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06/16/2009: "Naga rebel groups take unity leap OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph"

Naga rebel groups take unity leap OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph

Kohima,: The Naga warring groups have signed a joint declaration to resolve “all outstanding issues” among themselves in the “larger interest” of the Naga people and for an early solution to the nearly 65-year-old Naga political imbroglio.
This is the most significant step ever towards “unity and reconciliation” by the militant groups who have engaged in fratricidal killings for decades, especially as all of them have vowed to resolve their problem through non-violent means.
The “Covenant of Reconciliation” was signed by Isak Chishi Swu, the chairman of NSCN (Isak-Muivah), S.S. Khaplang, the chairman of NSCN (K), and S. Singya, the president of Federal Government of Nagaland.
The “historic” declaration was made after the 5th Naga Reconciliation meet which concluded at Chiang Mai in Thailand recently. The meet was held at the behest of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR). Disclosing this today, FNR convenor Rev. Wati Aier said the declaration would give a “new direction” to the Nagas.
The leaders of the outfits said they would pursue Naga reconciliation and forgiveness based on the “historical and political rights of the Nagas”.
“We resolve to continue to work together in this spirit of love, non-violence, peace and respect to resolve outstanding issues amongst us,” the three Naga leaders stated in the joint declaration.
Since its inception in March 2008, the FNR has organised 10 meetings of the groups both within and outside the country. As a follow-up action, it will organise another meeting of the representatives of the Naga militant factions in the middle of August in Dimapur.
“This is the wish of the Naga people,” Rev. Aier said.
He said the Naga leaders had decided to reconcile and the FNR would continue to work towards this purpose but it would take some time to resolve all the outstanding issues. “We have to slowly tackle the issues,” the church leader told The Telegraph.
Sources in the NSCN (I-M) said the Naga groups have been slowly inching towards resolving the impending Naga issues and the process of reconciliation was “slowly turning into a reality”. They said the next round of talks would be crucial, as it would be held in Nagaland.
Various Naga groups had also played a friendly “reconciliation” football match in October last year. Rivals NSCN (I-M), NSCN (K) and NNC cadres had teamed up as Hope to take on team Faith comprising members of the Naga Hoho, Nagaland Baptist Church Council, Nagaland Christian Forum, FNR and the Naga Students’ Federation among others. Though the NSCN (I-M), the NSCN (K) and the NNC/FGN groups are currently in a ceasefire with the Centre, only the Isak-Muivah group is engaged in negotiations with New Delhi. The Khaplang group recently expressed willingness to begin talks with the government based on proposals submitted by the Centre.
The FNR’s reconciliation process is supported by many international organisations like Quakers from United Kingdom and American Baptist churches.