|
Nagaland : Plea for push to peace talks |
 |
The Nagaland government has urged New Delhi to push the peace process with the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) because of constant clashes between militant groups in the state.
The issue is likely to be discussed threadbare when a team of senior officials from the Home Ministry visit Kohima next week. The team will also visit Meghalaya, Manipur and Assam to assess the situation in these states.
Talks with the NSCN (I-M) are slated to be held in Amsterdam in the third week of this month. Before that, NSCN (I-M) leaders are scheduled to meet Home Ministry officials in New Delhi next week to press for review of ceasefire ground rules, sources in the NSCN (IM) said.
Nagaland Home Minister Thenucho said the outfits that had entered into a ceasefire had got the “licence” to move about freely, but they were flouting the ground rules at will.
“The Government of India should hold a meaningful dialogue with the NSCN (I-M) as this constant fighting is generating much concern,” said Thenucho who was in New Delhi last week.
The Centre has expressed concern over the clashes between the NSCN (I-M) and the combined forces of NSCN (Khaplang) and the Federal Government of Nagaland which owes allegiance to the Naga National Council.
The NSCN factions, both of whom have signed ceasefire agreements with the Centre, have been fighting for supremacy since their split in 1988. Fighting among them has intensified before the crucial round of talks. The new entrant in the clashes is FGN/NNC (Adinno) whose activists have joined forces with the Khaplang group. The NNC, founded by A.Z. Phizo and subsequently led by his daughter Adinno, has also split into three groups now.
IRB faces students’ wrath
Thousands of students and Zeliangrong Nagas participated in a rally held in the state capital, Kohima, on October 4 to protest the “highhandedness” of the India Reserve Battalion jawans who shot at and injured a Class X student.
The protestors handed a memorandum to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Home Minister Thenucho, demanding action against the errant jawans and adequate compensation to the victim.
Several organisations demanded steps to discipline the force, which, they said, was raised to protect the lives and property of the people and not to target them.
The Nagaland unit of the Congress blamed the government for its “insensitive” handling of the law and order situation in the state and demanded that it accept responsibility for the loss of lives.
|
