Sat Nov 09 12:40:00 UTC 2024: ## Naga Insurgents Threaten to Resume Violence if Agreement Not Honored

**New Delhi** – The Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) has issued a stark ultimatum to the Indian government, threatening to resume armed conflict if the 2015 Framework Agreement is not fully implemented.

In a statement issued by its General Secretary Thuingaleng Muivah, the group declared that they are abandoning peaceful means and will return to violent resistance if the “betrayal” of the Framework Agreement persists. This ultimatum comes after a series of stalled talks with the Indian government’s interlocutor, A.K. Mishra.

The NSCN-IM, which signed a ceasefire with India in 1997, claims the Framework Agreement officially recognized a sovereign Naga national flag and constitution, a point of contention in the negotiations. Muivah insists that any political agreement must be based on the Framework Agreement and the NSCN-IM’s interpretation of it.

The impasse stems from the disagreement over the status of a separate Naga flag and constitution. The government is also engaging in parallel talks with the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs), an umbrella body of seven Naga organizations. The NNPGs have urged the government to finalize a Naga accord based on their separate “Agreed Position” signed in 2017.

Despite the looming threat, Muivah has proposed “third party intervention” as a final step to resolve the issue. However, he warns that if such a political initiative is rejected, the NSCN-IM will resume armed resistance to defend what it views as the unique history and sovereign existence of “Nagalim,” a term used by the group for a unified Naga homeland.

The statement highlights the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the Naga peace process. With no accord finalized after years of negotiations and the NSCN-IM’s escalating rhetoric, the future remains deeply uncertain.

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