NSCN (IM) releases 2015 Framework Agreement details, claims Centre agreed on 'sharing sovereign power'

Amid the imbroglio with Centre's interlocutor R N Ravi, Naga rebel group the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) on Sunday released a copy of the "sensitive" Framework Agreement it signed with the Centre in 2015, claiming that both sides agreed on "sharing sovereign power as an honourable solution" to the six-decade-long conflict.

The statement is released for the first time, as the (NSCN-IM) and the Centre intended to conceal the sensitive details mentioned in the agreement.

Read: Naga talks: NSCN (IM) slams interlocutor RN Ravi, seeks replacement

In a statement emailed to DH on Sunday evening, the outfit also released another copy of the Framework Agreement, which according to it was manipulated by Ravi and shared with other Naga groups, such the Naga National Political Groups (NNPG), a forum of seven other rebel groups, in ceasefire to give a different narrative.

"Both sides have understood each other's respective positions and are cognizant of the universal principle that in a democracy sovereignty lies with the people. Accordingly, the Government of India and the NSCN, respecting people's wishes for sharing the sovereign power as defined in the competencies, reached an agreement on 3rd August 2015 as an honourable solution. It is a matter of great satisfaction that dialogue between the Government of India and the NSCN has successfully concluded and we are confident it will provide for an enduring inclusive new relationship of peaceful co-existence of the two entities," said the "original framework agreement."

The agreement, which was signed by the then NSCN (IM) chairman Isak Chishi Swu, general secretary Th Muivah and the Centre's representative, R N Ravi, also said the two sides agreed that within this framework agreement details and execution plan would be worked out and implemented shortly, it said. Swu died in June 2016.

The statement said the framework agreement, "manipulated" by Ravi, did not have the word "New" while referring to the agreement for peaceful co-existence of the two entities.

"It is a matter of restoring the credibility of the Government of India (GoI) that was badly damaged in the hands of its representative R N Ravi. The issue is of serious nature as the very essence of FA had been found missing or manipulated in the copy circulated by Ravi to his favoured Naga civil society organisations, including the NNPGs to give different narratives," it said.

Also Read: Centre recognised sovereignty of the Nagas in 2015 Framework Agreement, says NSCN (IM) on its 'Independence Day'

This comes a day after Ravi, who is now Governor of Nagaland, in his Independence Day message said a deeply entrenched network of "vested interests" misappropriated the dividends of peace and did not allow them to reach the people in Nagaland. Although Ravi did not name anyone, many in Nagaland believe he was referring to NSCN (IM), which sought his replacement as interlocutor on Thursday.

The NSCN-IM statement on Sunday further said although Ravi often talked about "one issue, one solution," he signed two agreements--Framework Agreement with NSCN (IM) and Agreed Position with NNPGs.

"Where is he trying to take the Nagas to? He simply wants to keep the Naga people divided by signing a parallel agreement. After manipulating the contents of the FA, he tutored his favored Naga groups on how to look at FA, that FA is simply the recognition of Naga past history and nothing beyond that. The same way he misled the Parliamentary Standing Committee," the statement said.

"While briefing on Naga Peace Accord with reference to the Framework Agreement, Ravi stated that the contours of the agreement had not been spelt out in the agreement. According to Ravi, the Framework Agreement was just about the recognition of the uniqueness of the Naga history by the Government of India and an understanding that inclusive settlement will be within the Indian federation with due regards to the uniqueness of the Naga history. He further stated that it was implied in the agreement that some special arrangement will have to be made for the Nagas. This is simply Ravi’s twisted interpretation of FA," said the statement.

NSCN (IM) leader Muivah on Friday said Nagas will co-exist but will never merge with India and reiterated its demand for recgnition to the flag and Constitution of the Nagas. He claimed that Nagas were never part of India not Myanmar.

The outfit further alleged that Ravi was treating the Naga conflict as law and order issue even as the Centre had several times in the past agreed to consider it as a political issue. "As a result of his newly founded stratagem we have seen the killings of NSCN members, house raids, arrest
and manhunt by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under his supervision," it said.

The NSCN has been talking to Ravi as Interlocutor and not as Governor. But since Ravi created imbroglio in the talk process, the PM give mandate to continue the talk to a team of IB as a Fast Track Channel for communication and clear the pending points in the competency. Once everything is clear the agreement will be at political level of the Prime Minister, said the statement.