Headlines       Vol. 2 Issue 3-4

May 22-June 6 , 1999

Peace process receives a major boost The ongoing peace process in Nagaland received a major boost when after 33 years Issac Chisi Swu and T. Muivah, chairman and general secretary of the outlawed National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) respectively, visited Nagaland. Observers are of the opinion that the visit by the NSCN (IM) top brass will immensely help the ongoing peace process to reach to a logical conclusion. The rebel leaders last visited the country in 1965-66, when they held talks with former prime ministers Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi. According to reports, both Mr. Swu and Mr. Muivah arrived in Nagaland by road from Agartala. Earlier, they flew in from their Bangkok hideout to Bangladesh. Understandably, the Centre, which entered into a cease-fire agreement with the NSCN (IM) two years ago, had prior knowledge about the visit of the two NSCN (IM) leaders. The Centre also reportedly wanted the NSCN leaders to visit the State and assess the effect of the two-year cease-fire. Nagaland Chief Minister S. C. Jamir has welcomed the visit of the NSCN top brass. He said that the insurgent leaders should stay longer in Nagaland. Unless they know the ground realities, they will not be able to resolve any issues, Mr. Jamir asserted. The NSCN (IM) leaders, it is learnt, are concentrating on three things during the said visit. They interacted with a host of senior Naga people and various Naga organisations including Naga Hoho, the apex body of various Naga tribes, to know their views regarding the ongoing peace process and to draw a possible outline for the solution of the five decades old Naga problem. At the same time, the insurgent leaders also explored the possibilities of uniting various Naga factions. It may be mentioned here that it will be difficult to find a solution of the vexed Naga problem until all the Naga underground factions are united. Fortunately, the Naga society has also realised the importance of unity among the Nagas and put pressure on all the Naga underground groups to join hands and to sit together with the Centre to find an amicable solution. In an attempt to achieve unity among various Naga underground factions, the Naga Hoho has recently worked out modalities in which all the insurgent groups have been advised against encroachment into each other's territory, not to issue provocative statements and not to award capital punishments. According to sources, though the Naga Hoho has largely succeeded in its effort of bringing a truce between the underground factions, the major hitch between the two main rival factions —— NSCN (IM) and NSCN (K) is the demand of the former that Mr. Khaplang must confess and admit his mistake for the mass killings of NSCN leaders and cadres. However, the Naga Hoho leaders maintained that unification could only come about through the spirit of 'forgive and forget' and not by focussing on individual mistakes. Another issue which is disturbing the peace process is the demand of the NSCN (IM) that the NSCN (K) faction have to accept the leadership of Issac Swu and T. Muivah. But, it is learnt that the NSCN (K) has rejected the demand saying that the leadership issue could be resolved only by the people. The NSCN (IM) leaders, during their visit, it is learnt, are looking into the charges that some of its kilonsers have made huge money through extortion. The leaders had reportedly asked some of their followers to explain from where they got the money to construct their houses. The visit of Mr. Swu and Mr. Muivah is similar to the visit of Mr. Laldenga, who led Mizo insurgency. In 1981, the Mizo leader visited Mizoram as well as areas close to Mizoram, Burma border in Arakan Hills to meet and discuss a solution with his colleagues. He was provided safe passage to England by the then prime minister Indira Gandhi after he presented a 26-point charter of demand for the consideration of the Indira Government. With the visit, the Vajpayee Government at the Centre has also scored a point over its detractors, who in the last few months had been alleging that the ongoing peace process was not moving forward as the Centre was pre-occupied to ensure its survival. But the visit shows that despite the political uncertainty prevailing in the Country, the Centre was totally committed in its endeavour for an amicable solution of the vexed problem and was successful in removing doubts from the mind of the Naga underground leaders about the Centre's sincerity, which blocked peace efforts in Nagaland for long.

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