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Naga peace talks : UPA caught in its own trap |
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Though the on-going Naga peace talks in Delhi have reached the final stage, reports indicate that it is still premature to assume that the five decade old Naga riddle is nearing any solution. The ceasefire, which has been holding for more than seven years, is perhaps the only substantive gain so far as neither side has allowed truce violations to jeopardise talks.
The demand for sovereignty, on which the NSCN(IM) has repeatedly asserted there could be no compromise, is no longer a hindrance. But the Centre is in a fix over its insistence on a single administrative unit for all Nagas. And, it is here the problem lies. New Delhi has reportedly indicated that it requires more time to discuss the issue as it involves the more sensitive issue of territorial integrity of the neighbouring states. And, in fact, New Delhi finds this issue a very difficult one. How can the territories of other state be touched without consulting the affected states, particularly, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. No central leaders have visited these states and gauge the mood of the people. In fact, they have not forgotten the violent reaction of the Manipuris when the Vajpayee Government proposed alterations in their territory.
Centre warned of likely conflict between Nagaland and Assam
In an ominous development, intelligence and security agencies have warned the Centre of an impending face-off between the police and para-military forces of Nagaland and Assam in the Disputed Area Belt of Assam bordering Nagaland.
The intelligence agencies have issued this warning to the Centre following the continued encroachment of Assam’s land by Nagas in Assam’s Disputed Area Belt in Golaghat, Jorhat and Sibsagar districts bordering Nagaland amid the NSCN (IM)’s persistent demand of inclusion of Assam’s land in Greater Nagaland.
Confirming the intelligence agencies’ ominous warning, a senior Home Ministry official told The Pioneer that agencies have also pointed out that the Assamese have grown so restive over this emotive issue because they suspect that the Centre may eventually concede the NSCN (IM) leaders’ demand for the Greater Nagaland during the ongoing Naga peace talks.
“With the Nagalim issue getting more emotive in Assam, there are implications not only for law and order in the State but there are also apprehensions of confrontations in the Disputed Area Belt of Assam between the people, and/or even the police and para-military forces of the two States,” said Home Ministry officials, quoting an Intelligence note, sent to the ministry last week.
The Home Ministry officials said that the Assamese, especially those inhibiting the DAB, have grown so restive over continued encroachment of DAB land that they have gone to the extent of approaching ULFA to safeguard their interests as they have begun to feel that even their own State Government is not doing enough to safeguard their interests.
Upset by their perception of the Assam Government doing precious little for the cause, various youth and student organisations, including All Assam Students Union (AASU), Assam Jatyabadi Yuva Chhatra Parishad (AJYCP) and various other organisations of Karbis, Kukis, Diamas, in coordination with ULFA cadres, have threatened massive agitation, including blocking the movement of Rajdhani Express and resorting to the economic blockade both to Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh from mid-April.
Conscious of the statewide restiveness, the Assam Government have taken a series of steps to reassure their people. These steps included Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi leading a four-member team of his Cabinet to Merapani area in DAB’s sector D in Golaghat district and affirming their in a public meeting on March 26 that the State government would not concede even a square inch of land to Nagaland, said the Home ministry official.
Earlier between March 20 and 24, an all-party delegation led by Assam Assembly Speaker Prithvi Majhi too had visited New Delhi to meet Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil in this connection, said the official, adding that Gogoi on March 2 itself had told the State Assembly that “the solution of the Naga problem should be found within the constitutional boundaries of Nagaland.”
What has complicated the situation for the Centre is the fact that the Nagaland Government has been alleging violations of interim agreements by the Assam Government. During the recent Budget session of the State Assembly, the Nagaland Chief Minister on March 22 asked the Centre to restore status quo in the DAB as it existed in 1972 by directing the Assam Government to withdraw all its police forces from the DAB and constitute a boundary commission to settle the dispute on the basis of historical factors and ground situation.
“In its communication to Centre, the Nagaland CM also held the British responsible for transferring 12 forest reserves from the then Naga hills districts to Assam between 1882 and 1903 and then these transfers were illegally formalised through a series of notifications, known as the 1925 notifications and the historical wrongs done by the British needed to be undone,” said the Union Home Ministry officials quoting the Intelligence agencies’ note.
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