By : A Staff Reporter 8/21/2007 1:25:41 AM
Hebron Camp (Dimapur) Aug 20 (ANI): In an exclusive interaction with ANI after the recent extension of the Naga ceasefire for an indefinite period recently National Socialist Council of Nagaland or NSCN(IM) leaders Isak Chishi Swu, Chairman and Thuingaleng Muivah, General Secretary, categorically reiterated that the continuation of the cease-fire will depend on the progress in talks.
"Periodic extension does not serve us. Neither has it served the Government of India. The point is that it has to be made rational and realistic. This is the consideration behind it. So, we find that ceasefire has been extended indefinitely subject to progress in talks," said Thuingaleng Muivah, General Secretary of the NSCN(IM).
Naga leaders said the "ball is in the centre's court" and they have taken "necessary positive steps and we have done all we could do" to make the talks progress."
"Reality of Naga history has to be recognized. They have to recognize the uniqueness of the Naga history. Meaning Naga has never been part of Indian union in the past and present. This reality must be respected by India first," asserted Muivah.
He further said that the Indian government should stop dividing Nagas.
"Who has divided us in different states? Can you expect us to accept this type of arrangement without our consent? It hurts us. Government of India is just overlooking it. They are not realistic, they do not understand us, they are dictating to us. We don't want anything from India-we have our land ...that we need to have and that we ought to have...they (Indian government) are trying to please Meiteis, Assamese,Arunachalis at the expense of Nagas .We have been fighting for our rights for the last sixty years. Do you think we are fighting to be divided? Indians totally refuse to understand and recognize Nagas. Solutions would never be there. We will never bow down. Anything against our will we will never accept," thundered an emotionally charged up Muivah.
During the 45-minute interview at the Hebron Camp on the outskirts of Dimapur, both Naga leaders expressed displeasure with the Central Government's approach. They said that the Government does not have "guts" to make any bold and positive move to solve the five decade long conflict.
Elaborating his point, Muivah said: "We have given them bottom line and below that we can't go and important step for this is integration of Naga areas, Naga homeland."
"We want neither secession nor separation. We want to be there as two entities. We have our own constitution and they (India) have their own and there will be some arrangement .Things which can be written in our own constitution and things which can be written in their Constitution, said NSCN (IM) Chairman Isak Chishi Swu.
Making the point more clear, Muivah underlined that "relations should be determined in such a way that a sort of federation of India and federation of Nagaland not the federation within the federal structure of India. The Federation of India on the one side and federation of Nagalaim on the other."
The Naga leaders accepted that the younger generation of the Nagas is not so passionate about the demand for Nagalim and the NSCN(IM) ideological position.
"We all wishes to have consultations with people. But youngsters don't understand us because they are paying attention to their studies. But we have been talking to the public," asserted Swu.
Naga leaders were very upset with the Indian government for what they believe is the arms and material support to the rival Khaplang faction.
"Giving arms and ammunition to them-keeping NSCN(K) cadres outside the Hebron Camp. They are attacking us. Where is the sincerity on the part of the government? Controlling them is in the hands of the Indian government", said Muivah in a choked voice.
The next round of Naga talks is expected to be held in the first week of September.
Naga leader have been holding talks with the central government since 1997 when the ceasefire came into existence. So far many rounds of talks have been held in India and abroad.
In the previous round of talks, the NSCN-IM had submitted a charter of demands to the government, including creation of a separate Constitution for Nagaland, a "new and unique" relationship with New Delhi and unification of Naga- inhabitated areas of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
But these three states have rejected such demands.
In the Bangkok talks held last year, both sides had agreed on a broad framework to define a relationship that could end Naga insurgency.
There was, however, confusion over the parameters of the broad framework.
Muivah arrived in India in December last year, while Swu came to the country in the first week of January. Since then, they have been in Nagaland for discussions with NSCN-IM cadres and civil society and political leaders on the group's key demands.
The Imphal Free Press
Hebron Camp (Dimapur) Aug 20 (ANI): In an exclusive interaction with ANI after the recent extension of the Naga ceasefire for an indefinite period recently National Socialist Council of Nagaland or NSCN(IM) leaders Isak Chishi Swu, Chairman and Thuingaleng Muivah, General Secretary, categorically reiterated that the continuation of the cease-fire will depend on the progress in talks.
"Periodic extension does not serve us. Neither has it served the Government of India. The point is that it has to be made rational and realistic. This is the consideration behind it. So, we find that ceasefire has been extended indefinitely subject to progress in talks," said Thuingaleng Muivah, General Secretary of the NSCN(IM).
Naga leaders said the "ball is in the centre's court" and they have taken "necessary positive steps and we have done all we could do" to make the talks progress."
"Reality of Naga history has to be recognized. They have to recognize the uniqueness of the Naga history. Meaning Naga has never been part of Indian union in the past and present. This reality must be respected by India first," asserted Muivah.
He further said that the Indian government should stop dividing Nagas.
"Who has divided us in different states? Can you expect us to accept this type of arrangement without our consent? It hurts us. Government of India is just overlooking it. They are not realistic, they do not understand us, they are dictating to us. We don't want anything from India-we have our land ...that we need to have and that we ought to have...they (Indian government) are trying to please Meiteis, Assamese,Arunachalis at the expense of Nagas .We have been fighting for our rights for the last sixty years. Do you think we are fighting to be divided? Indians totally refuse to understand and recognize Nagas. Solutions would never be there. We will never bow down. Anything against our will we will never accept," thundered an emotionally charged up Muivah.
During the 45-minute interview at the Hebron Camp on the outskirts of Dimapur, both Naga leaders expressed displeasure with the Central Government's approach. They said that the Government does not have "guts" to make any bold and positive move to solve the five decade long conflict.
Elaborating his point, Muivah said: "We have given them bottom line and below that we can't go and important step for this is integration of Naga areas, Naga homeland."
"We want neither secession nor separation. We want to be there as two entities. We have our own constitution and they (India) have their own and there will be some arrangement .Things which can be written in our own constitution and things which can be written in their Constitution, said NSCN (IM) Chairman Isak Chishi Swu.
Making the point more clear, Muivah underlined that "relations should be determined in such a way that a sort of federation of India and federation of Nagaland not the federation within the federal structure of India. The Federation of India on the one side and federation of Nagalaim on the other."
The Naga leaders accepted that the younger generation of the Nagas is not so passionate about the demand for Nagalim and the NSCN(IM) ideological position.
"We all wishes to have consultations with people. But youngsters don't understand us because they are paying attention to their studies. But we have been talking to the public," asserted Swu.
Naga leaders were very upset with the Indian government for what they believe is the arms and material support to the rival Khaplang faction.
"Giving arms and ammunition to them-keeping NSCN(K) cadres outside the Hebron Camp. They are attacking us. Where is the sincerity on the part of the government? Controlling them is in the hands of the Indian government", said Muivah in a choked voice.
The next round of Naga talks is expected to be held in the first week of September.
Naga leader have been holding talks with the central government since 1997 when the ceasefire came into existence. So far many rounds of talks have been held in India and abroad.
In the previous round of talks, the NSCN-IM had submitted a charter of demands to the government, including creation of a separate Constitution for Nagaland, a "new and unique" relationship with New Delhi and unification of Naga- inhabitated areas of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
But these three states have rejected such demands.
In the Bangkok talks held last year, both sides had agreed on a broad framework to define a relationship that could end Naga insurgency.
There was, however, confusion over the parameters of the broad framework.
Muivah arrived in India in December last year, while Swu came to the country in the first week of January. Since then, they have been in Nagaland for discussions with NSCN-IM cadres and civil society and political leaders on the group's key demands.
The Imphal Free Press
