Centre move for truce with NSCN-K, focus shifts to NSCN-IM

KOHIMA, February 27: With the Government working on a move to enter into a formal ceasefire agreement with two more Naga insurgent outfits, all eyes have now shifted to the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (IM) which has been holding talks with the Centre for three years and opposing inclusion of any other Naga group, reports PTI. The Union Home Ministry sources have indicated that the government could announce a ceasefire during the Budget session of Parliament with NSCN (Khaplang) and the Naga Federal Group. The NSCN (IM) strongman, Thuingaleng Muivah, had himself opposed any move by the Centre, to include any other Naga faction, especially its 'bete noire' NSCN (K) in the parleys. "If you say that you will talk to us, then you have to honour it. Apart from that if you take initiative to talk with anyone else we will not be party to that," Muivah had said in a recent interview from Bangkok. It is in the background of such hardline postures that the Union Home Ministry officials were hitherto keeping their fingers crossed on the issue of widening the peace process as demanded by Nagaland Chief Minister SC Jamir. The NSCN(IM) leadership has been averse to the idea of inclusion of other factions in the talks on the ground that the group led by the duo of Isak Chishi Swu and T Muivah was the only "legitimate' Naga body which could hold talks with the Centre. However, in the change circumstance leading to a strong opinion in favour of ending the gun culture, the Centre believes that "the clamour for peace is so strong that none could afford to abrogate the peace process". The GOC Nagaland, Maj Gen RN Kapur, said : "Peace has come to stay in Nagaland, and anyone who would abrogate the peace process will get the boot himself." Home Minister LK Advani, during his two-day trip to the State, went on record appreciating the yearning for peace in Nagaland saying : "The exuberance and enthusiasm I have been seeing is a clear indication that the people of this state want to come out of the turmoil." Impressed with people's cry for peace, Advani went to the extent of stating that the image of far-flung Nagaland from a distance was totally erroneous. In the quest for peace which would bring about normalcy and development in Dimapur, a total bandh was observed in the commercial hub on February 6 and 9. "It appears that the years of wilderness of Nagaland seem to be over and a people's movement demanding peace, tranquility and economic development seems to be gaining ground. The voice of the people will not go unheard and their desire for a permanent peace is bound to bear fruit, thereby putting Nagaland on the threshold of a peaceful revolution of political stability and economic prosperity," Horangse Sangtam, president of a premier citizens forum 'Naga Council' said.