KOHIMA, Jan 22 ?Naga National Council (NNC), which authored the Naga political movement in the mid 1940s, Tuesday said no permanent soultion to the problem could be found from the peace talks between the Centre and NSCN(I-M) and was itself ready to hold dialogues if asked by New Delhi as it wanted a peaceful settlement of the imbroglio, reports PTI. ?The Nagas had given their mandate only to NNC through the 1951 plebiscite... We are ready for peace talks but the offer must come from the government of India. If such offer is made with all sincerity, we are ready for dialogue,? Viyalie Metha, vice-president of ?Federal Government of Nagaland? (FGN) ? the underground government of NNC. told newsmen here.
So far no offer for unconditional talks with the Centre has come and ?for a meaningful dialogue to resolve the protected conflict, the Union must recognise the Nagas ?rights for which they have been fighting for so long.? Referring to the on-going peace talks between the Centre and NSCN(I-M), he expressed doubts over lasting solution saying ?the governemnt of India must bear in mind that the mandate of the Nagas is not vested in the hands of NSCN(I-M) group not in the hands of NGOs.?
Metha termed the NSCN(I-M) as a ?terrorist organisation,? and said New Delhi?s hobnobbing with ?known criminals and the terrorist outfit to destroy the Nagas would not succeed in any way.? Asked why he called NSCN(I-M) a terrorist organisation, he said that the group has been killing Nagas since its formation and was trying to impose its dictates forcibly on others.
He also alleged that NSCN (I-M) had also strangulated the economy of the Nagas and NNC cannot join hands with it to negotiate with the Centre to settle the Naga issue. They regretted that the present talks between the Centre and NSCN(I-M) was creating ?unnecessary tension and apprehension? in Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, and said the Nagas have been maintaining peaceful existance with their neighbours since long.