Kohima, Jan. 8: Springing a surprise a few hours before Isak Chisi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah were to reach New Delhi, the Khaplang faction of the NSCN indicated that its top leaders, including chairman S.S. Khaplang, could return to India later in the year for “political negotiations” with the Centre. Khughalu Mulatonu, a deputy kilonser (minister) in the NSCN (K) hierarchy, told The Telegraph over phone that his outfit had lined up “something very positive” for Nagaland. “Khaplang is keen to come to India and lay the stepping stone for a political process,” he said.
Khaplang, a Hemi Naga and estranged comrade of the Swu-Muivah duo, is based in Myanmar. Sources said several other senior leaders of the NSCN (K) had been staying in Myanmar for a couple of months now. The Centre and Khaplang group announced a ceasefire on April 29, 2000, but have yet to hold a single round of talks.
Mulatonu said the dialogue between the NSCN (I-M) and the Centre in Delhi would throw up nothing more than piecemeal solutions to various problems. “The outcome of the talks will merely be an understanding and not a political settlement. The government of India will not commit the mistake of starting a real political dialogue with the NSCN (I-M). At best, Delhi will come to an understanding and the talks will have no effect on Naga politics.”
The NSCN was formed in 1980. It split eight years later, with Khaplang moving away to form his own group.
Nagaland chief minister S.C. Jamir has said on several occasions that the Centre should not make the mistake of ignoring the Khaplang faction in the euphoria of holding talks with Swu and Muivah in Delhi.
Echoing the chief minister, Mulatonu said the Centre would be making a big mistake if it tried to resolve the Naga issue through discussions with the “Thangkhuls, Mians and Nepalis”.
On unity among Naga groups, the NSCN (K) leader said his organisation was trying to find a meeting point with the Naga National Council (NNC), which was founded by A.Z. Phizo.