Jamir again offers to step down if solution arrived at

DIMAPUR, May 3: With the completion of almost five years of the signing of the ceasefire agreement between New Delhi and the Isak-Muivah faction of the NSCN, the ongoing month of May 2002 would be one of the hectic period, at the Thai capital, Bangkok while the Centre?s special inter-locutor for Nagaland, former Union Home Secretary, K Padamanabhaiah and the director, IB, K P Singh are busy holding fresh round of talks with Muivah from Thursday back home a huge collective delegation of the Naga leaders, under the banner of apex tribal body, Naga Hoho is preparing to leave the country to reach Bangkok. The fresh round of talks in between New Delhi and the NSCN(I-M) assumes its own importance as this being the round before the next week?s second consultative meeting between various Naga leaders and the NSCN(I-M) and also because the talks are being held within the week of the expansion of the year long ceasefire with the rival NSCN faction headed by Khaplang and Kitovi. The ceasefire with the NSCN(K) is extended for one more year from April 28. Also the two-day meeting may be the last meeting between the Centre and the underground leaders on the foreign soil as the Centre has already withdrawn the arrest warrants issued against both the leaders and is also in the process of clearing all the hurdles to pave a way for their return to India. Back home the delegation, which includes representatives of various Naga people?s organizations, tribal Hohos and NGOs from different parts of the Naga areas, would participate in the two-day-long second consultative meeting with the NSCN(I-M) leaders scheduled to be held from May 6 next, said a member of the delegation leaving for Bangkok. Infact, the NSCN leadership has invited all total 80 NGO leaders from the Naga dominated areas this time, which is almost double if compared with the last time?s delegation to the first consultative meeting held at Bangkok earlier from January 7-11. The last delegation consisted of 44 members representing different Naga NGOs, Naga tribal and Naga Church Forums. The second consultative meeting is likely to dwell at length with the latest developments of the five-year long ceasefire and the talks between the NSCN-IM and the Government of India. Besides, the deliberation would also stress on the much talked about Naga peace and reconciliation process initiated by the Naga Hoho on December 20 at Kohima, informed a Hoho member who attended the last meeting. It may be worth mentioning here that the NSCN(I-M), as part of their effort to involve the Naga civil society in their ongoing talk with the Centre, earlier this year, sought consultations with Naga elders and the collective leaders of the Naga society and invited them for interactions at Bangkok in January. The five-day-long interaction touched upon various issues in length, which are otherwise of very sensitive nature. In the first consultative meeting, ?the collective leadership? of NSCN IM, which includes its chairman Isak Chishi Swu, vice chairman Khodao Yanthan and general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah briefed the delegation, comprising of various representative of Naga peoples organizations and tribes from Naga dominated areas, on the ongoing talks with the Government of India, starting with a thorough review of the history and philosophy of the Naga struggle from its beginning. The delegation, while reaffirming its fullest support to the ongoing ceasefire and the talks between the NSCN(I-M) and Government of India, also recognized their significant achievement for the Nagas. At the same time, the delegates expressed its appreciation on the apart of the Indian Government for trying to understand the uniqueness of the Naga political issues.