Kohima, Jan. 21: Making its first utterances on the high-profile Centre-NSCN (I-M) talks, the ?federal government of Nagaland? ? which represents the Naga National Council ? today said it was willing to start talks with the Centre if the latter showed ?sincerity?.
Much in the same breath, it said violence in Nagaland would continue if ?India continued to talk to people who are out of the family?.
The family referred to was legendary Naga insurgent leader A.Z. Phizo?s lineage.
Focusing his address on the plebiscite of 1951 and the NNC?s stand that Nagaland ?is in an independent position?, the ?federal government?s? vice-president Viyalie Metha said his government stood for a peaceful solution to the ?Indo-Naga? conflict.
?However, peace shall not be at the cost of Nagaland?s sovereignty,? he said.
?If India invites us sincerely, we are willing,? Metha told reporters here today, speaking in Tenidiyei through an interpreter.
?This time too, if they are talking to people who are out of the family, there will be a repeat of violence,? he said.
Stating that the ?federal government? had given up arms but not the struggle, Metha said while the organisation was willing to talk to the Centre, it would not let NGOs dictate them.
He said the ?federal government? was a government through mandate and according to custom, no Naga could take two oaths.
?A Naga takes his oath seriously and in the plebiscite that oath was taken,? he said.
Speaking on the ongoing talks with the NSCN (I-M), the ?federal government? said it was ?not concerned? as the talks were with those who held Indian passports and identity.
Blasting the NSCN (I-M) leaders as ?pseudo-nationalists?, Metha said: ?If they are nationalists, they should be protecting and not killing the Nagas. Instead of working for and with the people, they are eliminating all those who are opposed to them.?
Speaking on Muivah and Swu, he said: ?Both were responsible Nagas and were given responsible positions but they moved away from what the authority had assigned them with.?
The NSCN (I-M) leaders should be taking opinions and not imposing their views, Metha added. The ?federal government? termed the NSCN (I-M) as a ?terrorist organisation for they are involved in killing our own people in the last 20 years?.
Asked whether they would call the NSCN?s Khaplang faction, too, as a ?terrorist outfit?, the vice-president said if the outfit was involved in extortion and needless killings, the ?federal government? would term it the same. ?At present though, we are not calling them terrorists.?
Metha said there were four considerations: ?the Nagas are not demanding independence from anyone as it was their birth right; non-acceptance of division of Naga territories by India and Myanmar; regretting the apprehension in the minds of ?neighbours? due to the talks in New Delhi and rejection of the polls in the state.?
In Dimapur, the NSCN (I-M) has called off the ?emergency? it had imposed last week.
?We were on red alert as the cadre of the NSCN(K) were in Dimapur, but they are now in Zunheboto and Mokokchung,? a senior member of the group told The Telegraph.