravi on October 31. That is also the final day of an imaginary last day of a three-month deadline to seek a solution to the Naga issue.

TheNagaland Governor Ravi, had a tough negotiation with the a15-member delegationled by NSCN (I-M) general secretary Th Muivah but nothing achieved so far theNaga group also continued to maintain its stand on separate flag andconstitution, sources said. The meeting lasted for over two hours.

TheNagaland and Manipur are on the edge as Centre has been pushing hard negotiationseeking an "accord" by October 31 sans ' Naga flag and constitution'.

At this moment talks are being held at New Delhi on a daily basis as Centre was determined to extract the Accord by October 31 while NSCN (IM) urged the Centre not to insist on the deadline.

The scenario of the presents negotiation mirror exactly the Shillong Accord of 1975 when a small group walked out of the negotiating table when others were coaxed in to sign the accord. That small group was led by Th Muviah and Issac Swu. The history after 44 years is repeating again.

TheNagaland government has directed all deputy commissioners of the districts andadministrative officers to remain in their place of posting and within theirjurisdiction till further orders.

Accordingto NSCN (IM) sources, the Centre may not insist on October 31 deadline but thatwas not independently verified.