DIMAPUR, NOV 8 (MExN): “Today, Naga fratricides and ‘factional clashes’ have become household words throughout the length and breadth of Nagaland. Naga national workers of all groups have forgotten, it is true, that their main objective is to fight against the Indian aggressors both politically and militarily, but they have started killing each other,” lamented Seochem Sangtam, Deputy Kilonser GPRN/NSCN (K) in a press communiqué. He challenged Naga citizens to properly analyze and define the escalation of fratricide among the Nagas.
Drawing attention to the much debated issue pertaining to the violation of cease-fire ground rules, Seochem said “certain clauses of the cease-fire ground rules of both IK terrorist and the NSCN clearly stipulated that there should be no intimidations, harassments, tortures and killing and also no action which could cause damage or loss of properties but, inspite of existence of such agreed ground rules more damages and losses to properties and more harassments and killing have been and are taking place during the cease-fire period.”
Elaborating further on the issue, he said that the GOI sent feelers to NSCN leaders several times for a cease-fire and political dialogue but the NSCN did not give any positive response. The GOI then started to send feelers including Lt Rajesh Pilot to Isak and Th Muivah, he stated. Referring to the earlier peace talk with the GOI by NSCN-IM leaders, Seocham said, “when the GOI perceived some positive response from I-K leadership, PV Narashima Rao, the then Prime Minister of India began to meet Isak and Th Muivah personally. Nareshma Rao said, ‘we want to have cease-fire with you and conduct peace talk with you’ but Th Muivah majestically told him, ‘we will not talk with you, you go to Khaplangs and talk with them’. Then the PM said, ‘Khaplang is Burmese, how can we talk with him.’ Th Muivah said, ‘then talk with NNC/FGN.’ Narashima Rao replied ‘they are already with us, why should we talk with them.’ Then again Th Muivah said, ‘Indian leaders are not sincere; we have no faith in the Indian government.’ On which, Rao said, ‘I am the Prime Minister of India, what I say is final.’ This assurance of PV Narashima Rao convinced Th Muivah and he (Th Muivah) with a sigh of relief and a sense of victory, told Rao. ‘Then you should never talk with Khaplangs gr oup and NNC/FGN.’ Then the majestic PM said, ‘the issue is with you so why should we talk with them’” according to Seochem.
The Deputy Kilonser stated that if Isak Swu and Th Muivah claim themselves as leaders, they should have said, “Give us time to consult our co-freedom fighters in other groups and let us unite together, so that the agreement/settlement should be final but they were so selfish to include other genuine freedom fighters and behaved as the proverbial dog.”
“Naga people how selfish, vindictive, negativism, destructive and hypocritical that had been displayed/involved during the discussion and agreements between the then PM of India and the IK leadership. The IK leadership instead of playing accommodative policy played the policy of alienation. The then Indian leader instead of embracing all the Naga nationalist groups played the policy of more divisions among the Nagas. The forgoing trend of discussions and agreements of the then leaders and IK leadership is the root cause of the escalation of more hatred and killings among the Nagas,” Seochem added.
