Insurgency / Nagaland

DIMAPUR, March 31 – Sternly reacting to the action of the Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio’s government for the arrest of 18 persons related with the February 18 NNC Reconciliation meeeting from in and around Wokha, the NSCN-K has warned that it would not remain a silent spectator to the ongoing development in the state.

The Wokha district administration, according to a statement issued by the Lotha Regional Council, has arrested a total of 18 persons, mostly consisting of serving and retired State government employees from different places in and around Wokha, the district headquarter town...

Kohima, Feb. 29: Ceasefire monitoring group chairman Lt Gen. R.V. Kulkarni will take stock of the tension between the two NSCN factions ?on the spot?. The Konyak Union, the apex body of the Konyak Nagas dominating Mon district, had given an ?ultimatum? to the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) last month. They alleged the group was harassing civilians in Tizit area.

Kulkarni said the area is tense also due to the spate of defections from the Khaplang group to the NSCN (I-M). ?That is one of the reasons for greater rivalry,? he said.

The area has been a flashpoint between the...

Kohima, Feb. 25: The army will consider a proposal by the NSCN (I-M) seeking a location shift for their headquarters from Punglwa in Peren district to someplace in Nagaland?s Intangki forest. During a recent meeting of the ceasefire monitoring group, the NSCN (I-M) proposed the change of location.

?There have been proposals and we shall examine them. We do not have a problem if they have it at the present location or elsewhere as far as the ceasefire ground rules are adhered to,? Lt Gen. Daljeet Singh, general officer commanding of 3 Corps, told mediapersons here yesterday.

The main reason for...

Dimapur, Feb. 19: The abortive bid of the Naga National Council (NNC) to hold its reconciliation meeting at Wokha yesterday has spawned a fresh round of accusations and counter-charges.

Responding to the NNC?s allegation that the state government had sabotaged the Wokha meet, chief minister Neiphiu Rio today hit back, saying that the NNC was trying to pass the buck for its own failures.

Rio also said those involved in organising the now-doomed show of unity were not genuine leaders but those who were trying to make a mockery of the people.

?In this conducive atmosphere, do you think anybody...

Kohima, Feb. 18: The Nagaland government will release 56 rebels detained under the National Security Act as a ?goodwill gesture?. The detained rebels include 30 members of the NSCN (IM).

A state Cabinet decision to this effect was taken at chief minister Neiphiu Rio?s official residence here yesterday. The Cabinet had met to discuss recommendations of a sub-committee formed last year in this regard.

Besides the NSCN (I-M) cadres, the list includes 24 activists from NSCN (Khaplang) and two from the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN). All of them were arrested for being members of underground...

Feb. 17: The Naga National Council (NNC) today called off its reconciliation meeting, scheduled to be held in Wokha tomorrow, and accused both the Neiphiu Rio government and the NSCN (I-M) of sabotaging its peace efforts.

A day before the NNC was to hold the reconciliation meeting in Wokha, the state government imposed Section 144 CrPC in the town. An irate V. Nagi, general secretary of the NNC, came down heavily on the state government and the Isak-Muivah faction of the NSCN, adding that his outfit?s role in reconciliation was now over. ?We may take up arms now,? he warned.

The NNC also...

Dimapur, Feb. 13: The NSCN (I-M) today virtually sealed the fate of the shaky reconciliation process, mocking the Naga National Council?s Wokha meet slated for next Wednesday as ?ridiculous?. Rubbing salt into the wound, it claimed that ?most of the genuine NNC leaders? have already defected to it as early back as in 2001.

In a hard-sitting statement today, the NSCN (I-M) said most of the current NNC top brass in the Wokha region are ?self-styled ridiculous leaders? moonlighting in the payroll of the state government as ?work-charge labourers, dak runners and peons?.

The NSCN (I-M) statement...

Dimapur, Feb. 10: Sidelined for years after a faction of the Naga National Council signed the Shillong Accord in 1975, the oldest Naga underground organisation is trying to reinvent itself as a force to reckon with.

It is spearheading a movement to achieve reconciliation among Naga underground and overground groups. To achieve this end, the NNC is holding a pan-Naga meet at Wokha on February 18.

The NNC today made it mandatory for all its activists and leaders of regional authorities to attend the General Meeting on Reconciliation at Wokha (NNC?s Lotha region). It said the meeting would be...

New Delhi, Feb. 8: Back from another peacemaking mission to Bangkok, Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga said leaders of as many as three militant groups of the Northeast were expected to visit New Delhi within a month to begin negotiations with the Centre.

The militant leader-turned-politician met leaders of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) and a couple of other groups during his visit to the Thailand capital. He undertook the mission at the behest of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Zoramthanga said he held ?extensive? discussions with the NSCN (I-M) leadership on...

BANGKOK, Feb 4 ? Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga today met NSCN (IM) General Secretary T Muviah and said dialogue would help in strengthening peace talks between the Government of India and the Naga outfit, reports PTI. ?We had very good discussions and I hope that now things (the peace talks) will move in the right direction,? Zoramthanga told PTI after closed door one-on-one talks between the two leaders.

The Mizoram Chief Minister, who described himself as a "facilitator" between the Government and NSCN (IM), flew in here yesterday and is scheduled to leave on Friday. He said he may hold...