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12/01/2009: "NSCN to look into govt offer - Analysis of fineprint on outfit’s agenda OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph"
NSCN to look into govt offer - Analysis of fineprint on outfit’s agenda OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph
Kohima, Nov. 30: The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) today ruled out immediate acceptance of Delhi’s proposals but said the outfit would take up the points for discussion “sometime in December”.
Vikiye Sumi, kilonser (minister) for information and publicity of the NSCN (I-M), said the outfit would not “easily accept the proposals of the Centre without analysing the nitty-gritties”.
“However, (there is) nothing wrong in checking the proposals of the government of India,” Sumi added.
Union home secretary G.K. Pillai had yesterday said the Centre was now ready with its own set of proposals for discussion with the NSCN (I-M) to find a solution to the decades-old “Indo-Naga” political problem.
Sumi said since the Centre has ruled out physical integration of Naga contiguous areas, the outfit cannot sell out the rights of the Naga people.
“Let’s see what kind of proposals they have made,” the NSCN spokesman said.
The NSCN (I-M) has categorically stated that without the integration of Naga areas, there could be no acceptable solution. Sumi said the Tatar Hoho (Naga parliament) has endorsed the collective leadership (Isak and Muivah) of the outfit to discuss the issues with Delhi and any outcome of their discussions would be deliberated back home by the Tatar Hoho.
On the venue of the next round of talks, the kilonser said it could be held anywhere. According to an agreement before the truce in 1997, talks were to be held in a third country. But following assurances from the Centre to expedite the Naga peace process, the collective leadership of the NSCN had agreed to a request to hold talks in India.
NSCN chairman Isak Chishi Swu and general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah are expected to arrive in Delhi soon to discuss the Centre’s proposals. They will be joined by top leaders of the group.
In support of the demand of the Naga outfit, chief minister Neiphiu Rio has reiterated the state government’s stand on integration of all Naga contiguous areas under one administrative unit.
So far Nagaland Assembly had passed four resolutions in favour of integration of Naga areas.
He had said the desire of the Naga people to come together as a people would always remain.
Until this common goal is achieved, he urged all sections of Naga people to make every possible effort to realise the dream.
Nagas give thumbs up to babus who changed their lives Sanat K Chakraborty The Pioneer
| Dimapur In what seeks to bridge the divide between Nagaland and the rest of India, the State on Monday paid lavish tribute to two top IAS officials for their visionary development ideas and approaches that are now transforming rural life in Nagaland.
For long, officials from New Delhi were unwelcome guests in the State. But in a departure that also suggests the winds of change blowing across the State ravaged by years of insurgency, Nagaland showered on them its deep-felt gratitude for their passionate, ‘missionary zeal’ in helping people they came to serve.
Two IAS officials — AM Gokhale and RS Pandey — who had spent most of their working life in Nagaland, and served the State as Chief Secretary, were credited with creation of innovative grassroots development institutions and fostering people’s participation in local governance and management of public assets and services.
“Nagas should be grateful to these two outstanding persons, who acted as a catalysing force for social and economic transformation of the Naga society,” Chief Minister Nephiu Rio told a mammoth gathering of village elders and functionaries of traditional institutions, while inaugurating the Village Development Board (VDB) and Communitisation Conference 2009 here at the EPIP complex.
Gokhale was described as ‘the father of the VDB’, a unique participatory community-managed rural development model, while Pandey, who is now Secretary in the Petroleum Ministry, was acknowledged as the brain behind an outstanding idea of ‘communitisation’ of public assets and institutions for ensuring basic public service delivery to the rural areas.
Though the Centre has already recognised the work of the two officers (Gokhale being conferred Padmashree and Pandey being recipient of the first ever Prime Minister’s award for Excellence in Public Administration), they are probably the only two bureaucrats from mainland India in recent time, who have received such praise from Naga leaders.
The Chief Minister said both these innovative concepts — VDB and Communitisation — developed by Gokhale and Pandey respectively, were drawn from the immense ‘social capital’ of the Nagas.
Three decades of experiment with VDB and seven years of Communitisation programme clearly suggest that if this ‘social capital’ was harnessed properly, Nagaland could become one of the most developed States in the country, he said.
“We need more such Gokhales and Pandeys, for developing Nagaland,” Rio said, urging the community leaders and functionaries of village council to work with Government to accelerate the process of development.
Gokhale could not attend because of sudden death of his mother. Pandey was present in the opening function of the conference and received a citation.
“The Government is committed to fulfilling the aspirations of the Naga people, but the Government can do little without active participation of the people,” he said, adding that the administration would reward VDBs and VCs who could perform.
There are over 1,100 VDBs implementing all State and Central rural development schemes and Communitisation process is showing great improvement in functioning of schools, health centres and rural electricity supply.
He said the State Government would like to expand this process in many other sectors, and he hoped a blueprint for future direction of the communitisation process would be discussed in the two-day conference.
“The concept is simple,” said Pandey, who was the guest of honour at the function: Let community own and manage public resources, assets and infrastructure -schools, primary health centres and, rural electricity supply etc - to improve delivery of public services at the village or cluster level.
On the one hand, he said, people often complain about poor attendance of teachers, non-repair of school buildings, non-functioning of PHCs or CHCs, or lack of electricity or non-payment power bills and general dissatisfaction over public delivery system and things like that. And on the other, one can find among the Nagas vibrant social and village institutions such as tribal council, which manage the affairs of each village, and quite effectively.
So, why can’t these time-tested tribal institutions be used as active partners in providing quality and improved delivery of basic public services? That was the basis for communitisation approach. Village committees were set up with the recommendation of the traditional village council and given the task of providing services and managing and maintenance of the assets with financial support of the Government.
Initially, the concept was operationalised in three sectors: Elementary education, rural health services and rural electricity supply and management.
Within in three years after the introduction of the model, there were significant improvement in functioning of schools, healthcare centers and rural electricity supply and payment of energy bills.
“Some villages showed 100 per cent success in ensuring public services in the assigned sectors, while some have not been able to perform well,” Pandey said. There has to be continuous focus on the capacity building of the members of the newly created institutions so that they can take up diverse responsibilities, he added.
However, ultimately the political leadership has to be prepared to create condition for these grassroots institutions to grow and become effective
Naga House backs ‘Greater Nagaland’ IANS IST
KOHIMA: The Nagaland assembly’s decision to give legitimacy to the six-decade-long insurgency has been generally hailed by political observers in
the state. The resolution, moved by chief minister Neiphiu Rio, is significant as the entire 60-member house, including 19 opposition Congress legislators, endorsed the move.
Another significant resolution was to integrate all Naga-inhabited areas in the northeast, a demand that has for long been raised by the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM).
‘‘It is the desire of the Nagas to live together as one family and this house has rightly voiced the cry of the Naga people,’’ Rio said in the assembly.
The NSCN-IM, one of the oldest and most powerful of about 30 rebel groups in India’s northeast, was earlier fighting for an independent homeland for the Nagas but has scaled it down to a ‘‘Greater Nagaland’’, to be formed by slicing off parts of adjoining states that have Naga tribal populations.
NSCN not a banned organisation: Home Secy IST
Home Secretary G K Pillai has also backed the Nagaland Assembly resolution in support of the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN). Pillai said that the NSCN is not a banned organisation and that the government was looking to resolve all Naga issues through dialogue.
The Nagaland Legislative Assembly has called for the recognition for Naga underground leaders for having selflessly worked, fought and sacrificed for the aspirations and rights of the Naga people.
This recognition came as a resolution in the State Assembly even as talks between the government of India and the NSCN (IM) are yet to reach a conclusive stage.
The resolution was moved by Nagaland's Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio who put on record that the Naga political issue and negotiations with the ultras had reached a crucial stage and that the time had come for the Assembly to play a contributory role. It also called for the expedition in the dialogue process with Nagaland's underground groups to reach a negotiated settlement.
The men Nagaland State Assembly has been praising:
Issac Swu and Thinuselie Muiva, the founders of the NSCN, the most feared ultra outfit in Nagaland.
The NSCN (IM) is responsible for the deaths of prominent editors, police officers and army officials. In the past, the NSCN has received plenty of support in arms, ammunition, cash and other resources from China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. The porous borders, especially the one with Myanmar, meant that they could easily escape to foreign territory.
Naga House backs ‘Greater Nagaland’ IANS IST
KOHIMA: The Nagaland assembly’s decision to give legitimacy to the six-decade-long insurgency has been generally hailed by political observers in
the state. The resolution, moved by chief minister Neiphiu Rio, is significant as the entire 60-member house, including 19 opposition Congress legislators, endorsed the move.
Another significant resolution was to integrate all Naga-inhabited areas in the northeast, a demand that has for long been raised by the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM).
‘‘It is the desire of the Nagas to live together as one family and this house has rightly voiced the cry of the Naga people,’’ Rio said in the assembly.
The NSCN-IM, one of the oldest and most powerful of about 30 rebel groups in India’s northeast, was earlier fighting for an independent homeland for the Nagas but has scaled it down to a ‘‘Greater Nagaland’’, to be formed by slicing off parts of adjoining states that have Naga tribal populations.
Naga peace process reaches crucial stage Nagaland Page
Centre-NSCN to discuss counter proposals
Kohima, November 30: The peace process between the Government of India and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) has reached the crucial stage as the NSCN prepares to sit across the negotiation table with New Delhi's emissaries to discuss the Centre's proposals.
Vikiye Sumi, Kilonser (minister) for Information & Publicity of the Government of the People's Republic of Nagalim ruled out immediate acceptance of the Government of India's proposals as the latter has ruled out physical integration of Naga contiguous areas. "Nothing wrong to check into the proposals of the Government of India," Sumi said. He said NSCN would not easily accept the proposals of the Centre without analyzing the nitty-gritty in the proposals.
The NSCN kilonser said they cannot completely sell out the rights of the Naga people by accepting the whole contents of New Delhi's proposal. "Let's see what kind of proposals they have made," the NSCN spokesman said.
The NSCN has categorically stated that without the integration of Naga areas there would be no honourable and acceptable solution to the nearly 70 years old Naga political imbroglio with New Delhi.
Asked whether the Naga peace process could continue with the issue of Naga integration, the NSCN spokesman said first they have to see the proposals of the Central Government. "They were supposed to invite us this month for the talks," he said adding that talks would be held in December.
He said the Tatar Hoho (Naga Parliament) has endorsed the collective leadership (Isak and Muivah) of the NSCN to discuss the Naga issues with the New Delhi leaders and any outcome of their discussions would be deliberated back home by the tatar hoho. "They have to send back the discussions with the government of India to the home front," Sumi said.
On the venue of the next round of talk, the NSCN kilonser said it can be anywhere, but according to the agreement prior to the truce in 1997, talks were to be held in third country but with the strong assurance from the Centre to expedite the Naga peace process the collective leadership of the NSCN had agreed to the request of Indian policymakers to hold talks even in India. He said venue of the negotiation does not matter much at this juncture but the crux of the issue is what type of proposals the Centre would place before the NSCN leaders.
With the Naga peace process reaching the crucial and critical stage, the Nagaland State Assembly on November 27 has passed a resolution to form a Joint Parliamentary Committee to facilitate the peace process. "We appeal to the negotiating parties of the political dialogue to expedite the political process and bring early resolution through a negotiated settlement which is honourable and acceptable to the Naga people," the resolution stated.
G K Pillai, Union Home Secretary said proposals of the Centre does not contain the economic package but broad based package.
The NSCN, on the other hand, said they have not accepted the importance of the Indian Constitution to form the basis for the Naga solution and that no autonomy of any kind was also discussed or understanding reached. "For the Nagas, talks between the Government of India and the NSCN signify two entities. It is a talk between two people at the Prime Ministerial level", the NSCN said.
The Naga outfit said the talk is also without condition, which means outside the parameter of the Indian constitution, and talks in third countries which implies involvement of a third party that hosts and facilitates the talks.
"The recognition of the unique history and situation of the Nagas by the Government of India means the Nagas are not part of the Union of India and the situation in Nagalim is political, not that of law and order under the Indian constitution. Ceasefire area coverage without territorial limit as affirmed by the then Prime Minister of India, Atal Behari Vajpayee in Osaka, Japan stating that 'wherever there is fighting, there is ceasefire," the NSCN said.
The NSCN has already submitted its 31-point charter of proposals to the Centre followed by another proposals.
The group said it looks for a solution that recognizes the identity and rights of the Nagas and safeguards the security of India.
But Union Home Secretary Pillai said that in the present circumstances in the Northeast the 'physical integration of Naga inhabited areas' is not possible. He, however, said the Centre can explore possibility of Nagas in the areas of culture, social practices, and customary laws through some mechanism. He also said the Union Government would try to be accommodative as much as possible in terms of the proposed package which will be open for negotiation and discussion as the Constitution of India is amendable. His statement has come after his meeting with cross sections of Naga people from Manipur, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.
During his visit to Kohima on October 12 & 13 last Pillai said amendment of the Constitution of India is definitely a part of the package the Centre will make in the offer. He said Centre will try to be accommodative as much as possible in terms of the proposed package which will be open for negotiation and discussion. He said the proposed peace package by the Centre to the NSCN was an offer and not a conditional package.
Chief Minister's office when contacted about the latest proposed talk, said they have not received any information about such meeting but added that the State Government is not a party to the negotiation. But the CMO appreciated the sincerity of the Government of India and the NSCN to hammer out honourable and acceptable solution to the problem.
Major General Phungthing Shimrang, convenor of the ceasefire monitoring cell of the NSCN said: "Let us see how they will come". The talks are expected in the second week of December.
NSCN chairman Isak Chishi Swu and general secretary Thiungaleng Muivah are expected to come to New Delhi soon to discuss the Centre's proposals. They would also be joined by top leaders of the group. (Page News Service)
UK-Nagaland MoU on English Our Correspondent Morungexpress
Kohima Great Britain and Nagaland would soon be signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote The Queen’s Language in Nagaland. Addressing news persons on the sidelines of the Hornbill Festival – the Festival of Festivals - Deputy British High Commissioner, Sanjay Wadvani disclosed that the British Commission would be signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the state education department on December 15 for introduction of International English Language Testing System (IELTS) in an effort to promote the English language among the people of Nagaland so as to increase their language ability to international standards.
According to the Deputy High Commissioner, this would also prove very helpful in terms of employment. The British High Commission would formally be signing the MoU with Banuo Z. Jamir, Additional Chief Secretary in charge of Education, who would be representing the government.
It’s festival time in Nagaland Samudra Gupta Kashyap
Insurgency has been pushed to the backbenches. With Christmas round the corner, it is now time for celebration in Nagaland. While last week saw a huge turnout in the state’s first-ever piano contest in Kohima, the capital city, from December 1 begins the annual Hornbill Festival that also draws the highest number of foreign tourists to the state. Nagaland has engaged villagers around Kohima in the tourism business, with visitors now preferring to stay in villages rather than in hotels.
Nagaland's Hornbill festival goes international PTI
Kohima, Dec 1 (PTI) Coinciding with the Nagaland statehood day, the week-long Hornbill festival today got off to a colourful start at Kisama near here with cultural troupes from Japan, Thailand and Myanmar besides North-Eastern states taking part in it.
Troupes from Japan, Korea, Thailand and Myanmar joined the 10th edition of the Hornbill festival, which went international as intended by the Nagaland government.
Touted as the 'festival of festivals', the annual extravaganza is a tourism promotional activity at Kisama, Naga heritage village, where one can enjoy the Naga life and culture in their entirety under a single roof.
Besides the usual showcasing of Naga dance, music, art, ethnic foods, handlooms and handicrafts, some new features such as kids festival and a Korean food stall have been added.
Welcoming the gathering, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said the government wants to privatise the management of the huge infrastructure and various events organised during the festival.
Dispur on Ulfa ‘camp’ trail - Assam mulls moving Delhi & Kohima over rebel disclosure A STAFF REPORTER The Telegraph
Guwahati, Nov. 30: Dispur is considering moving Nagaland and the Centre over the “existence” of Ulfa camps in the neighbouring state’s Mon district after verifying the claims of an arrested militant.
Ulfa “sergeant” Mina Gogoi told interrogators after being arrested from Assam’s Sivasagar district on November 26 that the outfit was running three camps with over 100 cadres in adjacent Mon district, bordering Myanmar, with the help of the NSCN (Khaplang).
She also said the outfit paid a few Nagaland businessmen who frequently came to Assam to ferry goods to the camps and that Myanmar- based senior Ulfa leaders often visited these camps.
Sources in the chief minister’s office told this correspondent today that Dispur had taken Mina’s disclosures “very seriously” and would like to seek Nagaland’s co-operation in taking appropriate action against businessmen who were helping the outfit in that state.
“Since it has come from an Ulfa member, we need to get to the bottom of things. We are verifying the disclosures. We will be moving the neighbouring state and the Centre after getting a detailed report from the district given the sensitive nature of the revelations,” a highly placed official said.
A senior police official said they had taken up the issue with the Assam Rifles deployed in Mon but declined to divulge details. Sources said Ulfa was known for its proximity to the NSCN (K) and often used Nagaland as a transit route after carrying out operations in Assam, which was primarily serving extortion notes to businessmen living in the border areas.
They also escape through Nagaland during counter-insurgency operations in Assam.
The Peoples’ Committee for Peace Initiatives in Assam, a conglomeration of 28 organisations, today asked the Ulfa leadership to come forward for a political settlement.
The committee made the appeal following its recent visit to New Delhi and a meeting with home minister P. Chidambaram on resumption of the peace process with the rebel outfit.
“During our meeting on November 25, the Union home minister told us that the Centre was ready to hold a political dialogue and asked us to appeal to Ulfa to come to the negotiation table,” PCPIA chief co-ordinator Lachit Bordoloi said.
Bordoloi said the signal was positive from the government and Ulfa and added that the Ulfa top brass wanted a political solution to the problems from a position of dignity and equality.
Chidambaram hopeful of dialogue with ULFA Sentinel
From our Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Dec 1: Union Home Minister P Chidambaram today expressed his ‘optimism’ over the possibility of ULFA leaders coming forward for negotiations. He said: “We are hopeful of ULFA leaders coming forward for peace talks. But as of now, no offer has come to us.” He said the Government’s position is clear: “Give up violence, give up arms and give up the demand for sovereignty. We are ready to look into other demands if they give up these three demands. We won’t repeat our past mistakes.” The Home Minister made this remark while presenting the mon-thly progress report of his Ministry today.
Union Home Ministry sources said the Centre is getting some positive signals from top ULFA leaders. On the sealing of Indo-Bangla border, Chidambaram said that 25 km of fencing and 40 km of new roads were completed in November 2009. Chidambaram further said that the notification for amendment of the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003 was issued on November 9, 2009 for preparation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), 1951 in Assam.
