Union Government appointed JIC chief RN Ravi as Naga interlocutor

Union Government on 29 August 2014 appointed chairman of Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) RN Ravi as Naga interlocutor. He will be the government of India’s representative in Naga peace talks.

The reason behind appointment of Ravi for the post was his expertise in Northeast affairs as he was looking after the region during his tenure in the Intelligence Bureau from where he retired as Special Director in 2012.

The new interlocutor is appointed after seven months of previous interlocutor, R S Pandey’s resignation. In the interregnum, the post was being looked after by Ajit Lal, who was former JIC Chief.

In the past, former Governor Swaraj Kaushal, former Union Minister Oscar Fernandes and former Union Home Secretary K Padmanabhaiah had acted as Naga interlocutors and had held talks with the Naga rebels but with no results.

Nagaland Issue

Nagaland issue is century old issue that pertains to establishment of greater Nagaland called Nagalim unifying all the areas inhabited by the Naga people in Northeast India and Burma.

For this National Socialist Council of Nagaland - Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM) was formed in 1980 by Isak Chishi Swu, Thuingaleng Muivah and S.S. Khaplang. The Council opposed the Shillong Accord signed by the then Naga National Council (NNC) with the Government of India in 1975. The accord was signed asking NNC to accept the supremacy of Constitution of India without condition, surrender their arms and renounce their demand for the secession of Nagaland.

However, the demand of the NSCN-IM seems to untenable. This is because Greater Nagaland means that other States like Assam and Manipur ceding their areas. But this could not happen because already the legislative assemblies of respective states have passed resolution against the Greater Nagaland.

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