Kohima, October 1 (MExN): The Global Naga Forum (GNF) has welcomed the appointment of Ajit Lal, IPS (Retd.), former Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), as the new Interlocutor for the Indo–Naga political talks, along with the Government of India’s decision to include a Union Minister or a group of Union Ministers in the negotiation framework.
A press release from the GNF said the inclusion of a Union Minister was expected to “inject renewed urgency into the peace process and create a conducive environment for an honourable, inclusive and enduring settlement.” The forum also recalled a consultative meeting organised by the Government of Nagaland on September 12, 2024, where around 45 Naga civil society organisations, tribal hohos and other organisations collectively resolved to appeal to the Government of India for the appointment of a new Interlocutor and for elevating the Indo–Naga political dialogue to the highest political level.
The GNF acknowledged the efforts of Chief Minister Dr. Neiphiu Rio, Members of Parliament Phangnon Konyak and Supongmeren Jamir, along with tribal hohos, civil society organisations, mass-based organisations, church bodies, NGOs, student bodies, political parties and other stakeholders in pursuing the resolution. “The subsequent appointment of Ajit Lal, former Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee, as the new Interlocutor, along with the inclusion of a Union Minister or a group of Union Ministers in the negotiation framework, represents a significant development in this regard,” it stated.
The GNF appealed to the NSCN (IM) leadership and the Government of India to approach the negotiations with “utmost seriousness, sincerity and urgency.” “Nearly three decades after the commencement of political negotiations, the Naga people continue to await a lasting solution,” the forum stated.
The GNF said the Naga people “deserve peace, dignity and an early political solution” and expressed hope that the peace process would demonstrate the possibility of resolving a protracted armed conflict through dialogue. The forum urged the leadership on both sides to “rise to this historic responsibility” and leave a legacy that would be remembered as a testament to the “collective wisdom, statesmanship and courage” required to resolve the Naga people’s political struggle.
