Morung Express News
Dimapur | October 3
The NSCN (IM) today threatened to pull out of the Cease Fire if the Assam Rifles continued to use ‘arm-twisting’ tactics to distort the image of what it called “Naga nationalists.” Speaking to media persons after the emergency meeting of the Ceasefire Monitoring Group at Circuit House, Dimapur today, the convener of the CFMC, Pungthing in resentment of “Indian Army’s continual interference” stated, “Let them continue to have political discussions out there (Delhi), and let us fight here”. He said that the Government of India needed to take a stronger stand on the various manipulations of the Assam Rifles and questioned whether the Government of India or the Army was ‘bigger.’ Pungthing also accused the GoI of saying one thing and the army another, twisting things to make the Nagas look like ‘the villain and the bad boys.’
The convener said that the civil societies carrying out peace initiatives, needed to look deeper into the matters instead of merely looking on from outside and pressing the different groups from time to time to unite. He expressed that there might not be so much differences between the ‘Naga brothers’ and opined that if the AR was made to stop their tactical instigations, uniting different factions would not be very difficult. “Once they stop, between two brothers, it won’t be hard”, he emphasized.
Saying that the NSCN (IM) fully endorsed the peace initiatives by civil society Pungthing, however expressed regret that they had not been able find the real culprit. He said that the Naga people should be able to look into it and tell them clearly. “Naga people should ask them courageously what is the ‘peace’ they were talking about. Is it peace through force?” Pungthing queried adding that external forces would always try to use local groups to bring about disturbances. He said that unless the root cause of the issue is addressed, the confusion and misconception of the people would continue to culminate in proxy wars, turmoil and confrontation around the state.
Pungthing accused the Assam Rifles of instigating the conflict between the different factions to make Naga look ‘like very aggressive against each other,’ later descending upon the fighting groups to make themselves look like the peacemaker. Referring to the NSCN (IM) and the AR stand-off at Sakhalu, Pungthing said that it was the Army which had tried to ‘wash off their error’ by arresting the NSCN (K) cadres which would only aggravate the situation by making it look like the AR were extending tactical support to them. “It will not solve the issue but in-fact spark-off into something worse”, he said.
The convener said that the issue of the Zunheboto confrontation was still a ‘tussle’ between them and no resolution has been arrived at. The same was confirmed by the IGAR representative, Brigadier Bhobendar Singh, as he very briefly spoke to the press following the lunch after the meeting. Apparently there was a slight misunderstanding between the parties as the Brigadier said that the matter being still unresolved, another meeting was going to be held after the lunch, however Pungthing and the others of the Ceasefire Monitoring Cell denied any such meeting and left soon after lunch.
Meanwhile the PI Cell of HQ IGAR (North) informed through a release that the emergency CFMG meeting was convened by Chairman Lt Gen (Retd) RV Kulkarni with the primary agenda to discuss the unauthorized concentration of NSCN (IM) cadres at Sakhalu which has vitiated peace and created fear psychosis among the locals.
Kulkarni is said to have informed the NSCN (IM) that Sakhalu is not a designated camp. The presence of NSCN (IM) in the area is a cause of concern highlighting that the guidelines laid down for establishment of a designated camp and the same should be observed if NSCN (IM) wants to establish a camp in the area. He is said to have asked NSCN (IM) cadres to leave the area in the interest of maintaining peace to which the NSCN (IM) reportedly did not commit any response but informed that they would respond after consultation with their senior leaders.
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