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07/16/2007: "Government: Naga talks on July 21-22, truce extension on card Kuknalim.com"

Govt, Naga talks on July 21-22, truce extension on card Kuknalim.com
NEW DELHI, July 15:: Amid indications of a hardening in the NSCN-IM's stance, they are likely to meet government representatives on July 21-22 for talks to carry forward the peace process and extend the ceasefire in Nagaland that ends on July 30...

NSCN-IM chairman Isak Chisi Swu and general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah will met a Group of Ministers led by Union Minister Oscar Fernandes and the interlocutor for Naga talks, K Padmanabhaiah, to discuss matters like the extension of the 10-year-old ceasefire, the group's demand for unification of Naga-inhabitated areas and bitter clashes between rival Naga factions.

"This time, we want something concrete from the government on our demands. Otherwise it is futile to meet only for the extension of the ceasefire," NSCN-IM spokesman Tongmeth Wangnao Konyak said on phone.

The NSCN-IM submitted a charter of demands to the government, including a separate constitution for Nagaland, a "new and unique" relationship with New Delhi and unification of Naga-inhabitated areas of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. However, these three states have rejected this demand. The government too has not made any commitment on the issue so far.
"The unification of Naga areas is a must. Without unification, there will be no solution," Konyak said.

At a meeting in Bangkok last year, before extending the ceasefire for a year, both sides agreed on a broad framework to define a relationship that could end the Naga insurgency. (PTI)
Manipur MLAs urge PM to resolve Naga problem From Our Spl Correspondent Assam tribune
NEW DELHI, July 15 – With the Naga peace process slated to complete 10 years on July 31, pressure is all set to mount on the Government of India to fix a time-frame to resolve the vexed issue. The internecine clashes between the two factions in Nagaland and the growing frustration over the long-drawn negotiation process has forced the Naga civil society to pressurise the Centre to act fast.

A delegation of Naga MP and MLAs of Manipur is the latest to join the chorus for early resolution of the Naga problem. Calling for unification of Naga-inhabited areas, they have pleaded with the Prime Minister to adopt a time-bound strategy for an early political solution.

The delegation of MP and MLAs, who called on the Prime Minister, urged him to extend the ceasefire agreement for another period, here this week. The delegation included Mani Charenamei, Lok Sabha MP, Morung Makunga, Dr. Khashim Ruivah, Awangbou Newmai, K Raina, Danny Shaiza and Wungnaoshang Keishing, all MLAs.

“The Naga peace negotiation seems to be dragging on for too long without apparent results. It is our considered opinion that the Indo-Naga issue is purely a political problem, which has nothing to do with a constitutional crisis, and therefore, substantive issues should and must be solved politically,” the memorandum said.

“Any settlement reached between the Government of India and the NSCN short of Naga unification would mean creating more problems for the region and would not be acceptable to the Nagas. Gerrymandering of our lands by any parties with vested interest is not accepted by the Nagas as the stand of the Nagas for unification is imprescriptibly historical and political rights.”

“Nagas do not have confusion or quarrel or dispute with neighbouring communities nor do they claim others land.’ The Naga representatives made very clear to the Prime Minister that Nagas simply assert that they should be allowed to live together under one administrative roof and shape their future with their own genius, the memorandum said.

“The future course of negotiations and talks between the Government of India and the NSCN must be based on the “uniqueness of Nagas’ history and the situation.”

The delegation submitted the petitions to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Defence Minister AK Anthony, chairman of the Group of Ministers and Union Minister of State, Oscar Fernandes, among others.
NSCN offers reward for nabbing extortionists The Imphal Free Press

TAMENGLONG, Jul 13: The NSCN(IM), Zeliangrong region has expressed concern over regular incidents of extortion and collection of money from travellers in the area of Tinakandi, in Assam state along NH-53 using the name of the outfit.

In a press handout, Adi Golmei, central administrative officer of the NSCN(IM) further said the imposters have also started collecting household taxes from the villagers of Tinakandi, and warned that this act should be stopped immediately.

It said there have been reports that those involved are valley UGs from Manipur, and cautioned of the possibility of the creation of communal feelings as a result of their activities.

The statement also urged the public to help catch the involved persons without fear, and offered a reward of Rs. 5000 to anyone who is able to nab the involved persons.
NSF, AASU target GoI for ‘indifferent attitude’ Nagaland Post
DIMAPUR: The Naga Students Federation (NSF) and the All Assam Students Union (AASU) has expressed strong resentment over the indifferent attitude of the Government of India in addressing the border issue between Assam and Nagaland states.
The resentment of the two apex student bodies came up in the wake of the recent flare-up of tension along the border areas of the two states particularly in and around Geleki, adjoining Sivasagar, and Mokokchung districts.
The two student bodies have also expressed strong concern on the total failure on the part of the state governments of Assam and Nagaland in protecting the lives and property of the people living along the borders and ensuring that such incidents does not occur in the future.
A joint meeting of the AASU and NSF held at Guwahati on July 14 last in the presence of the central executive members of the North Eastern Students' Organization (NESO) has reaffirmed to uphold the spirit of promoting cordial relationship and strengthening peoples to peoples dialogue to address any issues that challenges the age long relationship between the peoples of the region. The joint meeting also reaffirmed the joint statement of AASU and NSF declared at Merapani on March 22, 2004.
The two student bodies have also resolved in the joint meeting to put in record that the Assamese and Nagas have been living together as good neighbours since time immemorial and therefore any contentious issues including the border issue in between the two communities shall be settled through dialogues.
The two organizations have also reaffirmed to urge the state governments of Assam and Nagaland to adopt a sincere approach for an early settlement through meaningful dialogue.
The NSF and AASU have also appealed the two state governments to restrain from any actions and activities which may invite unnecessary tension along the border. While reaffirming to continue to jointly work hand in hand in tackling the influx of illegal migrants/foreigners, the two student bodies have also resolved to demand the expulsion of all illegal migrants/foreigners within the two states and particularly in the border areas. Moreover, it has propelled upon the political parties not to flare-up unnecessary tensions by capitalizing the border issue.
The NSF and AASU further resolved to jointly continue the process of peoples to peoples dialogue in the border areas to promote peace and harmony and stated that the joint initiatives will be started at the earliest convenience with the involvement and participation from the grassroots level. The joint meeting after thorough deliberation on the cause of the recent flare-up condemned the alleged killing of one S. Alemmongba of Mopungchuket village by the personnel of Assam police on May 19 and the killing of two persons and burning down of three border villages near Geleki by some miscreants on July 5.
The 17 strong AASU delegation was led by its president Sankar Prasad Raj and general secretary Tapan Kumar Gogoi and the NSF delegation was led by its president Imchatoba Imchen and speaker Cusayi Lohe.
The NESO officials present in the meeting were Dr Samujjal Bhattacharya, chairman, Muanpuia Punte, vice chairman, NSN Lotha, secretary general, Artax Shimray, advisor, Gumjum Haider, organizing secretary and Samuel Jyrwa, executive member.
Rebels want to be Robin Hood Nagarealm.com




They arrest motorcycle thieves, treat patients, investigate rapes and murders, punish students cheating in examinations, pressure traders to give farmers better prices and help build roads. These are anti-India militants, not government officials.

Even as they fight gunbattles with the security forces, send grenades and bullets in the mail to threaten people and extort hundreds of crores of rupees, militants in many parts of India are doing what officials should have done. Officials acknowledge that the trend is a reflection of the deep-rooted failure of the civil administration, police and justice system in these areas, where insurgent groups are taking advantage of the vacuum to spread their influence. "People are going to the Underground to resolve disputes — in most parts of the state," said Yumnam Joykumar, Manipur’s director general of police. "Underground elements can give you instant justice, whether correct or not," Joykumar told the Hindustan Times. "We have to change the judicial system to make it more effective so that people have more trust in it." Hundreds of kilometres to the west in Jharkhand’s East Singhbhum district, Sal forests dominate the lush green expanse and villagers collect and sell its leaves, which are used to make pattals (leaf plate).

But traders were fleecing villagers for years, giving them only Rs 23 per 1,000 leaves. The government had not revised the rates, apparently due to powerful traders’ lobbies. This year, Naxalites put up posters that traders would henceforth pay Rs 75 per 1,000 leaves. Compliance was immediate. "So now, no contractor is paying less than the new prices. People are thrilled. Earlier, if they got Rs. 100 a day, they now get 300 a day," said a government official, declining to be named. Last month in Manipur, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested James Kuki, a man who had allegedly abducted and killed Lungnila, the eight-year-old daughter of the then education minister in 2003. Mass protests had followed the killing, and police were unable to find the man after the body was found in a gunny bag. But the NSCN (I-M), the main Naga insurgent group, swiftly found the suspect, as in many such cases. The rebels "arrested" him, conducted an inquiry and then released him on "parole". Later, the CBI arrested him in Guwahati.

In Andhra Pradesh, Naxals maintain records of the land distributed by them to the landless poor in Telangana, coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions. "At times, there are disputes between the government records and those of the Naxalites, but the district officials do not persist, as they hardly visit villages, and therefore they know that their information might not be correct," said Vijay Naidu, a village headman in Mehboobnagar district. "After independence, police is seen as an occupant force in the villages which serves the interests of business class and corrupt political class. The Naxalites are seen as saviours of the poor villagers and that is the reason for their increasing support," said Maoist ideologue GN Saibaba. Official reject that claim. "The Naxalites are now resorting to cheap gimmicks and falsehoods to keep their cadres in high spirits, who are now thoroughly demoralised by the intense combing operations," said Chhattisgarh’s Director General of Police, SK Paswan.

Most rebel groups have structures that try to portray a parallel administration — with finance and education ministers or secretaries, armed and political wings, and representatives down to the town and village levels. Last month, the United National Liberation Front (UNLF) named the alleged abductor of a valley student to release the boy and surrender within five days. Or else, it said, him, his family and his friends would be given “befitting punishment.” The boy, J Rengwin Lamkang, was released within two days.

The Meitei militant group Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) shot students in their legs to deter them from cheating in examinations. The Revolutionary People’s Front last month arrested a gang of vehicle thieves. In January, the UNLF, the power Imphal valley-based group, recovered Rs 47 lakh from government engineers that they had allegedly taken as bribes. "In 99.9 per cent of cases, they are bang on," said a senior security official. "In the first instance, they are shot in the leg. The second time, they are killed." "Any case — rape, murder, goes to the Underground, either directly or indirectly," said Naga youth activist Tuithing Zingkhai. "Here the police department is of no use." [Neelesh Mishra, HT]