Dimapur, May 4 (MExN): Condemning them, the ‘Naga International Support Center’ observed that in the last few weeks, major disturbances have taken place in the Naga hills: intensified fighting amongst Nagas themselves; the killing of innocent children and “the burning of Wungram village.”
“In Nagaland, cease fire tension is on the rise again. It is a tension with a long history which, time and again, flared with violence. On the surface this time it looks like it is a tension amongst Nagas themselves, a result of psychological side effects of war and uncertainty?” a note from the NISC stated reminding that many people have lost their lives in the bloodshed which started over 50 years ago and “tension and fear was instilled then.”
Now that the peace talks are deadlocked the Indian Government instigates with renewed drive its divide and rule policy, it maintained adding that for years, the leaders of the NSCN-IM had pointed out that the Indian Government played this devastating game of divide and rule “and they say this was only to be expected.”
The NSCN-K stated just after the “horrendous incidences” in Nagaland that it will not begin talks for peace as long as the NSCN-IM talks are on. “Yet without talks on conditions it extended their cease fire for another year. Were there no issues for them to talk about with the Government representatives now that Nagaland is burning? Should they not have brought that up or at least talk about safeguarding the Naga people during a cease fire?” the NISC queried. The NISC opined that ‘it is perhaps more important that the Government of India did not raise the inhumane issue of the Quit Notice by the NSCN-K against the entire Tangkhul tribe when talking about the extension.’
“The question is can a self-respecting government, any government, on the basis of human rights alone, be credible when it does not intervene? After all the Government of India claims that Nagaland is part of India so the (NSCN-K) and its quit notice is subjected to the Government of India. History shows when one people quits on another ethnic cleansing could be the result” it stated and lamented that GoI neither raised the question nor did it openly condemn it. “Also it did not call for the arrest of leaders of the K for this infringement of human rights. Does this mean that the Government of India encourages the NSCN-K?” the NISC queried.
It also took note of the Wungram incident which the NISC stated was carried out by a “wild mob” of a tribe and said to have been ordered by a local chief from the rampaging community “who has close relations with the K.”
“Of course things happened before the mob set fire to the village. But then, before going berserk a respectable and civilized community would want an investigation on the allegations made against members of the Wungram community” it stated.
The NISC called upon the authorities, “national” and local, to form an impartial team of investigators assigned to look into these issues. It recommended a body which is knowledgeable about the parties in conflict as well as the relations they have with the Government of India yet is capable of securing an impartial stand.
“NISC is convinced that this type of investigation will lead to the real culprits behind the atrocities they committed, their motivation and if they operated alone or were coerced to act for others. The question which remains now is: if the authorities themselves are guilty of instigating so the power of the NSCN-IM to operate as an equal partner at the negotiating table fades, will they allow an impartial investigation?” it added.
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