NEW DELHI, June 19 – The Government of India has decided to rush chief interlocutor K Padmanabhaiah to meet NSCN (IM) leaders next week to work out the modalities for extending the ceasefire for another year. The current round of ceasefire expires on July 31. At its first high-level meeting on the Naga issue, chaired by Union Minister of Home Affairs, Shivraj Patil, the UPA Government as expected has decided to carry on with the peace process.
The crucial meeting to review the Naga peace process held at North Block here this afternoon was attended by a host of top officials including National Security Adviser, JN Dixit, Foreign Secretary Sashank, Union Home Secretary, Anil Baijal, Chief of Army Staff General NC Vij, Chief of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Director Intelligence Bureau (DIB), KP Singh, besides Padmanabhaiah.
The meeting that lasted for over two hours discussed the entire Naga peace process threadbare, with various security agencies including the Army briefing the new Government on the issue. After the meeting the MHA came out with a two Para release saying that it was decided that negotiation should be continued further.
The law and order situation was reviewed by the Union Home Minister at a meeting and the current situation in the State after implementation of the ceasefire was discussed as also the progress of the negotiations held so far with the NSCN (IM). The meeting also discussed the charter of demands submitted by them, the release said.
According to sources, the meeting has given the go ahead to the Interlocutor to go abroad next week to hold talks with the I-M leaders to discuss the extension of ceasefire for another year from July end. Padmanabhaiah accompanied by intelligence officials are likely to visit Bangkok with a message of the new Government.
Sources said that for the moment the Centre is likely to confine the peace talks with only the I-M factions as against the demand from certain quarters in Nagaland to include the Khaplang faction as well. The move is expected to go down well with the NSCN (IM) leadership, which are sulking over the clause on territorial integrity of the UPA Government’s Common Minimum Programme (CMP).
Recently, several delegations from Nagaland including the Chief Minister, N Rio, a-four-member Naga Hoho team came calling, urging the new UPA Government to expedite the Naga peace process. The delegation of Naga Hoho lodging their protest on the controversial clause in the CMP, pleaded with UPA to scrap it to ensure smooth resolution of the vexed Naga problem.
The demand for involving other Naga organisations in the peace process has been gaining ground in Nagaland. One of the strong advocate of this is former Chief Minister, SC Jamir who has time and again pressed for involvement of Khaplang faction and Adino Phizo’s NNC in the peace process.
Sources said that the new Government has decided to maintain status quo for now by not brining in new players in the peace process though the ceasefire with the Khaplang faction would continue. The Centre’s proposes to bring in other groups into the negotiation process at the last stage. The Government of India is yet to start formal dialogue on the substantive issues before which a political negotiator would have to be appointed.
The demand for integration Naga dominated areas spread over the three States of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam is one of the critical problems that the UPA Government has to resolve. The UPA Government has already promised not to disturb the territorial integrity of any North Eastern States. The meeting today further discussed the list of political demands that was submitted by the NSCN (IM) last year.
The demands included unification of Naga inhabited areas, grant of more autonomy both political and economic to Nagaland. The NSCN (IM) has broadly sought that barring defence, currency, foreign affairs and communication rest should be handed over by Centre. The Naga underground outfit also wanted separate flag, rights to raise armed forces and permission to set up and run Naga cultural and information centres abroad among others.
Meanwhile the meeting today also discussed the rising number of complaints of violation of the ground rules of ceasefire in Nagaland. The army complained that NSCN (IM) cadres were openly indulging in extortions, kidnappings and other illegal activities. The designated camps of the outfits were alleged to have been used for sheltering militants belonging to other outfits. The Governments of neighbouring States including Assam Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur have lodged complaints with Home Ministry about the illegal activities of the NSCN.
Meanwhile, even as the Centre was discussing the Naga peace talks, one of the key players, Chief Minister of Mizoram Zoramthanga who was closely associated with the Naga talks arrived in the Capital.