Muivah resumes dialogue
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
New Delhi, April 17: The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) resumed talks with the Centre here today and discussed differences over some points in the memorandum it had submitted earlier.
NSCN (I-M) general secretary Thuingalang Muivah led a four-member team of senior leaders, including Rh Raising and Imcha Longkumer, to negotiate their demands with the interlocutor for Naga talks, R.S. Pandey, and senior home ministry officials.
“We met and discussed the points that they have submitted, but differences continue. The talks will continue,” a senior home ministry official said.
The key issues for the past three years has been Muivah’s proposal for a “special federal relationship between Nagalim and India” with the Nagas having a constitution of their own. This has been a bone of contention.
The government has its own set of proposals, which was readied earlier this year. This, too, is being discussed. The home ministry had made it clear that unless all rebel factions come together and accept a package from the Centre, the talks will not succeed.
Meetings this year are being held in a new setting as the warring factions of the NSCN seem to have reconciled substantially, if not completely. For a year now, there have been no inter-factional clashes with the Khaplang group of the NSCN, infusing fresh enthusiasm for the dialogue.
Sources said this afternoon’s meeting lasted for more than an hour-and-a-half. No dates have been fixed for the next meeting between the two parties. However, “frequent” talks will be held with an understanding that neither party would leak any information.
Muivah returned to India from South Africa in February and called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and home minister P. Chidambaram last month before leaving for Nagaland. The rebel leader had to settle leadership issues after the death of the outfit’s vice-president, Khadao Yanthan.
