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North East-Nagaland : Centre-NSCN(IM) talks to resume today |
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Talks between the Centre and the Naga militant outfit, NSCN(IM) on the status of Nagaland are resuming in New Delhi today with both sides keeping their fingers crossed on the out¬come. While New Delhi is anxious to see that the decade-old ceasefire with the extremist outfit is extended to maintain continuity of the peace process, the militant outfit has been issuing veiled threats on the issue, stating that the ceasefire could be extended after July 31 “only if the Centre promises an early solution to the Naga problem.”
After the outfit’s sixth consultative committee meeting at Camp Hebron near Dimapur last week, a spokesman of the outfit said, different Naga organisations wanted New Delhi’s guarantee for “an acceptable and honourable” solution before taking any decision on extending the ceasefire.
The spokesman said, Naga NGOs are not happy with the way the Centre has handled the issue over the past 10 years. Several Naga leaders have also expressed dissatisfaction over the Cen¬tre’s “delaying tactics”. According to them, the ceasefire exten¬sion must be based on certain conditions.
The spokesman, however, was optimistic about a solution after what he called the “fruitful” meeting on July 27 which was attended by Isak Chisi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah. The two sides had earlier met on July 20-21.
Hoho bid to stymie statehood campaign
Meanwhile, the campaign brewing in eastern Nagaland for a “state” distinct from the NSCN (IM)’s vision of “Nagalim” has left Hoho, the apex organisation of the Naga community, baffled. The Hoho had announced on July 23 that there was no question of supporting the attempt by the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisa¬tion (ENPO) to begin a parallel campaign.
Keviletuo Kiewhuo, the Hoho vice-president, said a meeting would be convened soon to discuss the possible repercussions of such a move. “Unless the issue is addressed with political cor¬rectness, such a sensitive matter will have far-reaching conse¬quences, more so at a juncture when the peace process is on.”
The ENPO has yet to formally apprise Delhi of its demand. Its president, Pohwang Konyak, said some people were trying to create misunderstandings among the Naga tribes by raising a hue and cry over the planned campaign.
The organisation cited the state government’s negligence of four districts - Tuensang, Mon, Longleng and Kiphere - as the reason for deciding to campaign for a separate state.
Phoms, Konyaks, Yimchungers, Khiaminungans, Sangtams, Changs and a few sub-tribes inhabit the four districts. Their combined population is around 10 lakh. The Eastern Nagaland Students’ Federation is separately campaigning for 25 per cent job reserva¬tion for residents of these areas.
Exodus after row over ILPs
In another development, the controversy over inner-line permits (ILPs) in Nagaland has taken an intriguing turn. A large number of people holding ILPs, purportedly hailing from Karim¬ganj, Cachar (including Silchar), Hojai, Nagaon, Jorhat and Sivasagar in Assam, have left Mokokchung in a hurry. The exodus has come in the wake of a call by the Ao Students Conference against illegal migrants from Bangladesh in Mokokchung.
“From such actions by ILP holders, and the fact that all these districts border Bangladesh, it appears that these people can be suspected of being illegal migrants from Bangladesh,” said, Mokokchung Deputy Commissioner Abhishek Singh on July 27.
In view of this development, Singh said that greater precau¬tion be exercised while renewing or issuing any ILP to any person belonging to these districts of Assam. No application for rene¬wal or issuance of a fresh ILP to any person belonging to these districts of Assam will be processed unless it is accompanied by certified copies of electoral rolls with a photograph of the applicant and details of his father and his grandfather, Singh said. This would ensure that the applicant’s bonafides are proved beyond doubt for at least three generations. He confirmed that no document other than these, which should be in the format prescribed by the Election Commission, would be accepted as proof of residence.
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