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04/14/2008: "NSCN ire over delay OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph"

NSCN ire over delay OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph

Kohima, April 13: The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) today said its “patience is running out” because of the Centre’s “delaying tactics” in resolving the Naga political problem.
A delegation of the outfit, led by general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah, left for New Delhi yesterday for a crucial round of talks with the Centre.
Karaiba Chawang, a member of the steering committee, the highest policy-making body of the outfit, told The Telegraph that the talks would be held on April 15 and 16.
Emissary of the outfit’s collective leadership V.S. Atem and former kilo kilonser (home minister) Rh. Raising will represent the outfit, apart from Muivah. NSCN (I-M) chairman Isak Chishi Swu, who is currently in Bangkok, will not attend the meeting.
Union minister Oscar Fernandez will lead the Centre’s team, which will comprise minister of state in the Prime Minister’s Office Prithviraj Chauhan, interlocutor K. Padmanabhaiah, home ministry officials, intelligence officials and top military commanders.
Chawang said the talks would be crucial as the outfit is losing patience over the Centre’s delaying tactics.
He also accused the Centre of trying to disintegrate the Naga society.
Another NSCN (I-M) leader said the outfit’s leadership would discuss the emergence of another militant outfit under the leadership of its former kilo kilonser Azheto Chophy. The NSCN (I-M) accused the Centre of taking a soft attitude towards the new outfit.
Over 60 rounds of talks have been held between the Centre and NSCN (I-M) since 1997 without any tangible results. The NSCN (I-M)’s demand for the integration of contiguous Naga-inhabited areas and federal relations with New Delhi were believed to be the two most crucial issues that the Centre is failing to address.
The NSCN (I-M) and the Centre have extended their truce for an indefinite period “subject to progress in the talks” since July last year.
The outfit said it would pull out of the talks if there was no progress.