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03/23/2010: "Centre-NSCN(IM) talks deadlocked R Dutta Choudhury Assam Tribune"

Centre-NSCN(IM) talks deadlocked R Dutta Choudhury Assam Tribune

GUWAHATI, March 22 – The talks between the Government of India and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (I-M) are deadlocked over the two “core demands” of the militant outfit. Meanwhile, the Government of India has taken up the allegations of violation of the ground rules of ceasefire agreement by members of the outfit with the leaders of the NSCN in the meetings of the ceasefire monitoring group.
Highly placed official sources told The Assam Tribune that the NSCN leadership submitted a 30-point charter of demands to the Government of India and the “core demands” of the outfit are not acceptable to the Government. Sources said that the demand for integration of the “Naga inhabited areas” for creation of greater Nagalim is not acceptable to the Government of India.
Sources pointed out that the NSCN has been demanding vast areas of the States of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh as the outfit claimed that those were Naga inhabited areas. But the Government of India, on principle, is not ready to accept the demand. Only if the concerned States accept the demand, the Government of India can think in the same lines. But under the circumstances, no State would be ready to give up land and the Governments of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur have already passed resolutions in the State Assemblies against the creation of greater Nagalim. The Centre, on its part, is not willing to persuade the concerned State Governments to give up land for the creation of greater Nagalim, sources added.
The second core demand of the NSCN, which is not acceptable to the Government of India is the demand for a separate constitution for Nagalim to protect the unique identity of the Naga people. Sources said that the Government is not willing to allow a State to have a separate constitution as it might lead to serious consequences in the days to come.
However, the Centre is willing to discuss the issue of expanding the scope of federalism for giving more powers to the States within the framework of the Constitution of India. Sources said that the Government is also ready to discuss issues like giving greater powers to the States over the natural resources. Sources said that apart from the two “core demands” of the NSCN, the other demands enlisted in the charter of demands are negotiable but the talks are deadlocked over the core demands. With the NSCN leadership also maintaining a rigid stand, no immediate solution to the issues is in sight, sources admitted.
However, on the positive side, sources revealed that the top leaders of the NSCN including chairman I Swu and general secretary T Muivah are now using Indian passports to travel abroad.
On the allegations of violation of ground rules of the ceasefire agreement by the NSCN members, official sources said that two committees are in place for monitoring the implementation of the ground rules. One committee is entrusted with the responsibility of monitoring the situation in Nagaland and the other, headed by a Special Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs is responsible to deal with any violation outside Nagaland. The allegations leveled against the NSCN members for violation of ground rules are taken up with the leaders of the outfit from time to time. “On some occasions, the NSCN leaders simply deny the allegations and sometimes they assure to discipline their cadres,” sources added.
It may be mentioned here that the NSCN general secretary Muivah reportedly told the cadres of the outfit in camp Habron yesterday that solution to the Naga problem would not be possible within the framework of the Constitution of India.
Cornered Naga leader does u turn IST
National Socialist Council of Nagalim General Secretary Muivah had dubbed his meet with the Prime Minister and the Home Minister as a comprehensive discussion and then does a u-turn. Muivah has now told his cadres that the Centre is to blame for the deadlock and rejected the Indian Constitution altogether.

For 12 years, the Nagas have been involved in peace talks with the Centre. But it was earlier this month, one thought there was at least a semblance of a breakthrough.

Muivah flies in and out of the country on a Indian passport and ironically feels the Indian constitution doesn't suit his needs.

Muivah said Naga issue can't be solved within Constitution and that the problem needs a unique settlement. He also said he won't let New Delhi impose conditions.

He also hoped that the government will respect its inalienable rights and reiterated that the time for Naga victory is not far away. He cautioned that the degeneration of values could destroy their struggle.

Muivah said, "Mr Chidambaram, we will not accept any imposition on us. We will not accept any imposition on us. We will accept honourable settlement because that would be through negotiating with the people of Nagaland."
Muivah clearly is cornered as the Centre has made it clear that it won't compromise on sovereinity and neither will it redraw the boundaries of Nagaland as the rebel leaders would have wanted it.

Of reconciliation and roadblocks in Nagaland (News Analysis) Indo Asian News by Syed Zarir Hussain
Peace and reconciliation are the buzzwords in insurgency-roiled Nagaland, with two warring separatist groups advocating the need for patching up and working together to end decades of a violent fratricidal gang war in the region.
The two National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) groups, one led by Isak Chishi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah (NSCN-IM), and the other headed by S.S. Khaplang (NSCN-K), have been engaged in a bitter turf war for supremacy with an estimated 500 cadres killed in the past five years.
The two factions are also operating a ceasefire with New Delhi - the NSCN-IM is currently holding talks with the Indian government after entering into a truce in 1997.
The Khaplang faction is yet to begin formal peace talks although it entered into a ceasefire in 2001.
"Without reconciliation there cannot be any permanent solution. I have a clean heart and let their leaders come out and accept the reconciliation process," Kitovi Zhimomi, self-styled prime minister of the NSCN-K, told IANS.
The NSCN had split into two in 1988 following ideological differences. Since then they have been waging a violent turf war.
Several attempts have been made at brokering peace between the two NSCN groups.
A peace attempt is currently being brokered by the Forum for Naga Reconciliation, the apex body of various civil society and rights groups in Nagaland, backed by the powerful Baptist Church in the state.
Helping the Forum in its efforts are conflict resolution experts from the Britain-based Religious Society of Friends, whose members are commonly known as Quakers, besides members from the American Baptist Church.
"It depends on their (NSCN-IM) leaders ... from our side we have an open mind," the NSCN-K leader said.
"We also want unification and patching up of all differences so that we can work together in achieving our goal," said a senior NSCN-IM leader.
Amid the talk for reconciliation, NSCN-IM general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah has made a sharp u-turn in so far as resolving the decades old Naga issue by again raking up the issue of sovereignty or independence.
Earlier this month, Muivah held talks with Home Minister P. Chidambaram in New Delhi and said later that everything was going on track.
But soon after landing in Dimapur this week, Muivah changed his tone.
"Chidambaram, let me tell you that you cannot impose the Indian constitution on the Nagas. We are not going to accept the constitution and also cannot compromise on sovereignty," Muivah said.
The belligerent posturing has surprised many. Some feel that Muivah made the statement under pressure after some in the outfit accused him of a sell-out.
Under the changed circumstances, the Naga peace talks appears to have once again hit major roadblocks - the toughening of stand by Muivah.
The only silver lining is that the two sides are softening their stand on territorial supremacy and talking of shedding their differences.
Nagaland Govt committed to peace, development: Governor PTI
Kohima: Outlining the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) government's priority in peace and development fronts, Governor Nikhil Kumar on Tuesday reiterated its commitment towards a peaceful settlement of the protracted Naga political conflict.

On the opening day of the budget session of the state assembly, the Governor told the members that his government was determined to find a just and honourable settlement to the long drawn political problem.

In his maiden address in the assembly, Kumar said the government has been playing the role of constructive facilitator in the on-going political dialogue between the Centre and the NSCN.

The Governor also lauded the roles of state level strategy group and district level coordination committees on law and order, NGOs, civil society groups, Churches and Forum for Naga Re-conciliation in creating comparative peace in the state.

Highlighting the government policies and programmes for creating physical and social infrastructure, generating employment and imparting skills to the Naga youth, the Governor said the government has been according utmost priority to creation of employment opportunities for youth both within the state and outside through capacity building and skill development.

Naga unification first before sovereignty: NSCN-K Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, March 22 2010: Ato Kilonser (Prime Minister) of Government of People's Republic of Nagaland (GPRN/National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang Group), N Titovi Zhimomi has clarified that the political agenda of the group is not "integration" but "sovereignty".

At the same time, the Ato Kilonser, in an interaction with media-persons at the designated camp located at Khehoi, 25 kms from Dimapur in Nagaland, said that to bring an end to the political issues of the Nagas, the first priority should be unification of the Naga inhabited areas which would be followed by political process.

Home Minister Hothrong Yeichungru and Finance Minister C Singson of the NSCN(K) were also present at the interaction with the media-persons.

Dialogue between the NSCN (K) and the Government of India has not yet begun even though the outfit had signed the ceasefire truce because unification of the Nagas has not yet materialised.

Signing accord without unification will happen stepping into yet another difficult situation for the Nagas, like that of Shillong accord.

Keeping this in mind, the efforts for Naga reconciliation for unification of the Naga leaders are going on as the main issue now-a-days, he said and observed that it will take a long time, and it should go on carefully as it may lead to yet another difficulty.

That is why, the Naga reconciliation has been initiated and his government is trying its best to push the process forward, he said.

Considering that the political dialogue between the NSCN(IM) and the GOI has given a wrong signal to the people, the Joint Working Group had at its meetings on several occasions had resolved for the dialogue to be stopped.

There is no issue of "smaller or greater Nagaland". These words will disintegrate the Naga people.

Nagaland will cover the areas of Myanmar and North Eastern States of the country where the Nagas are settled, the Prime Minister pointed out.

The Joint Working Group of NSCN(IM) and NSCN (K) was formed as per the wishes of the people for Naga Reconciliation.

Reconciliation meetings had already been held in parts of Manipur. Naga Reconciliation is what the Nagas in Manipur wanted, he said.

Only after the Naga unification process is completed, the end point of political issue of Nagas settled in India and Myanmar can be brought about.

But sovereignty of Nagas which would come up later will be the main issue, he said.

Political dialogue between the NSCN(IM) and GOI at the Hebron designated camp will not yield any fruit.

It's the trick of the government of India.

NSCN(K) is making efforts to maintain a healthy relationship with other underground groups operating in the North Eastern Region of India but due to overwhelming number of groups in Manipur, there are difficulties in building a common platform, N Titovi Zhimomi further observed.

But, he said PLA, UNLF and KYKL outfits, waging war against India, have an understanding with the NSCN(K), he said.

Finance Minister C Singson, who took part in the interaction, said that as per wish of the people, the outfit is leading in the reconciliation process, and they are keeping clear-cut objective of the process to the people.

But some people are against the process, he observed.