Morung Express News
Tsiemekhuma | AUGUST 14
With the next of round peace talk scheduled for first week of September, the NSCN-IM appears to be stepping up pressure on Government of India as the organisation today categorically reiterated that it will not hesitate to pull out of the truce if the decade-long dialogue fails to make any headway, and the Government of India fails to check the ‘ground situation’.
“Anytime ceasefire will break, we should not be excited over its indefinite extension. It can be broken anytime”, said VS Atem, Special Emissary to the collective leadership, while interacting with a large gathering at Tsiemekhuma village during the celebration of the 61st “Naga Independence Day” today, adding that the indefinite extension is subject to the progress of the talks.
Atem also accused India of being dichotomous in their approach to the Naga issue even after a decade of dialogue, as its various agencies ‘do different things while the government speaks another thing.’ Another round of talks will be held in the first week of September and the NSCN-IM is going to exert pressure on the Government of India to spell out the concrete step that India is going to take in the next rounds of talks in order to bring solution to the Naga political problem.
NSCN-IM will accept Indian currency, however, it will not compromise on national flag and constitution, Atem said. “Earlier currency is a symbol of sovereignty, but with globalization it is not so these days, therefore, we will accept Indian currency”, Atem asserted.
NSCN-IM also said that it had clearly made known to the GOI what the Nagas want and the uniqueness of the Naga struggle during the ongoing ceasefire period.
It said that the organisation will not fall back on its demands as put forth before the Government of India. If they do so, it will be same as the infamous Shillong Accord, Atem said.
He said that ground situation is always disturbed by Indian army and its intelligent wing. “If GOI fail to checked ground situation, ceasefire will break”, Atem warned.
NSCN-IM also alleged that Indian security forces are providing transportation, logistics support and food to its rival factions. This issue came up in the last meeting and the GOI representatives assured to check such kind of misuse of ceasefire in the days to come, Atem said.
To reassess the ground situation the two sides will hold a review committee meeting in Delhi next week. The GOI side will be led by Home secretary while the NSCN-IM side will be led by the Special Emissary to the Collective Leadership.
A decade of peace dialogue failed to bear any fruits because of the NSCN-IM demand for sovereignty and the Government of India insistence that the Nagas remain within the Indian Union.
Perhaps, the Indo-Naga conflict is one of the longest South Asian Conflict, and the ten years of unfruitful dialogue has earned the title of world longest political dialogue, which is still stuck in a deadlock.
On reconciliation with the rival factions, the NSCN-IM leader reiterated that it will not reconcile if it is going to sell out the Nagas rights, and is to accept the Constitution of India.
“We will forgive and forget the past. But not at the cost of Nagas rights”, Atem added.
Meanwhile, the NSCN-IM today commemorated the 61st Naga Independence Day at Tsiemekhuma village of Kohima district. At a simple but impressive function, AK Lungalang, Speaker of the Tatar Hoho, who was the chief guest, read out the Presidential speech. Other highlights of the programme included cultural dances from Chiechama village, Tuophema village, Tseminyu Youth Organisation, PKR Youth Organisation and folk songs from Sendenyu village Women, Phenshiinyu village women and Viswema village.
A group from Kohima village and Tsiemekhuma village choir enthralled the crowd with their special numbers.
Flag hoisting, parade pass by the cadres, and community feast were other highlights, besides the cultural items. Hundreds of people joined the commemeration programme inspite of the bad road conditions and inclement weather.
The programme was organized by Angami-Rengma VP battalion combine.
