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03/19/2010: "Delhi is committed to resolving Indo-Naga problem: Muivah"

Delhi is committed to resolving Indo-Naga problem: Muivah

Kohima : General Secretary of the proscribed National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) Thuingaleng Muivah has asserted that there were a series of meetings of the NSCN with the Government of India, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister P Chidambaram, adding New Delhi was committed to resolving the Indo-Naga political problem.
Th Muivah, who arrived at Dimapur for a weeklong stay at Camp Hebron, the Council Headquarters of NSCN-IM near Dimapur, to hold consultative meetings with various tribal Hohos (organisations), public leaders and mass-based organisations on the Naga political problem, told at the Dimapur Airport that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was committed and ''I believe in his sincerity,'' adding Home Minister P Chidambaram was also committed to a negotiated settlement. He affirmed that the Nagas have to stand their ground and the people who do not stand up for their own rights, do not deserve to live. On the ''greater autonomy'' offered by the Government of India, he said the question did not arise as ''Naga history is clear and Naga political stand is also clear and we will stand out ground.'' On the 'reconciliation process', the rebel leader said the process was taken up by the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) and all Nagas stand for reconciliation, but it should be based on ''national principles''.
NSCN-IM rejects autonomy - Muivah arrives in Dimapur, to brief Nagas on peace talks on Sunday H. CHISHI The Telegraph



Th. Muivah after his arrival at Dimapur airport on Thursday
Dimapur, March 18: The Isak-Muivah faction of the NSCN today categorically rejected the Centre’s offer of greater autonomy to Naga people to resolve the decades old Naga political problem.
NSCN (I-M) general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah told reporters on his arrival at Dimapur airport that the group would never accept New Delhi’s offer of greater autonomy as the demand of the Naga people was sovereignty. This, he said, was non-negotiable and the government of India had to accept the truth.
“We will never compromise on the issue of sovereignty,” Muivah said before heading for Camp Hebron, the council headquarters, 35km from here.
Referring to the demand for the integration of all Naga contiguous areas, he said it was the birthright of the Naga people to live as one.
Muivah also said his group would support the ongoing Naga reconciliation process being conducted under the aegis of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation headed by Baptist clergyman, Rev. Wati Aier. The move has the support of several organisations.
“We are committed to Naga reconciliation,” he said, adding that the reconciliation of Naga groups was the desire of every Naga.
Despite this stand, the Isak-Muivah group has opposed the inclusion of other Naga factions like the NSCN (Khaplang) and the Naga National Council in the talks process.
Muivah and his top comrades still claim that the National Socialist Council of Nagalim, led by Isak Chishi Swu and Muivah, is the only mandated organisation to represent the Naga people.
The Centre has already rejected the demand for Naga integration and sovereignty. But Muivah and his comrades who attended the just-concluded Naga talks in New Delhi said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and home minister P. Chidambaram had expressed their commitment and sincerity to pursue a solution to the Naga issue which would be honourable and acceptable to the NSCN and the Centre.
Muivah refused to take too many questions today but said he would talk about the current peace process during the republic day celebrations of the NSCN/GPRN at the council headquarters on Sunday.
“You can ask as many questions (as you want) on March 21,” he said, before getting into his bulletproof Bolero.
On that day, Muivah will address a gathering of Naga people from all the Naga-inhabited areas and brief them on the Naga peace process with the Centre.
NSCN sources said he would also dispel all misgivings on the current peace process and make the group’s stand clear on the Naga issue.
On his arrival at Dimapur airport, Muivah and his wife were escorted to the lounge for a few minutes and then to their car by police and NSCN security personnel. Among the top leaders of the group who received Muivah at the airport were V.S. Atem, the emissary to the collective leadership, and Qhevihe Swu, a senior member of the steering committee, the highest policy-making body of the group.
Around 50 vehicles escorted the NSCN leader to the council headquarters under tight security.
There was no public reception at the airport following a request by its authorities because of security concerns.
ONGC keen for oil exploration in Nagaland PTI
"There is no misunderstanding with the Nagaland government and we are keen to start exploring the vast oil reserves in the state," ONGC director, headquarters, Dr AK Balyan said here today.
"We are waiting for the government's nod so that we can start the exploration work at the earliest", he said.
Balyan revealed that Assam's Arakan basin added two discoveries to its account in 2009-10 - one in 'Kasomarigaon' (Golaghat district) and the other in 'North Seleki' (Sibsagar district.
The 'Kasomarigaon' will be put on production within a month which is a record time, he said.
He said the ONGC is on the path of modernisation while automation work was done at the two oldest gas gathering stations at Sibsagar.
Meghalaya police officer joins militant group SindhToday
Shillong, March 18 (IANS) A deputy superintendent of police in Meghalaya has gone missing and has allegedly joined the militant Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA), a police official said.
Champion R. Sangma was posted as assistant commandant of 2nd Meghalaya Police battalion at Goeragre in the state’s West Garo Hills district when he went missing.
“We have served notice to him for being absent from duty for a very long time. His salary has been stopped,” Director General of Police S.B. Kakati told IANS.
“We are making inquiries about Champion. We are hearing (he has joined a militant outfit) and waiting for the report,” Kakati added.
A senior Garo rebel leader claimed that Champion was now “commander-in-chief” of GNLA, whose cadres are deserters, mostly from the Achik National Volunteers Council (ANVC) and Liberation of Achik Elite Force (LAEF).
Incidentally, LAEF was floated by another deserting policeman, Peter Marak, with the help of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim-Isak-Muivah.
Marak was later killed in a crossfire while he was leading the police to a LAEF camp at Kalak in East Garo Hills Aug 22, 2007.
The GNLA is under the police scanner for serving extortion notes, ranging from Rs.5 lakh to Rs. 1 crore, to petrol pump owners, coal dealers and businessmen in the coal-rich districts of Garo Hills.
A retired inspector general of police was among those who received the extortion note.
“Most of the rank and file of GNLA are mostly those who had deserted our organisation and members of the LAEF,” ANVC spokesman Arist D. Sangma told IANS.
ANVC, a Garo rebel group operating in Garo Hills region, is locked in a ceasefire with the central and state governments till March 31.
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Education directorate for Bodos A STAFF REPORTER The Telegraph
Guwahati, March 18: Dispur today announced the setting up of a separate education directorate for the Bodo and other tribal groups by this year.
The commitment made in response to BPF legislators’ persistent demand for the setting up of a directorate for the Bodo medium of instruction, came ahead of the April 9 elections to the Bodoland Territorial Council.
During today’s question hour, BPF legislator Karendra Basumatary enquired about the steps Dispur was taking to establish a separate directorate for the Bodo medium, the number of times the government and the Bodo Sahitya Sabha had discussed the issue and the steps taken to develop the Bodo language.
The issue was raised once again during a call attention motion moved by Bodo MLAs Kamal Singh Narzary and Majendra Narzary.
Education minister Gautam Bora said though the modalities for setting up of the directorate were being prepared following a discussion with the Sabha, he was hopeful that it would come into existence by this year.
A Sahitya Sabha team met chief minister Tarun Gogoi yesterday in connection with the issue, he said.
“The chief minister is keen. We are trying our best to implement it within a year,” Bora said.
He, however, clarified that the education directorate would be for the Bodos and other tribal groups when AGP legislator Ramendra Narayan Kalita categorically asked whether the proposed directorate would be only for the Bodo medium.
“There could be problems later given our diversity, if we set up a directorate only for one group,” Bora said.
Patent rights for Naga Chilli Corresponden t(NPN):



Naga Chilli
KOHIMA Nagaland government has finally won the patent rights for the Naga King Chilli and also registered as the proprietor of the chilli with the Government of India, according to the Geographical Indication Registry recently. The “Certificate of Registration of Geographical Indication” was awarded on December 2, 2008 to the Government of Nagaland, represented by Secretary, department of Horticulture and Agriculture as the registered proprietor of the Naga Mircha falling in Class 31 Chilli with effect from August 22, 2007 under Registration No.109. The Registration of Geographical Indication certificate was awarded under section 16(1) or of authorized user under section (17) (3) (e) of the Geographical Indication of goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. Revealing this, Parliamentary Secretary Horticulture and Cooperation, R.Khing termed it as a milestone achievement which would pave way for the state into the global market and even export the produces of Naga King Chilli to other countries. He further revealed that following the development, the department was trying to find contacts in countries like Bangladesh, United State and also Mexico for establishing possible link for export of the famous Naga king Chilli, known for its pungency and aroma.