One can only hope that the NSCN (IM) leaders, with whom the Mizoram Chief Minister had a threadbare discussion to pave the way for a negotiated settlement of the vexed Naga problem, understand this point. The NSCN leaders, it appears, are trying to bring back peace in Nagaland without paying any price. The activities of the NSCN (IM) leaders during the last three years after the declaration of ceasefire in Nagaland vindicate this fact.

The NSCN (IM) leaders virtually stalled the ongoing peace process for nearly a year when rebel leader T. Muivah was jailed in Nagaland on charges of travelling on forged documents. The organisation refused to nominate any other person to hold discussion with the Central Government. The rigidness on the part of the NSCN (IM) virtually derailed the peace process.

It was very difficult to understand why could not the NSCN (IM) chairman Isac Swu, who is the topmost leader of the NSCN (IM) as per its organisational set-up, hold talks with the Government of India in the absence of T. Muivah. On the other hand, we had four Prime Ministers since the peace process began with the call to hold talks with the Naga undergrounds without any pre-condition and all four had stood by the commitment made by the Government of India.

Charging that the Government of India was not sincere enough in solving the Naga problem, earlier the NSCN (IM) leaders made a big hue and cry that the Centre was not honouring its commitment of holding talks at the prime ministerial level and in a third country. But the fact remains, that due to his pre-occupation at home, Mr. Vajpayee could not find time to go abroad. Besides, there were protocol barriers too.

The Prime Minister just cannot go to any country for holding discussions with the Naga leaders unless invited by that country. The NSCN (IM) leaders refused to understand this protocol requisite and tried to use it to derive some political mileage.

The unwillingness of the NSCN (IM) leaders to pay price for peace was evident from its strident postures to the proposal of unification of various Naga underground groups. The proposal for unification not came from the Centre, but by the Naga people. Various Naga organisations, including the Naga Hoho, the apex body of the Naga tribes, made appeal for unification on number of occasions. Committees were formed to chalk out modalities of the proposed unification. But every time the move ended in stalemate as the NSCN (IM) leaders insisted that unification should take place only after the other organisations recognise the Isac-Muivah group as the sole representative of the Naga people.

But the history tells us a different story. The NSCN (IM) came into existence only in the late eighties, where as the NNC is fighting for the Naga cause since Independence. The NSCN (IM) is a body of some erstwhile NNC leaders, who splited the organisation after falling with the leaders of the then NNC. Over the years, the NSCN (IM) may have acquired some fire power with the help of Pakistani ISI, but only that aspect does not legitimise them to be the sole representative of the Nagas.

Moreover, taking advantage of the ceasefire, the NSCN (IM) had indulged in fratricidal killings, kidnappings and extortions. The people were so fed up with the strong arm tactics that when Isac Swu and T. Muivah visited the State, the Naga people appealed to them to stop fratricidal killings and extortions.