Kohima, May 19: Back home after four days in an NSCN (I-M) camp, author Kaka D. Iralu today said he had gone there at the militant group’s “invitation” and was not taken by force, as was being speculated. Iralu, the secretary of the A.Z. Phizo Birth Centenary Celebration Committee, went missing on Thursday and did not return home until Monday.
He was believed to have been abducted by the NSCN (I-M) because of its opposition to the centenary celebrations on May 16, which is observed as “national plebiscite day”.
The militant group said Phizo, who is acknowledged to be the pioneer of Naga insurgency, was born on May 4 but people with “vested interests” timed the programme to coincide with “national plebiscite day”. Iralu thanked god for “delivering his life” and the Naga people for praying for him, but insisted he was treated well at the NSCN (I-M) camp.
“I am thankful to the Naga army (the militant group) for hosting me nicely,” he said.
The writer, however, said he felt insulted at not being given the opportunity to air his views during his four-day stay at the NSCN (I-M)’s Hebron camp, located in the Intangki forest. “My Tangkhul brother Horam invited me and, respecting the invitation, I went there. But he did not talk to me, though I was there for four days.”
It was being speculated here that Iralu would be holding discussions regarding his reported ideological conflict with that of the NSCN (I-M).
Iralu has radical views on “Naga nationalism”, but is closer to the Adino Phizo-led Naga National Council (NNC) than the NSCN (I-M). He has authored a book titled Blood and Tears.
When he went missing, many presumed that the NSCN (I-M) had abducted him to sabotage the NNC-organised Phizo birth centennial programme.
He was freed unharmed a day after the function.