NSCN (IM) should restrain cadres

The NSCN (IM) leadership wants to discuss the cease-fire coverage area with the Centre, there is nothing wrong in it. At a time, when the Centre and the NSCN (IM) are trying to find an amicable solution to the vexed Naga problem through dialogue, it is better to discuss such issues beforehand, so that these cannot halt the peace process midway.

But, as a matter of fact, the NSCN (IM) leadership has made it a habit of raising one issue or another before every cease-fire extention. Last time, when the cease-fire period was coming to an end, the Naga underground outfit alleged that the Government of India was not sincere about the peace talks. Expressing doubts about the Centre's sincerity, the organisation informed the world through press interviews that notwithstanding its earlier promise and understanding between the two sides, New Delhi was avoiding prime ministerial level talks with the NSCN (IM).

While the NSCN (IM) leaders are free to raise any issue which they think can strengthen the peace process, the prime ministerial level talks were a non-issue from the very beginning. The two sides came close and agreed to solve the problem through negotiation after P. V. Narsimha Rao met the NSCN (IM) leaders abroad. The ground work for declaring cease-fire was done after H. D. Deve Gowda met the NSCN (IM) top brass. So it was not that Indian prime ministers were not meeting the NSCN (IM) leaders. The commitment made by P. V. Narsimha Rao was strictly adhered by his successor H. D. Deve Gowda.

Similarly, Atal Behari Vajpayee never gave even any hints that he would not honour the commitment made by his predecessors. He was waiting for an appropriate time to meet the NSCN (IM) leaders. Yet the leadership of the underground organisation made this an issue, despite being told that they were welcome in India to hold talks with the Centre. It was further explained to them that the Prime Minister of a country could not visit foreign land until he was invited. So, for holding prime ministerial talks, they would have to wait till Mr. Vajpayee undertook a foreign trip. But the NSCN (IM) was so restless that it could not wait and started leveling all sorts of allegations including that of insincerity against the Centre.
This time also, when the ongoing cease-fire is coming to an end in July, the NSCN (IM) leadership has raised the issue of cease-fire coverage area. But, again, the issue is as clear as daylight. There is no need of raising this issue.

Cease-fire with the NSCN (IM) means that the security forces will stop all their operations against the underground outfit and vice versa. There will be no arrest or interrogation of the NSCN (IM) cadres. The underground cadres are free to move anywhere in the country without the fear. To oversee whether any party is violating the cease-fire or not, a Cease-fire Monitoring Group has been formed comprising members from both the sides.

But what about the law breakers? It is very much clear that those who break the law of the land taking advantage of the cease-fire will be punished. There is no ambiguity in this respect. They will be treated at par with the other citizens of the country. The cease-fire has not given any one the right to violate the law.

But in an effort to project India poorly at the international level, the NSCN (IM) leadership has now made it an issue. NSCN (IM) general secretary T. Muivah in a recent interview raked up the issue of the killing of NSCN (IM) cadres in Tripura and alleged that the Indian Government was not implementing its commitments. In the said interview, Mr. Muivah did not explain what the NSCN (IM) cadres were doing in Tripura. The fact they were killed in the course of a gun battle with the security forces clearly proves that they had broken the laws of the country.

Not only in Tripura, in the hill areas of Manipur and in the North Cachar Hills in Assam, the NSCN (IM) cadres are indulging in all sorts of anti-social activities including killing and extortion which are not only violative of the law of the land, but also against the very spirit of the cease-fire agreement.

Thus, before leveling any charge against the Centre, the NSCN (IM) leadership should prevent its cadres from taking up laws in their own hands, so that the cease-fire and the ongoing peace process can reach to a logical conclusion.