Morung Express News
December 15
DIMAPUR: The crucial round of peace talks will begin in the Thai capital tomorrow with the NSCN (IM) team likely to push New Delhi for unification of all the Naga-inhabited areas and comes in the wake of NSCN (I-M) leaders Isak Chisi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah agreeing in August to a six-month ceasefire rather than the usual one year agreement.
The six-months will end on January 31, 2006, and the agreement has to be renewed. “This round of talks, to be held on December 16-17, will be extremely crucial,” sources in the government disclosed.
Government interlocutor K Padmanabhaiah and Minister for Planning and Programme Implementation Oscar Fernandes are expected to lead the Indian delegation during the talks. Fernandes heads the government’s inter-ministerial group on the Naga talks, its other members being Minister of State, PMO, Prithviraj Chauhan and Minister of State for Home S Regupathy. The last round of talks between the two sides had been held in July in Amsterdam.
According to sources, the dialogue had not been as smooth as it had been earlier, with the NSCN (I-M) charging the government with not being serious in its efforts, and also for carrying on a simultaneous dialogue with the rival Naga group, the NSCN (K).
“The talks are at a very delicate stage and we are treading very cautiously,” an official disclosed.
To break the stalemate over the issue of a unified Naga Homeland, the government had considered involving representatives of other affected states - Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh - in the peace dialogue. However, the Union Cabinet did not give the clearance as it was felt that it would cause unnecessary tension in the other states.
Meanwhile, there was no immediate official comment from the government on the threat to end the truce. But a home ministry official speaking on condition of anonymity said the government was aware of the “belligerent mood” among the Nagas.
“A single wrong move at this stage could well jeopardize the eight-year-old peace process,” the official said. “We’ve worked out certain back-up plans and ideas that will be shared with the Naga leadership during the talks.”
As earlier reported, altogether 15 members of the NSCN (IM) will be making their presence felt in the coming discussions with the Government of India. This includes VS Atem, emissary to the collective leadership and Angelus, another leader who Muivah holds in high regard.
