Ukhrul, Feb 8: A group of 14 Rajya Sabha members from various political parties has sent a joint letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah. In the letter, the MPs raised concerns over the stalled progress of the Naga Peace Process and urged the government to act quickly to restore momentum.
According to the letter, the peace process reached an important milestone with the signing of the Framework Agreement in August 2015. The agreement was seen as a historic step to resolve a long-standing conflict and was built on mutual equality, respect, trust, and confidence. The MPs noted that the Framework Agreement was the result of efforts that began under leaders like the late P. V. Narasimha Rao and were further advanced by successive Prime Ministers. They also recalled earlier achievements such as the ceasefire in 1997 and the joint Amsterdam Communiqué of 2002, which together demonstrated a strong commitment to peace.
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However, the letter said that despite these notable achievements, the process now appears to have come to a standstill. The MPs expressed concern that the goodwill generated by the Framework Agreement has not been fully capitalised upon. They stressed that the North-Eastern region, which shares borders with five countries and plays a crucial role in national security, cannot afford further delays in the peace process. The letter stated that any slowdown in negotiations not only raises questions about the efficacy of the current talks but may also risk undoing decades of painstaking progress and the trust built over the years.
The letter further pointed out that the Naga Peace Process has always enjoyed bipartisan support and that its achievements were a collective effort to secure lasting peace in the region. Yet, the MPs noted that the process has suffered a significant slowdown since the resignation of the last full-time interlocutor in September 2021. Since then, the government has relied on an official in an ad-hoc capacity. The MPs warned that this lack of a dedicated negotiator has led to disrupted communication and irregular meetings between the negotiating parties, which could erode the hard-earned trust and support.
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Moreover, the letter highlighted growing discontent among stakeholders because elected representatives have been systematically excluded from meaningful participation in the negotiations. The MPs criticised the persistent secrecy surrounding the process and said that such opacity leaves the negotiations vulnerable to the whims of a few within the political and bureaucratic establishment. They stressed that peace negotiations are vital for long-term stability and should not be treated as mere bureaucratic exercises without democratic oversight.
It is deeply perplexing, the letter said, that despite the recognition of the Naga Peace Process as a crucial pillar of national security and stability, Parliament remains uninformed about the status of the talks since the signing of the Framework Agreement. The MPs pointed out that this lack of transparency and the perceived impasse in negotiations raise serious concerns.
In light of these pressing issues, the MPs urged Amit Shah to provide Parliament with a detailed update on the progress of the Framework Agreement and the ongoing negotiations. They also requested that immediate steps be taken to appoint a full-time interlocutor for the peace talks so that the progress achieved over nearly three decades is not lost and lasting peace is achieved at the earliest possible.
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