{"id":171604,"date":"2015-08-28T01:05:41","date_gmt":"2015-08-28T01:05:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/151.106.38.4\/2015\/08\/28\/r-n-ravi-expounds-on-solution\/"},"modified":"2015-08-28T01:05:41","modified_gmt":"2015-08-28T01:05:41","slug":"r-n-ravi-expounds-on-solution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/2015\/08\/28\/r-n-ravi-expounds-on-solution\/","title":{"rendered":"R.N. Ravi expounds on solution"},"content":{"rendered":"

SHEDS LIGHT ON \u2018SHARED SOVEREIGNTY\u2019 & INTEGRATION <\/span>
\nInterlocutor for Naga Peace Talks, R.N. Ravi who arrived Kohima Wednesday, has been holding a series of consultative meetings with various organizations and church for evolving a solution to the Naga political issue, based on the framework of the Naga Peace Accord signed on August 3 in Delhi between the government of India and the NSCN (I-M).
\nIn an exclusive interview to Nagaland Post at Hotel de Oriental Grand here Thursday evening, Ravi shed light on \u2018sharing of sovereign power\u2019 between the government of India and Nagas.
\nHe explained, that it was to be a \u2018division of power\u2019, with Nagas having absolute power. He cited the case with Article 371(A), contained in the 16-Point Agreement. He said though Nagaland enjoyed absolute safeguard as per the Article, the Centre would have \u2018eminent domain\u2019 and overriding power.
\n Ravi said the first point in sharing sovereign power was that Nagas will be the \u2018master\u2019  and secondly, in case of minerals and resources \u201cwhatever is below and above land\u201d will belong to Nagas.
\nHe cited the ongoing contention between the Centre and government of Nagaland on Petroleum issue, over which the two negotiating parties were trying to resolve it. Ravi said \u201ccategorically we are going to make it sure that resources below and above belong to the Nagas\u2026 that will resolve the petroleum issue\u201d. The Interlocutor also pointed out that the Petroleum Act of India, predated Article 371(A) of Nagaland, so the Article \u201ccannot override\u201d the former. He however explained, that a resolution on the issue would be brought to the satisfaction of the Nagas.
\nRavi said sharing sovereign power will not be mere semantics or playing with words but that there will be a \u201cgenuine devolution\u201d where Nagas will become \u201calmost sovereign-like.\u201d He said this was what government of India translated in terms of uniqueness of Naga history.
\nThe Interlocutor pointed out, that at one point of time, Naga nationalist groups started with a motive when independence meant sovereignty. Ravi however explained, that if independence was the only thing that Naga Political Groups (NPGs) need to talk about, then there would have been no talk.
\nWhen asked if the issue of Article 371(A) only covered Nagas of Nagaland, Ravi replied that both the entities were \u201ctalking about Nagas comprehensively\u201d and not only about Nagas of Nagaland.
\nHe clarified that the negotiating parties were working on how to empower the Nagas in other parts of the country. \u201cWe do not say that 371 (A) will be replicated there. It can be something else but essentially, the Nagas outside Nagaland also are part of our discussions\u201d, added Ravi.
\nFurther on the point of \u201cwhat would be the shape\u201d of the arrangement for Nagas outside Nagaland , he said it would depend on how it was negotiated by both the parties.
\nOn the crucial issue of integration of Naga areas in the north east, Ravi admitted that it still remained in the agenda but added, that it would have to be achieved through a democratic process. Ravi made it clear, that physical integration in terms of boundary, was not possible at this point of time, since the government of India was \u201cnot going to touch the boundaries of other States\u201d.
\n\u201cIntegration, theoretically yes possible but practically no\u2026 when the states oppose, the people oppose you cannot just force unilaterally\u201d he said. He said redrawing political boundaries required a democratic and constitutional process by which new states were created. In this regard, he said Nagas could still keep door open since the Centre has not rejected the demand but that they have to follow the process.
\nOn inclusiveness of other NPGs, Ravi replied \u201cwhen I say inclusiveness, we want all groups to join and share the ownership.\u201d He said that the government of India was serious about other groups joining the consultations and for which invitations were sent. Ravi also made it clear that there will be just one Interlocutor and one talk for the Naga issue. He said having several interlocutors and several talks could result in several solutions which would only make a \u201cmockery of the Naga issue\u201d. Ravi said the government of India will not make a mockery or joke of Naga issue as it was a \u201cserious business\u201d.
\n\u201cThere will be only one Interlocutor. You have to engage with the Interlocutor. If you are not been able to sit together, then that\u2019s your problem. We can\u2019t force it but you have to sit with me and sort out the issues\u201d, added Ravi.
\nAsked if any positive steps were taken to include other NPGs, Ravi revealed that he had not invited other groups only after signing August 3 agreement but he had sent invitations prior to it. He said as far as government of India was concerned, it has made a \u201cvery definite approach\u201d
\nOn the series of consultative meeting with stakeholders, Ravi said he found it very educative in knowing the views and aspirations of Nagas.
\nHe further reiterated, that settlement was not restricted to the NSCN (I-M) but with entire Nagas. Ravi pointed out that though the stakeholders were not part of the political dialogue, yet they were part of the peace process adding, all should have an ownership in the final settlement.
\nFurther, Ravi said in his next visit, he would definitely welcome meeting with any groups or sections of society, apart from holding consultative meetings with tribal hohos and other stakeholders.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SHEDS LIGHT ON \u2018SHARED SOVEREIGNTY\u2019 & INTEGRATION Interlocutor for Naga Peace Talks, R.N. Ravi who arrived Kohima Wednesday, has been holding a series of consultative meetings with various organizations and church for evolving a solution to the Naga political issue, based on the framework of the Naga Peace Accord signed on August 3 in Delhi […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[679],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-171604","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-nagaland-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/171604","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=171604"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/171604\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=171604"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=171604"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nagalandpost.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=171604"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}