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01/04/2010: "Has the Government of India abandoned the INDO-NAGA Peace talks? NISc Press release"

A Naga International Support Center , NISC
A human rights organization

Press Release
Amsterdam, January 4, 2010

Has the Government of India abandoned the INDO-NAGA Peace talks?
With renewed vigour we have started 2010. But for the buzz of expediting the peace talks between the Government of India and the Government of Nagalim, so the long standing conflict can come to a much desired final conclusion,. How sincere is India? The Nagas want an honourable ending to the conflict, one which portrays and secures mutual respect. Though, according to both parties the year 2009 promised to bring a break through, only one not very positive round of talks was held. In fact the Government of India during the talks held in Zurich, Switzerland, backtracked on its proposal to be unveiled their determining it a ‘misunderstanding’.
After this last meeting between the two nations nothing happened. An indication for a change in approach, attitude or direction came with the replacement of the decade long interlocutor for the peace talks Mr. Padmanabhaiah and the repeatedly expressed ‘condition’ that talks should be held within the constitution of India.
In September 2009 Home Secretary G.K. Pillai announced that the Government of India was working on a proposal to solve the conflict. He made it also known that this Government of India’s proposal would be discussed and negotiated ‘within the constitution of India ’.
By December 2009 the leadership of Nagaland had not received this proposal though Home Secretary G.K. Pillai through the press stated that the negotiator for the Nation Nagalim was expected to be in Delhi after carefully reading the text of the proposal.
While in Amsterdam Mr. Th. Muivah, the chief negotiator of Nagalim told NISC that neither a proposal had been received from the Government of India nor were the Nagas officially approached to agree on coming to Delhi for the next round of talks. He also said that ‘it is not customary to communicate through the press as it is not the highest level which was agreed upon at the onset of the ceasefire and peace talks’.
Note: The Talks are being held unconditionally, at the highest level and in a third country.

Since it has repeatedly negated at least two of these points of the ceasefire agreement and does not show signs of taking the talks for peace seriously the Naga International Support Center calls on the Government of India and urges it to:
- publish its policy on the Indo- Naga conflict so that it can truly be accountable to the people of this largest democracy in the world called India
- be sincere in following up what has been agreed and to lift the financial burden from the back of India’s populace
- honour its agreements to the point of becoming credible and trustworthy
Neither ordinary Nagas nor ordinary Indians want war and by recognizing the ‘unique history and situation of the Nagas the Government of India acknowledged the history of the Naga Nation only became part of the Indian sub continent because of the British colonization. The Nagas have every right to free as it is India which denies the Nagas the Right to Self Determination.

For more information visit www.nagalim.nl or contact us nisc@nagalim.nl