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North East : Centre-NSCN(IM) peace talks suffer a setback |
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Even as the Centre is planning to hold “substantial talks” with the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland(IM), the militant outfit has raised new demands, thus putting the whole peace process in jeopardy. The demands were made in writing to the Centre’s interlocutor for the Naga peace talks, K. Padmanabhaiah during his latest round with NSCN(IM) leaders, Thuingaleng Muivah and Isak Chisi Swu in Amsterdam last month.
While the NSCN(IM) has not mentioned that it is in favour of sovereignty or secession from India, the insurgent outfit has raised demands which, in fact, amount to secession. These are -
i) Separate citizenship for Nagas;
ii) Separate currency;
iii) Separate passport issued by Government of Nagaland; and
iv) Due recognition of Naga culture.
Besides these demands, the NSCN(IM) leadership has sought a meeting with Prime Minister Vajpayee, either in New York where he will be attending the UN General Assembly on November 10 or during his forthcoming trip to Japan, which is yet to be finalised.
According to media reports, a three-member committee of Home Ministry officials, headed by Special Secretary (North East), P.D. Shenoy, has studied the new wish-list of the NSCN(IM), and has reportedly sent a note to the Solicitor General, Harish Salve, to determine if any of the demands can be met without compromising the country’s unity and integrity.
However, official sources in the Home Ministry said on October 28 that “these are the demands which will be extremely difficult to concede to. But the Solicitor General is studying each of them and examining what can be worked out.”
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