The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) has toughened its stand on the Naga peace process, warning of “drastic movements” if the territorial integrity of the State is compromised for a final solution.
This is the second time in a little more than a fortnight that the apex students’ body of Arunachal Pradesh has raised concern over the 23-year-old peace process.
The Centre and the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland, or NSCN (IM), had declared a ceasefire in mid-1997. Rival factions and older armed groups joined the peace process later.
Several rounds of talks have been inconclusive, although the Centre and NSCN (IM) had signed a Framework Agreement in August 2015.
“We welcome and appreciate the progress in restoring peace in Nagaland but the peace process should not come at the cost of our territorial integrity,” AAPSU president Hawa Bagang said on Thursday.
On Wednesday, he told journalists in State capital Itanagar that “any initiative for restoring peace should be restricted to Nagaland” and a threat to “our territorial integrity will warrant drastic movements”.
Arunachal Pradesh and two other neighbours of Nagaland in the northeast – Assam and Manipur – are wary of the NSCN (IM)’s long-term goal of slicing off large swathes of these States for Greater Nagalim, a self-administered homeland comprising all Naga-inhabited areas in the region.
AAPSU general secretary Tobom Dai said the Central and State governments should consult all stakeholders before taking any final decision on the Naga peace process. “Any settlement that goes against Arunachal Pradesh will have far-reaching consequences and the government will be responsible for this,” he said.
The AAPSU also reiterated its opposition to the renewed demand for the creation of two autonomous councils – Mon Autonomous Region and Patkai Autonomous Council. The latter covers Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts, where the NSCN (IM) and its rival factions have been operating for a long time.
