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08/24/2009: "Amendment hint for NSCN-IM - Centre reveals possibility of Constitution change for Naga peaces OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph"

Amendment hint for NSCN-IM - Centre reveals possibility of Constitution change for Naga peaces OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph

Imphal/Kohima, Aug. 23: The Centre is drafting a proposal to place before the NSCN (Isak-Muivah) leaders as a solution to the Naga problem and may even consider amending the Constitution to accommodate the outfit’s demands.
The next round of Naga talks between the Centre and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) is slated for the last week of this month.
“They (NSCN-IM) had put forward some proposals. On our part, we are also preparing counter proposals. These will be placed before the NSCN (I-M) leaders after getting the approval of the cabinet. This may take a few months,” Union home secretary G.K. Pillai told reporters before leaving Imphal at the end of a three-day visit.
Pillai was here to attend two development seminars, review the implementation of various schemes and assess the law and order situation in the state.
“The peace talks have made substantial progress. Both sides understand India’s Constitution and the issue of autonomy. But we have made it very clear to them that Manipur’s territorial integrity is sacrosanct and it will not be disturbed,” Pillai said.
He did not disclose the details of the proposal being prepared, but hinted that the Constitution would be amended to give “adequate power” to Nagaland.
“Our Constitution is flexible, so it can be amended if necessary. We can give them adequate powers on financial, cultural, social and financial aspects. They may express doubts on some of the proposals and accept some of them. This is a negotiation,” he said.
The NSCN (I-M), however, said they were yet to receive an invitation from the Centre for the talks, which is expected to be held in Bangkok, Thailand.
“We are yet to receive invitation from the government of India,” said Vikiye Sumi, kilonser (minister) for information and publicity of the government of the People’s Republic of Nagalim.
Though other officials of the NSCN had confirmed that the talks would be held in Bangkok, Sumi said they had not decided on the venue of the talks, but it would definitely be outside India as agreed upon in the agreements prior to the July 1997 ceasefire declaration.
NSCN-K modifies stand OUR CORRESPONDENT The telegraph



S.S. Khaplang
Kohima, Aug. 23: The National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang), which has been harping on absolute sovereignty of Nagaland, has now modified its stand saying “sovereignty” could be redefined once the negotiation begins with the government.
Kughalu Mulatonu, emissary to the collective leadership of the NSCN (K), said talks with the Centre would be based on sovereignty of Nagaland but asserted that the leadership would define the term once the dialogue begins.
“Sovereignty will only be defined by chairman S.S. Khaplang and general secretary N. Kitovi Zhimomi,” the NSCN (K) envoy said.
He said the word “sovereignty” could be interpreted in different ways. Mulatonu, who returned from Delhi last week, met some of the central leaders to expedite the peace process and to convey the outfit’s willingness to begin a political dialogue with the government.
“Let’s wait and see what our top leaders would say on interpretation of sovereignty,” the NSCN (K) leader said.
About the talks with the Centre, Mulatonu said NSCN (K) was be in a hurry but would give ample time to the government for preparation.
“We have given them the signal for the talks, but we will give them enough time to prepare,” the outfit’s envoy said.
He said without a formal invitation from the Prime Minister, talks will not begin. “We want a formal invitation from the Prime Minister’s Office,” he said.
He also did not rule out a give-and-take solution to the Naga problem without compromising the basic principles of Naga nationalism and their rights.
“We will begin talks with sovereignty,” he added.
Mulatonu also admitted to giving shelter to several outfits from the Northeast in their base in Myanmar.
“We give them shelter, but we don’t interfere in their activities,” Mulatonu said.
He, however, denied links with any terror outfit or Islamic terror groups. He said there are enough evidence and proof that the rival NSCN (Isak-Muivah) has links with several terror groups, including Huji and al Qaida.
“New Delhi knows that we give shelter to other groups in our camps. Why should we deny the fact?” the NSCN (K) envoy asked.
He, however, said NSCN (K) has never indulged in terrorism and would never do that in the future. But he accused the rival NSCN (I-M) of encouraging terrorism in Nagaland in collaboration with the Islamic outfits.
Mulatonu said his group does not shelter Islamic elements in its camps and would never do so in the future.
“NSCN-K has adopted a policy of pushing back illegal Bangladeshis from Nagaland,” he said.
NSCN-K to begin talks on 'sovereignty' with Centre
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Kohima, August 23 2009: Envoy to the 'collective leadership' of Khaplang's National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K), Kughalu Mulatonu while maintaining that they would soon be entering into political dialogue with the Government of India (GoI) asserted to start the talks in line with 'sovereignty of Nagas'.

Interacting with media-persons at Kohima on Friday in presence of Deputy Kilonser Home and Member Cease Fire Supervisory Board (CFSB), Hokato and Tatar (MP) & Member CFSB Nitovi Aye, the NSCN-K leader said 'we will begin the political talks with Government of India in due course of time, but we are waiting for a formal invitation from the Government of India'.

Maintaining that no problem can be solved without solving the problems of real context, he said that NSCN will begin the talks with sovereignty, adding that "Sovereignty will be defined only after NSCN begins dialogue with Government of India and only Khaplang and Kitovi will be able to define it and nobody else".

On the delay in holding talks with Government of India, he said "we have been giving opportunity to the Government of India and NSCN-IM to prove that they will be able to achieve something for their own betterment but during the last 12 years of peace talks, the NSCN-IM has not been able to achieve anything.

"IM does not have any issue, except social and economical problem with the Government of India but NSCN has a political problem with India," he said.

The Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K) has asserted it is willing to move towards unification process with other rival groups only after proper reconciliation is achieved.

This was revealed by envoy to the 'collective leadership' of NSCN-K, Kughalu Mulatonu while interacting with media-persons at Kohima yesterday in presence of Deputy Kilonser Home and Member Cease Fire Supervisory Board (CFSB), Hokato and Tatar & Member CFSB Nitovi Aye.

Mulatonu said talks about unification is just a dream, adding that Let reconciliation take place first than only well talk of unification.

Expressing that the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FRN) is doing their job, Mulatonu asserted that the top leaders of NSCN has given consent for reconciliation but Muivah (NSCN-IM) is opposed to it.

On being asked about the chances of the top leaders from various Naga groups meeting for reconciliation and unification, he said that leaders of NSCN have every possibilities of meeting while there is no expectation on the part of Adinno and Muivah as they are not strong enough to implement their determination.

Dwelling on the maintenance of cease fire ground rules (CFGR), Mulatonu said it (CFGR) should be strictly implemented by both the parties, NSCN and GoI.

On the remarks of NSCN-IM that they would go back to their designated camps only after NSCN-K cadres should moves to their designated camps, he said they (NSCN-IM) entered into cease fire agreement with GOI in 1997 while NSCN-K in 2001.They were first so they should go first to the jungle.

On the issue funding arms and ammunition by foreign countries, he said NSCN has foreign links prior to IM but we never beg anybody for arms and ammunition.

Our Naga people has been providing enough money for purchase of arms and ammunition, he said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Kilonser Home and CFSB Member, Hokato said that the cease fire agreement clearly states that the agreement is applicable only in the State of Nagaland.

He, however maintained that we are free to move in part of the country but without combat uniform and arms.

NSCN-K Tatar & Member CFSB, Nitovi Aye disclosed that they have a total of eight designated camps, out of which two have been recently recognized by the GoI.

The new ones are under Mon and Tuensang district.
Manipur's boundary won't be disturbed: Pillai Centre contemplating autonomy to Nagaland
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, August 23 2009: The Centre has categorically told the NSCN-IM that Manipur's territorial integrity would not be disturbed at any cost and "is sacrosanct" .

This was disclosed by Union Home Secretary, GK Pillai to a few mediapersons today before leaving for New Delhi.

He was here on a three day visit.

He said that the Union government is preparing a proposal as solution to the Naga insurgency which will be handed over to the NSCN-IM for their consideration.

However, this will take a few months.

It is hoped that the NSCN-IM would accept the proposals, Pillai said.

The Union Home Secretary further disclosed that the Naga rebels' outfit had put forward some proposals.

The Centre is also drafting counter proposals.

The Union Cabinet will discuss and approve the proposals then place them before the Naga rebel outfit, he said.

Acknowledging that the peace talk between the Centre and the NSCN-IM has made "substantial progress," Pillai affirmed that both the parties understood the importance of Indian Constitution and the implication of the issue of granting autonomy to Nagaland.

Though the Home Secretary did not divulge details of the proposals being drafted, he indicated that there could be amendment of the constitution so that adequate power could be delegated to Nagaland.

The powers that might be delegated to Nagaland would entail cultural, social and financial aspects.

There is enough flexibility in the constitution of India, it can be amended if necessary, Pillai said.

Whether the NSCN-IM would accept the proposals or not will have to be negotiated, he said.

Regarding other armed insurgent groups in the North Eastern region, Pillai said, the Centre was always ready to hold talks with any group.

On the allegations that the Manipur Police commandos are ill-behaved and they most often stage fake encounter dramas, Pillai said, some measures have been put into place to make the Manipur Police a more disciplined force.

"I have received complaints about their (Police) functioning", Pillai told the mediapersons and added that the state needs to review the functioning, screen and detect the undesirable elements during recruitment.

He also held review meetings with Chief Minister O Ibobi and DGP Y Joykumar as regards the law and order situation.

However, the Home Secretary refused to comment on the July 23 incident of Khwairamband market on the ground that the incident is being probed by the state government.

But he said,"The Government of India is totally against any encounter".

"The situation in Manipur is extremely complex, so we need to take up both development as well as law and order issues together", he said and added that Manipur has great potentials in many fields including tourism, horticulture, fishery and agriculture.

He also expressed the need to generate more employment avenues in order to keep the youths from taking to guns.

The extortion needs to come down, he said. On a question on the Restricted Area Permit (RAP) and Protected Area Permit (PAP), the Home Secretary assured that the Centre will review the matter soon.

"We'll review it and definitely try to liberalise it, so now you can expect a positive development very soon", Pillai assured.

He further informed that his ministry is all set to start fencing works for a range of 10 kilometres along the Indo-Myanmar international border at Moreh town within this year.

The Centre has taken a decision in this regard, he said.

He said, the seminars on development held at Senapati and Bishnupur districts were extremely useful.

The authorities could get to know people's problems and deficiencies in implementing welfare schemes.

Pillai said, the Centre will formulate an action plan in the next few days.

The state government would be informed of the action plan.

District level officials, civil society bodies and even to the village level would be given copies of the action plan.

Once the plan is translated into action, people will have immense benefits out of it, he said.