Muivah arrives as focus returns to Naga talks
Dimapur, February 28 (MExN): General Secretary of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim Th Muivah has arrived in New Delhi late Saturday night at the invitation of the Prime Minister of India, sources informed. In this connection, the Nagas in Delhi organized a Reception Program at 61 Lodi Estate, Lodi Road where over 1000 people attended. According to a press communiqué from New Delhi based “The Naga Times”, the documentary films-‘Nagalim: Pilgrims for Peace’ by Sam Kalayanee and ‘Naga Story: The Other Side of Silence’ by Gopal Menon were shown before dinner was served to the mass. As soon as the Collective Leadership arrived at Lodi Estate, Luikang Lamak, President, the Naga Students’ Union, Delhi gave a welcome speech which was followed by Shawl presentation to the leadership by the Eastern Nagaland Students’ Union, Delhi. The press communiqué informed that the Collective Leadership delivered an awe-inspiring message to the audience.
The press communiqué while terming the present visit as very important also disclosed that after several rounds of talks, the Government of India on September 15, 2008 suggested an idea of an Interim Arrangement to the NSCN leaders. However, as the GOI has not formulated any Blueprint or Roadmap of the Interim Arrangement, the parties decided to meet soon for discussion, it stated. On September 30, 2008, the parties decided to have dialogues outside, i.e., in the third country, so as to uphold the terms of talk agreed upon by both the entities. It was further revealed that on December 5, 2008, the GOI brought forward a formula akin to Mizo Accord of 1986 which, however, was strongly rejected by the Naga leaders due to the fact that histories, cultures and identities between the Nagas and the Mizos are different.
According to the press note from the Naga Times, the GOI representatives admitted their mistake saying that ‘It was wrong on their part to have misused the political term’.
The last meeting between the two parties was held from 24-25 March 2009 in Zurich where the GOI’s delegation told the NSCN leaders that they have not been given any mandate for the political talk. The Naga leaders were told that negotiations should resume after the 15th Lok Sabha elections. “Since then, a lot of grave incidents have taken place such as, Sri Lankan military crackdown on the LTTE, military crackdown on Taliban in Afghanistan, 26/11 Mumbai Attack etc. which have led the GOI hardened its mind to solve and transform the Indo-Naga conflict”, the Naga Times stated. Even after the UPA-II government formation, the GOI was not serious enough to resume talks except talking through the media, it went on to state.
Calling for a concrete political roadmap informed by the principles of democracy, historical and political rights, justice and human dignity, the press note stated that the need of the hour is for an early solution mutually acceptable to both the parties.