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10/17/2008: "Next round of Naga talks in Netherlands PTI Times of India"
Next round of Naga talks in Netherlands PTI Times of India
NEW DELHI: After a gap of nearly a year, peace talks between militant group NSCN-IM and the Centre will resume in the Netherlands later this month
as part of efforts to resolve the decades-old Naga issue.
"We will hold the next round of negotiation with the Central Government in the last week of October in The Hague," NSCN-IM leader D G Robert said.
NSCN-IM chairman Isak Chishi Swu and general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah will represent the group while the government will be led by Union Minister Oscar Fernandes, he said.
The meeting is considered crucial as it will be held after a gap of almost one year during which NSCN-IM raised question mark over the government's sincerity in resolving the issue. Muivah, who was in India for almost a year, left for the Netherlands earlier this month to join Swu. The government has held over 60 rounds of talks with the NSCN-IM to find an amicable solution to the vexed issue.
"The next round of talks will be significant as it will be held after a gap of almost one year," said Mani Charenmai, MP from Nagaland.
The NSCN-IM has been pressing for formation of a 'greater Nagalim' comprising all Naga-inhabited areas in the northeast. However, this has been opposed by Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.
“Stop Killing Each Other”-NNC appeals morungexpress
Dimapur, October 17 (MExN): The NNC pays homage to “all the Naga martyrs” on the organization’s “national martyrs’ day” falling on October 18. “I on behalf of the NNC solemnly salute all the Naga martyrs who sacrificed their very lives for the sovereignty of Nagaland,” sated a message from NNC ‘vice president’ Kiumukam Yimchungrü. He said since the first “martyr” in 1952, “national martyrs’ day” continues to be observed in remembrance of the Nagas who rendered their very lives for freedom “to be a sovereign Christian state to glorify Jesus Christ and his kingdom in this part of the world”.
However “today, I am very sad to mention that we have lost many innocent Nagas for political differences and also for their stubborn and arrogant leaders in the Naga home land for quite a many years now”, he stated adding it to be the “saddest part of political history of the Naga people” and “is a national shame”. He has appealed to all factions to stop ‘killing each other’ before is too late to save the political situation of the Nagas “for freedom as we have stood for the last more than 60 long years now”.
The NNC also said that it is “closely watching the different NGOs working for Naga reconciliation here in the home land as well as abroad who are really concerned for the situation”. Thanking them the NNC also appealed to them to “speak out the truth of wrong action of different political parties boldly so that they (factions) realized their mistake and stop killing each other”.
“The present trend of accusation and counter accusation looks unceasing especially between both the NSCN and FGN” and “pin point the wrong committed by any factions to save the situation of total destruction of Naga people in the future”, he added. The NNC also expressed “totally against extortion in the name the organization by imposters and vested interest” and assured it will always go against “this wicked work of extortion by the imposters, renegades and vested interest in the name NNC”.
Over the ongoing anti-Christian violence, the NNC said the people must be “aware of present persecution of Christians in India”. According to the NNC “the people of India are such, especially the Hindu fundamentalists killing her Christian community without any mercy”. The NNC advised: “A day will come to persecute the Christian Nagas because of their faith and this very near if we don’t have full political power in our hand as other Nations enjoy as a sovereign State, we will be wiped out by the millions of Hindus as they are doing today to their own people. Therefore, before it is too late, let us (Nagas) unite as we are the believers of Jesus Christ the only savior of the World”.
REJOINDER Issued by MIP/ GPRN
A sensitive issue of Naga political unification demands careful handling by a person possessing a high level of political foresight and with a redoubtable personality. But when such issue of national importance is entrusted to a person with the character of political infidelity, it is doom to end up with damaging consequences. The task is formidable and so is the person with immutable political thinking.
With reference to the press article written by I. Vitokhe Assumi, Advisor, Sumi Hoho under the heading 'Rigid national principle hurdle to Naga unification' the MIP is constrained to make the following reactions:
1. In second paragraph it runs, '……you may like to play delay-politics, but the other Nagas want to solve the political solution'. This is entirely out of context and 'other Nagas' needs further explanation otherwise it is divisive and narrow-mindedness. His comment can be suitably judged as whether politically naïve or politically motivated.
2. In third paragraph, '…..but to initiate the interim settlement in one voice is the last chance for them……..unity of all the national leaders through unconditional reconciliation…….to bring the interim settlement which may not be full sovereignty.' This is a deliberate attack on the conscience of all right thinking Nagas in complete defiance to the true spirit of Naga nationalism and therefore provocative. It is least expected of the person of his stature to make such amateurish comments, which is rather pathetic. As one of the architect of the 'unification group' his political agenda can be best suited to Azheto-Mulatuno-Kitovi group.
For the NSCN/GPRN the Naga national movement is not conditioned by the age factor of the leader. Leaders would come and go but the movement continues until final destination is reach.
His hypothesis on interim settlement must be critically analyzed because Nagas cannot afford to make another political mistake as in the past which is politically suicidal. In the present context there is no concept as 'full sovereignty or 'half sovereignty'. We define our own concept of sovereignty and that is our sovereignty. We do not believe in the stereo-typed or static concept of the term sovereignty and no longer relevant.
There is also no such thing as 'conditional' or 'unconditional reconciliation'. What we believe in is the reconciliation on the basis of historical and political rights of the Nagas and the message is loud and clear.
3. In his fifth paragraph, '…national principle and national un-principle……………..principled leaders and un-principled leaders'. The world is not as cheap as what I. Vitokhe Assumi measures so also with the Naga history and political movement. It is easier to die for a principled leader than to live with an un-principled leader. Due to the mistakes of leaders we have witnessed the loss of many innocent lives recently. Perhaps he intended to protect certain leaders who are responsible for all the killings that are going on.
Nagas are proud today because of our past glories which are so dear to us above everything else. The memorandum submitted to Simon Commission; the declaration of Naga independence; the conduct of Naga National Plebiscite are the basis on which Naga nation stands today. Those glorious events form the Naga national principles and spirit. Any leaders who don't value these ideals gradually turned traitors and betrayers as witnessed in the past and recent past. Agreements in the past like the Shillong Accord and the Sixteen Points Agreement triggered more divisions and bloodshed among the national workers because the signatories and the Accord/Agreement were not in the line of the Naga National principles. For NSCN any solution that must be arrived at with the GOI must safeguard these National Principles.
Yes, Dr. Michael Van Walt spoke in one the Consultative meetings in Bangkok on the process in negotiations. It can be assumed that Mr. I. Vitokhe Assumi's mind was floating somewhere when he attended that meeting at Bangkok. Such brilliant speech was wrongly understood. Wastage of time and resources, what a pity! When he uses the term 'us' he is equating himself with all those highly intellectuals present in the meeting but his understanding doesn't say so.
Lastly, for NSCN there are neither major tribes nor minor tribes. The present misunderstanding is not between Konyaks, Tangkhuls and Sumis. There is a political issue before the Naga people and when there are differences in its interpretation naturally there will be no meeting point. The issue involves all Naga communities; it doesn't belong to any individual leaders/communities.
Getting mess-up in political affairs without clarity but to gain personal limelight brings more confusions and destructions to one's own people.
Panel to rehabilitate Udalguri displaced A STAFF REPORTER The Telegraph
Tarun Gogoi briefs the media on Friday. Picture by Eastern Projections
Guwahati, Oct. 17: Dispur will form a cabinet committee to prepare an action plan to ensure quick rehabilitation of people displaced by clashes in Darrang and Udalguri districts as tension simmered again in some areas after a few houses were torched in Udalguri last evening.
Chief minister Tarun Gogoi said over one lakh people had returned home and efforts were being made to ensure that the remaining inmates of the refugee camps went back to their villages.
“We are increasing the number of police pickets and trying to enhance the presence of security forces in the interior areas to instil a sense of security among the affected people,” Gogoi said.
The government’s efforts seemed to have received a beating with tension renewing in the affected areas after four houses were set on fire last evening at Hatkhula near Rowta in Udalguri.
The families residing in the houses had spent the day there and went back to the refugee camp to spend the night when they heard about their houses reduced to ashes.
There has been an undercurrent of tension in the area since last night, which prevented people from returning to their abandoned houses during the day as they had been doing in the past few days after the situation showed signs of normality.
Outfit slams Centre for delay ‘excuses’ A STAFF REPORTER The Telegraph
Writer Mamoni Raisom Goswami with PCG members in Guwahati. A file picture
Guwahati, Oct. 17: Ulfa today came down heavily on Delhi for finding “excuse after excuse” to avoid talks even as Dispur tried to put in place a safe passage offer for cadres of the B company.
The outfit blamed the Centre for the breakdown of the peace process initiated by the PCG, saying “instead of resolving this burning issue peacefully, Delhi is only making excuses and conspiring not to arrive at a solution”.
In its mouthpiece Freedom, Ulfa said several of its senior leaders continued to languish in jails while the whereabouts of some others, who had gone missing since the operations in Bhutan, were still not known. The outfit questioned the Centre’s sincerity for talks.
The Ulfa barb against the Centre came a week ahead of the third anniversary of the constitution of the People’s Consultative Group (PCG) for playing the role of a facilitator in initiating talks between the outfit and Delhi.
Highly placed sources in Dispur said the safe passage to cadres of the B company was likely to “become operational” during Diwali.
The sources added that a decision has been taken in principle with some modalities still to be worked out. The decision was delayed as the governor was away for some time, they said.
“Now that he is back and there is relative calm in Udalguri and Darrang, it is time for us to put the safe passage in place,” a source said.
Dispur was convinced that a truce with the B company will virtually “finish off” Ulfa as it was the only fighting arm of the outfit left in Upper Assam. The A and C companies of the 28 battalion have already come overground while the 709 battalion, too, is all set to join the peace process.
Security forces claim that they have already received feelers from some leaders of the B company who were keen to come overground. “However, many of them are also afraid that they may be targeted by security forces if they come out in the open. Hence, the safe passage was imperative,” the source added.
The apprehensions of the holed-up militants grew after the killing of one of the seniormost leaders of the B company, Sashanka Baruah, by the Army recently. Both the A and C company leadership has asked the government to stop army operations to instil confidence in those leaders and cadres who are still at large.
A member of the PCG admitted that with the A and C companies declaring a ceasefire and coming for talks, the Ulfa-constituted group was “as good as defunct”.
Rowta and its surrounding areas almost wore a deserted look with very few people venturing out of their houses or relief camps.
The legislators of Darrang and Udalguri districts today demanded that the chief minister institute a judicial inquiry ahead of the CBI probe sought by the government to identify the culprits.
Disclosing this, PHE minister and Bodo People’s Front legislator Rihon Daimari alleged that the clashes took place because of administrative failure. Daimari’s allegation came minutes before chief minister Tarun Gogoi gave a clean chit to the administration.
“I must say police have done an excellent job,” the chief minister said.
Gogoi said the committee would survey the pockets where police pickets need to be deployed and suggest measures to persuade those still living in relief camps to return home.
“There is enough security in the camps. But we need to increase security in the interior areas and for that we are increasing the number of police pickets,” Gogoi said.
