Nagas Hold Peace Rally in India

Members of the Naga tribal group held a peace rally in India's northeastern state of Manipur… supporting peace talks in New Delhi. The Nagas, who are mainly Christian, have been calling for sovereignty and integration for decades.

Hundreds of Nagas participated in the rally, holding placards with slogans like, “We want peace,” “We demand solution,” among others.

While the federal government has said that this time there would be no discussion on sovereignty and Naga integration issues, one rebel group made it clear that it would not compromise on sovereignty.

This sentiment was echoed by the Nagas themselves.

[Samson Remei, President, United Naga Council]:

"Naga integration is the core issue. Without Naga integration there cannot be a solution, so it is un-negotiable."

The government is said to have prepared a 29-point counter-proposal to end the six-decade-old Naga deadlock, which includes financial concessions and greater autonomy.

Naga and federal officials have met more than 67 times so far to try to forge an end to the country's longest-running insurgency. But little progress has been made on the group's key demands for the right to self-rule and the creation of a new state containing all Naga-dominated areas, which is opposed by other tribes living amongst them.