India News Online » News Analysis » Indian Politics » 

North East : Nagaland : Talks begin on a ‘thorny’ note, but “very encouraging”

	February 14, 2005

The first round of discussions between the NSCN (I-M) and the group of Union Ministers began last week on February 10 with the two sides moving on to discuss substantive issues.



“Today’s discussions were very encouraging,” an NSCN (I-M) leader said at the end of the meeting that started at 11 am and went on till 5 pm with a lunch being hosted by Minister of State for Home Affairs S. Reghupathy.

The second round of talks is scheduled to begin this week. Sources said the government negotiators had come up with 13 points on the political history of the Nagas.



PM ‘snub’ thorn in talks

The current session of talks which was actually slated to begin on February 9 was delayed by a day as the NSCN (IM) insisted on having a meeting with the Prime Minister before the beginning of the talks. The outfit termed the delay in its meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as an issue.

Observers feel the issue of NSCN(IM) leaders’ insistence on meeting the Prime Minister which comes close on the heels of the controversy stirred by a statement from Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, could have a bearing on the progress of the peace parleys.

Some of the outfit’s leaders believe a meeting with Singh is essential before substantive issues are taken up for discussion. However, the source added that the talks were proceeding “in the right direction but slowly”.

The next round of the parleys, with a delegation of Union ministers led by Oscar Fernandez, will begin on Thursday. Substantive issues, with integration of Naga-inhabited areas a priority, will be taken up at the meeting.

Swu and Muivah reached New Delhi last month to begin the next round of talks after they held a consultative meeting with tribal representatives. The representatives had come to the outfit’s headquarters, Camp Hebron, from Naga-inhabited areas in Nagaland, Manipur, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and even Myanmar. The rebel leaders treated it as a “mandate” from the Naga people and finalised four resolutions, on which the talks will be based.

Integration of contiguous Naga-inhabited areas, according to the NSCN (I-M), is the starting point for potentially successful negotiation to the decades-old problem.



Controversy over Dimapur

Meanwhile, the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) has offered talks with the Dima Halam Daoga (DHD) to “sort out differences” after the Dimasa outfit’s renewed claim over Dimapur.

The DHD had said Dimapur historically belonged to the Dimasas and it should be “rightfully returned” to them.

For the NSCN (I-M) as well as the Nagaland government, Dimapur has political and commercial importance.

Treading carefully as its leaders hold talks with Delhi on integration of Naga areas, the NSCN (I-M) said both Nagas and Dimasas live peacefully in Dimapur together.

Dimapur was the capital of the Dimasa kingdom before the Ahoms overran them in early 16th century. The Dimasa outfit had made a point of the NSCN (I-M)’s emphasis on respecting historical rights, asking the Naga outfit to respect the Dimasas’ history as well.

In the past, both NSCN factions have indulged in many bloody battles for control over Dimapur, which is the gateway to Nagaland.

Rival group NSCN (Khaplang) has asked the Isak-Muivah faction to vacate its headquarters Camp Hebron as “it belongs to the Zeliangrong community”.

The NSCN (I-M) leader said Camp Hebron was set up with the consent of the people of the area and even the Nagaland government had knowledge about it.