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04/01/2010: "Peace Talks: Means to an End : The Telegraph"
Peace Talks: Means to an End : The Telegraph
Peace talks do not fail just because they make slow progress. The worrying thing about the Naga peace talks is not that they have eluded an agreement so far. Both the Centre and the Naga leaders know how far they have to go before an acceptable agreement is reached. The real trouble is that a section of the bureaucracy in New Delhi seems to think that the ceasefire in Nagaland is as good as lasting peace. This approach is obviously wrong. It is true that the ceasefire in Nagaland has worked very well for 13 long years. The credit for this should go to the Nagas as much as to the army and other government agencies. But that does not make the ceasefire a substitute for a peace agreement. The ceasefire, after all, is only a means to an end. It is supposed to create the right conditions for the talks. It appears that the Naga leaders now blame the slow progress of the talks on some Union government officials using the ceasefire to delay substantive talks. Even if this is not really the case, the Centre should try and clear the air of misgivings. The Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, has been consistent in his commitment to the cause of peace in Nagaland. Bureaucratic lapses must not be allowed to interfere with that commitment.
In fact, the need for circumspection is greater now than ever before. By all indications, the talks have entered a crucial stage. Both sides have begun discussing the substantive issues based on the Nagas’ 30-point proposal submitted way back in 2003. If it has taken so long to take up these issues, it has much to do with the uncertainties of coalition politics at the Centre. The present government in New Delhi is better placed than most of its predecessors to deal with these issues because it has less to worry about its stability. Two issues — “sovereignty” for Nagaland and the integration of all Naga-inhabited areas — are known to be the most difficult to resolve. The proposals by the National Socialist Council of Nagalim, led by Thuingaleng Muivah and Isak Chishi Swu, also include a seemingly intractable one for creating a “Naga army”. Both sides know of the constitutional and legal challenges that such proposals present. But the fact that the Nagas have moved away from their original demand for “independence” is the biggest hope for peace.
Border aerial survey hints at operation OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph
P. Chidambaram
Itanagar, March 29: Union home minister P. Chidambaram will make an aerial survey of the Indo-Myanmar border along Arunachal Pradesh this Saturday, fuelling speculation that a joint operation against Northeast rebels based in the neighbouring country is on the cards.
Chidambaram will arrive on a four-day maiden visit to Arunachal Pradesh on April 1 during which he will also visit Tawang, Tirap, Changlang, Lower Subansiri and Papum Pare districts to take stock of the situation along the Sino-Indian and Indo-Myanmar borders.
Significantly, Chidambaram’s Arunachal Pradesh visit will follow a visit to New Delhi by Lt Gen. Thar Aye, a senior member of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), the official military body which rules Myanmar.
Assam and other Northeast states have long been demanding military action against the Northeast rebels based in Myanmar.
After action by Bhutan and Bangladesh, Myanmar is the only country where rebels from the region have found a haven.
Cadres of Ulfa and National Democratic Front of Boroland are said to be hiding in the jungle camps in Myanmar’s Sagaing division where the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) has its headquarters.
A source here said Chidambaram will address a high-level security meeting with officials of the army and other security agencies on Saturday after visiting Tirap and Changlang districts, which border Myanmar, and have been affected by insurgency in an otherwise peaceful state.
Both the districts were declared “disturbed area” under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in 1991. The Union home minister will interact with MLAs and villagers in the twin districts, besides visiting the Assam Rifles unit at the Tirap district headquarters in Khonsa.
Talks of operations by Myanmar against the Northeast militants — most likely with the help of Indian army — has been a matter of speculation ever since home secretary G.K. Pillai visited Naypyidaw, the junta’s capital in January this year.
In October last year, the army chief, Gen. Deepak Kapoor, too, visited Myanmar.
The source said the home minister would arrive in Tawang on Thursday.
His itinerary includes a visit to Lumla outpost, where he will interact with army officials along the Sino-Indian border, the war memorial and Tawang monastery.
He will reach Itanagar on Friday after his stay at Tawang. He is scheduled to visit the 2,000MW Lower Subansiri Hydel Project site at Gerukamukh in Lower Subansiri district.
The minister will return to New Delhi on April 4.
His visit to the state and especially the border districts assumes significance after Arunachal Pradesh home minister Tako Dabi made the state’s stand clear on Nagalim, saying the state was not ready to part with an inch of its land to the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah).
Naga legislators to meet underground leaders STAFF WRITER PTI
Kohima, Mar 30 (PTI) The Joint Parliamentary Working Committee (JPWC) of Nagaland Assembly will meet leaders of different underground groups for consultation to find a "common Naga voice" towards finding a lasting settlement to the vexed political conflict, officials said.
The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Speaker Kiyanilie Peseyie yesterday. The committee discussed the current Naga peace process and adopted a few resolutions asserting that as elected representatives of the people they should facilitate the talks between the Centre and the underground groups, they said.
The resolution, signed by the Speaker, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Opposition leader Tokheho Yepthomi, hailed the efforts of the UPA government and the NSCN in resuming the political dialogue.
The all-party member committee, formed last year, reiterated to support the dialogue in "our collective endeavour to bring lasting peace to our land and its people".
Cadres surrender before AR Newmai News Network
NSCN refutes; says event ‘stage-managed’
| Dimapur/Guwahati There are reports that twelve Naga militants have surrendered in Arunachal Pradesh on Wednesday, laying down arms before the Assam Rifles authorities. The NSCN-IM has refuted the claim of the Assam Rifles while terming it as ‘staged-managed.’
According to defence sources, six of the Naga militants were from the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim/Nagaland (NSCN) while the other six were from the rival Khaplang faction of the NSCN. The militants deposited six pistols, one carbine, five rifles, five grenades, one IED and four detonators.
The surrender took place at Khonsa in Arunachal Pradesh. In 2009, 51 militants had surrendered here before the authorities.
Felicitating the militants for joining the national mainstream, Brigadier JS Negi, Commander of the 25 Sector Assam Rifles said the militants’ decision to surrender was an “indicator that operations by security forces coupled with psychological initiatives are bearing dividends”. The Brigadier added that the militants would now be imparted vocational training at Dinjan in Assam.
On the other hand, NSCN-IM’s Ceasefire Monitoring Cell convenor Phumthing Shimrang told Newmai News Network that the reports of NSCN-IM cadres surrendering before the Assam Rifles were ‘stage-managed.’
He claimed that there have been numerous ‘complaints from the people’ that the Assam Rifles have been ‘picking up NSCN-IM cadres’ in Arunachal Pradesh and later producing them as ‘surrendered’ cadres.
It may be mentioned that both NSCN (Isak-Muivah) and NSCN (Khaplang) have signed separate ceasefire agreements with the Centre. The NSCN (Isak-Muivah) has had over sixty rounds of talks with the Centre but a solution continues to elude the Nagas.
Chidamabaram to visit Andhra for four days from Apr 1 STAFF WRITER PTI
Itanagar, Mar 29 (PTI) Union Home minister P Chidambaram will visit the Buddhist town of Tawang close to India-China border on April one as part of a four-day visit to Arunachal Pradesh, official sources said today.
From Tawang, where he would review the border situation, he would fly to Itanagar the next day to take stock of law and order.
He would also visit Tirap and Changlang districts, declared disturbed under the Armed Forces Special Power Act because of activities of militants from neighbouring Nagaland and Assam.
He is likely to address a high-level meeting of security agencies and the army here on his return before winding up his visit.
Nagaland not to part with an inch of its land with Assam: CM Sindh
Kohima: Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has said Nagaland would not part with even an inch of the actual land of the Nagas with Assam, adding even the Supreme Court was finding difficulties in giving judgment on Nagaland-Assam border and the case is still pending in the court.
Making the concluding remark on the concerns expressed by the ruling and opposition legislators on the Nagaland-Assam border issue among others, Mr Rio last night told the House that the border issue with Assam is a long-pending issue and he himself had talks with his Assam counterpart Tarun Gogoi and in some official-level talks, had suggested to settle the issue out-of-court, but Assam did not agree on that point and the case was dragged to the Supreme Court.
The apex court had constituted a Border Committee, which is still taking hearings. He also said the Nagaland Government has rejected the 1925 Notification Map of the Survey of Government of India demanding that new maps have to come up with demarking all the Naga claimed areas.
The Chief Minister recalled that in 1979, Nagaland had submitted a total of six maps and 41 documents to establish its claim on Nagaland-Assam border issue to the Union Government, which was, for reasons better known to the Union Government, handed over to Assam Government and he regretted that Assam Government reported that the documents have been lost.
However, the process of recovery is on as the Supreme Court has directed Assam Government to trace those documents.
Mr Rio assured that the actual Naga areas are marked and that it would continue to fight to the last till Assam comes for an amicable settlement of the issue outside the court. He also informed the House that the Advocates representing the Nagaland Government, led by the Advocate General, is doing a good job in cornering the Assam Government and the Union government in the court.
He also informed that physical occupation by Assam poses the main problem in the border areas and the Nagaland Government has deployed village guards in all the bordering villages to protect the border.
Peace is of paramount importance: Guv Our Correspondent Morungexpress
Governor of Nagaland, Nikhil Kumar during his visit to Imkongliba Memorial District Hospital,Mokokchung. (Morung Photo)
Mokokchung | March 26 : Calling upon the people of Nagaland to join hands n working together, the Governor of Nagaland Nikhil Kumar said that Nagaland can become one the “most prominent states in the country.”
He said this while addressing the people of Mokokchung during his visit to the district headquarters. A civic reception programme was hosted by the people of Mokokchung at the town hall in his honour. The governor also said that Nagaland has suffered enough during the past many decades and prayed that the almighty God let prevail stable peace in the state.
“If that happens, Nagaland will be firmly on the path of progress and development.” Peace is of paramount importance, he reiterated.
On the purpose of his visit, the governor declared that he was visiting Mokokchung “to get firsthand knowledge of the situation in the district.”
The governor also stated that rapid industrialization of the state would open up vistas of employment, but he however reminded the people, the younger generation in particular, that they will have to “meet the requirements of the job.” He pointed out to the students, who formed a larger section of the crowd attending the programme, that they must “attain the minimum eligibility qualification.” He also encouraged the students to pursue specialization in various fields. He also advised the students to devote to their studies, to chart down their goals and pursue them with
dedication.
The governor also observed that information technology is one field offering great potential and prospect for employment. On the employment opportunities in Nagaland, he stated that if job openings are not here, “it has to be created here.” He described the youngsters of Nagaland as very forward looking. He also challenged the people of Nagaland not to be fearless.
NSCN expresses satisfaction over talks with Centre SindhToday
Dimapur, Mar 26 (ANI): The National Socialist Council of Nagaland (IM) has expressed satisfaction over the first round of talks with Centre.
NSCN (IM) General Secretary Thuingaleng Muivah held a series of meetings with Centre’s new interlocutor R S Pandey in an undisclosed place in New Delhi.
Visiting Dimapur after the talks, Muivah described the talks as fruitful.
“We had serious meetings with them. Prime Minister is also committed and I believe in his sincerity. The Home Minister P Chidambaram is also committed. I believe they are committed to finding our negotiated syndrome,” Muivah said.
It was reported that the meeting witnessed more of an informal discussion over various issues than the actual position of both the sides on the ground.
During the meeting the NSCN had submitted a list of 30 demands that include sovereignty for Nagaland and unification of all Naga-dominated areas of neighbouring states.
On the other hand, reportedly, Pandey conveyed to the Naga leaders that there was no possibility of sovereignty for Nagaland and the talks could be held around ‘grant of more autonomy’.
During their stay in New Delhi, the Naga leaders paid courtesy calls on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister P Chidambaram.
Muivah had last visited India in December 2006 and held talks with government leaders. A ceasefire was agreed upon with NSCN (IM) in August 1997.(ANI)
