Guwahati, Dec. 28: The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) has appealed to the Manipur government to follow the footsteps of the Assam and Mizoram governments in facilitating the peace process between the Centre and the outfit.
The Manipur government has been maintaining that unlike Assam and Nagaland, it would not withdraw arrest warrants against the NSCN (I-M) leaders. Among other demands, the NSCN (I-M) wants cases against its “collective leadership” dropped before its chairman Isak Chishi Swu and general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah visit India to hold talks with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to hammer out a solution to the vexed Naga political problem.
“Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi and Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga have agreed to support the peace process and Manipur should take the cue from them”, an NSCN (I-M) press communiqu? issued by its ‘ministry of information and publicity’ said. “A peaceful settlement of the long-drawn Indo-Naga political conflict will help resolve their own (Manipur’s) political problem,” it said.
It was the opportune time for Manipur to support the Nagas’ right to “self-determination” and determine their “political status”, the outfit said. It also sought the co-operation of the people of Manipur in resolving the Naga problem.
In another statement, the outfit’s publicity wing claimed that a recent booklet published by its rival Khaplang faction — wherein the latter has questioned the authenticity of the NSCN (I-M) in seeking a solution to the Naga problem — was the handiwork of Nagaland chief minister S.C. Jamir and the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).