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07/19/2010: "Crucial round of Centre, NSCN(IM) talks soon"
Crucial round of Centre, NSCN(IM) talks soon
NEW DELHI, July 19 – A crucial round of talks between NSCN-IM and Centre’s interlocutor RS Pandey will be held soon to carry forward the Naga peace process.
“We have held a few rounds of informal talks with the NSCN-IM leadership. Formal talks will begin in the next few days,” Pandey told PTI.
However, no date has been fixed for the proposed dialogue.
Top leaders of the rebel group, including general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah, are currently in the capital to participate in the meeting.
Muivah has come here after wrapping up his nearly one- and-a-half-month-long peace mission across Nagaland.
Undertaking the peace mission that began in first week of June, the Naga leader visited all the districts of Nagaland except Mon and called for reconciliation and understanding among the Nagas basing on the principle of “forget and forgive” to have a unified voice to be presented before the Government of India.
So far over 60 rounds of peace talks were held between the two sides during the course of 13-year-long peace process initiated in August 1997.
Initially, Muivah embarked on a journey to his native village in Manipur’s Ukhrul district on May 5, but deferred his plan following stiff opposition from the Ibobi Singh government which saw his visit as a “threat to communal harmony” in the State. – PTI
Rebel groups join hands to prevent peace talks in NE Nagaland Page
Imphal, July 18: All major police stations and camps of the security forces in the insurgency afflicted states of the North East have been put on red alert following intelligence reports that the major rebel groups of Manipur have come to the rescue of the decimated militant organisations of the region in general and Assam in particular.
This fear was confirmed by the recent arrests of some rebel leaders in Manipur. The police and the Central Reserve Police Force on Friday jointlyarrested three hardcore rebel leaders with foreign currencies, Rs. 1 lakh in cash, two laptops, 3 pen drives and a Bangladeshi passport. They were picked up shortly after three bombs were plantedin Guwahati, allegedly by the anti-talk faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB).
A CRPF spokesperson told journalists here that once interrogation of those arrested is completed and incriminating materials analysed, things will become clearer.
Some police officers from Imphal have rushed to Guwahati to assist in the interrogation. Preliminary reports said that the NDFB is resorting to the attacks on railway tracks and planting bombs in the crowded areas to derail the peace process and to semaphore a message to the Union Home Ministry that this faction of the NDFB cannot be sidelined.
A large group in NDFB is ready to hold talks with the Centre. The United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), militarily speaking, has been emasculated. Almost all the ranking leaders are now behind bars, although Paresh Barua, the commander-in-chief, is suspected to be bivouacking somewhere at the Kachin region in Myanmar. The rebels of Manipur have fanned out for extending a helping hand to the fledging outfits of the region, since it pays to keep the NE states burning. Because if some outfits of the region join the negotiating table after eschewing the path of violence it will be a crippling setback for the major rebel groups that want to liberate the entire region.
The ULFA, the United National Liberation Front and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) had formed the Indo Burma Revolutionary Front on May 22, 1990, with this objective in view. They claim that the peoples of the NE and those from the Western part of Myanmar are racially similar and have a common future.
Various other rebel groups had joined hands to form the Revolutionary Joint Committee on May 1,1991, the Manipur People's Liberation Front in 1999, the United Liberation Front of Seven Sisters in 1993 and the Self Defence United Front of South East Himalayan Region.
A ranking rebel leader told TheHindu that his group has beentraining rebels of Meghalaya and of some other states in bank heists and attacking the troopers, free of charge.In the backdrop of the rebel groups joining hands, two meetings by the State and the Central forces and intelligence agencies were held in Guwahati and Kohima earlier.
Intelligence sources fear a spurt of fresh violence in the region, engineered with the assistance of the rebels of Manipur. (Courtesy: The Hindu)
Tikhir youths asked to join NSCN(IM) Nagaland Page
Dimapur, July 18: Blaming the successive Government in Nagaland since statehood for the "acute economic backwardness" of the Tikhir community, the NSCN (IM) has called upon all Tikhir intellectuals to join the NSCN (IM) for a bright future and in the interest of the Nagas as a whole.
In a press release, Kilonser of War, NSCN (IM), Tokim Tikhir, on behalf of Naga National leaders from Tikhir community, regretted that although Tikhir is one of the distinct tribe and original inhabitants from Eastern Nagaland, they have been denied various employment opportunities under "the instigation of other neighboring tribes in the Government set up" since 1st December, 1963.
"A good number of educated Tikhir youths have been let unemployed otherwise they deserve their right jobs as any other Naga intellectuals," Tokim Tikhir claimed. He pointed out the Tikhir Tribal Council (TTC), the apex body of the Tikhir tribe, has time and again approached the state Government to mitigate grievances faced by the Tikhir but to no avail.
"Therefore the Naga Nation leaders from Tikhir community calls for all the Tikhir intellectuals to join the Naga National mainstream and to render their valuable services for bright future for our youngster generation and the interest of Naga as a whole in which organization there exist no tribalism or favoritism but to join hands to fight for the common Naga cause.
(Page News Service)
324 cases against NSCN-IM in Manipur Sobhapati Samom | EMN
IMPHAL, JUL 13: Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh today informed the ongoing state assembly that as many as 324 cases were registered against
NSCN-IM General Secretary Thuingaleng Muivah and its cadres since August 1, 1997 till June 30 this year. Replying to a question by opposition MLA RK Anand of Manipur People’s Party during the day’s question hour, the Chief Minister said Manipur government has registered the cases in connection with crimes committed within the territory of Manipur. Ibobi added that out of 324 cases 3 cases are submitted in charge sheet, 179 cases are returned in FR while another 142 cases are pending.
Recalling the recent proposed visit of Muivah to his native Somdal village in Manipur’s Ukhrul district, Ibobi made clear that his government’s stand against NSCN-IM leader’s proposed visit will not change. He claimed that he even had a heated conversation with the Union Home Minister over the proposed during May.
Narrating his dialogue with the Home Minister, he said, “I boldly told them (Centre) that we will definitely arrest (if he enters),” adding that Chidambaram even tried to explain that the NSCN-IM leader is a bonafide citizen of the country and the group is no more an unlawful organisation.
With regard to the ongoing ceasefire agreement, the CM said the NSCN-IM leaders should be confined within the state of Nagaland as per the ceasefire agreement and that even in Nagaland they should not be allowed to move freely. They should be confined in the designated camps, he said.
He further clarified that FIR could only be registered against those who commits a crime besides receiving respective complaint against the particular cadre or individual. Likewise FIRs could not be taken up against the existing the proscribed organisations as a whole as such unless particular cadre or leader of the group commits crimes.
Ibobi also informed the house that presently 19 Kuki militant organisations operating in the state with around 1800 cadres are observing a suspension of operation (SoO) with the state and central government. Ten designated camps are being constructed at different locations in Manipur’s Chandel, Churachandur, Senapati and Ukhrul districts for their accommodation during the ongoing SoO, he added. So far a sum of Rs 5 crores has been sanctioned in this regard.
NSCN (IM) conveys gratitude to Naga people
Samson Jajo, Principal Secretary of the GPRN
Words of appreciation to the Naga people
The journey for peace to south Nagalim that was initiated on 5th May, 2010 met with unexpected hurdles but it took us to other parts of Nagalim in the most fruitful way. The tour that took us from Angami homeland towards “free Nagalim” in the North has been one of the most rewarding and productive journey. The NSCN and its Collective leadership consider it their bounden duty to meet the Naga people and sharing with them the message of “Peace and Reconciliation” as part of the peace building measures.
We are overwhelmed and deeply touched by the honour that was accorded to our General Secretary Th. Muivah and his entourage by our Naga tribes in the present Nagaland state like, the Angamis, the Chakhesangs, the Sumis, the Kyongs (Lothas), the Rengmas, the Aos, the Sangtams, the Changs, the Yimchungers, the Khiamnuingans, the Phoms and the Zeliangrong people.
We also appreciate the warmth and large-heartedness of the Naga people from every town and village. We sincerely wish to thank you all. We assure you that we will definitely reach out to the Naga tribes who were not covered in the present itinerary.
You are equally inalienable in all the decisions that will affect the future of Naga people. We are hopeful that the seed of “Peace and Reconciliation” that has been sown will bear good fruits. We will do the best from our side because we respect the Naga people’s decision and their aspiration.
We wish to express our sincere gratitude and thanks to all the Naga people from all walks of life in Nagalim and their social organizations who had come to extend their solidarity and support to our General Secretary Th. Muivah and his team during his more than two months good-will political mission in the present Nagaland state for “Peace and Reconciliation”.
We thank the Naga Hoho and all its respective units-tribal Hohos across Nagalim, Organizations from “Free Nagalim”, Civil Societies including the student communities, human rights organizations, Forum for Naga Reconciliation, Women organizations including Naga Mothers’ Association, Naga Women’s Union Manipur, respective tribes women’s organizations, women societies in the villages & towns and others, Concerned Citizens, Concerned Naga Senior Citizens, GB’s, School going children from the length and breath of Nagalim, village GBs Intellectuals, Scholars, individual well-wishers, public leaders and Church leaders & organizations from all Naga areas and Kuki civil societies from Nagaland state for your encouragement and strong support for the success of Naga reconciliation and as well as the ongoing political dialogue between NSCN and GOI.
We also would like to thank all those who had upheld us in their prayers. The unceasing intercession of churches, prayer warriors and many other concerned individuals had also sustained the present good-will tour.
Our heartfelt thanks also go to the media fraternity for the wide coverage of our tour program. They certainly had brought the Nagas closer and strengthened the initiative of “Peace and Reconciliation”
The good-will and sincere support of the Rio Government in providing all the necessary security logistics for the more than two months journey of our “Peace and reconciliation” tour is indeed a testimony of their commitment for peaceful political solution with India and for reconciliation amongst the Nagas. We encourage your Government to continue your support for “Peace and reconciliation” in the larger interest of for f peace and for the Naga nation. We thank all the state forces including the Nagaland Armed police and the Indian Reserve Battalion (Nagaland) and others who had shown exceptional patience and concern throughout the tour program. Your sense of high responsibility deserves praise and appreciation from all peoples.
Our Naga people, your commitment, boldness, understanding and openness in having interaction with us on the issues confronting us is invaluable and a step in the right direction. We will honour your views and wise counsel for the Naga Nation. You are inalienable in all decisions that will affect our people. We thank you for your suggestions and constructive criticisms. We are heartened by your camaraderie and understanding of the issue. NSCN will always welcome such passion from our people.
NSCN will honour the historic decision of the Naga people and continue to negotiate respecting those decisions to the end. It is the Naga people, who will have the final say in all the matters that will affect you and we will come back to you when the right time comes for us all to decide our sovereign rights.
May the almighty God continue to give you all our Naga people, the strength, courage and wisdom in the days yet to come. Let us glorify His name and fulfill His will in Nagalim
Praise His name eternally.
International pressure on Burmese junta continues Sources: Narinjara News
Dhaka: The Burmese government continues targeting pro-democracy activists, civilians and ethnic communities-this is how the British government commented. The UK government representative even highlighted the issue to the United Nations Security Council in a recent debate on the protection of civilians in an armed conflict zone.
Burma Campaign UK has welcomed the initiative of the British government to bring the issue on the focus, stated in a release issuedby the campaign group from London. Mentionable that the UN Special Rapporteur on Burma had recently called for a UN Commission of Inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma.
The Burmese military regime continues to target civilians, particularly people from ethnic minorities. The use of rape and other forms of sexual violence remain a serious concern, as do the use of child soldiers and forced labour for military use,ť said Philip Parham, Deputy Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom.
Zoya Phan, International Coordinator at Burma Campaign UK said in an interview, It is a very welcome step forward for the UK to be raising attacks against ethnic minorities at the highest level in the UN Security Council.
Philip Parham also commented that the United Kingdom is greatly disturbed by the continuing growth in the number of people displaced within their own country as a result of conflict - a record high of over 27 million in 2009.
This is an acute problem, for example in Burma, where we remain deeply concerned about the lack of progress towards national reconciliation. The Burmese military regime continues to target civilians, particularly people from ethnic minorities. The use of rape and other forms of sexual violence remain a serious concern, as do the use of child soldiers and forced labour for military use, ť the UK government representative added.
Zoya Phan insisted on more countries to come forward condemning the junta government at Nay Pyi Taw. She concluded, At the present time China and Russia might veto a resolution establishing a commission of inquiry, but they can’t veto the UK and others speaking the truth about the dictatorship breaking international law.
