Politics / Nagaland

Imphal, January 21: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Tuesday assured an all-party delegation from Manipur that the boundaries of the state will not be affected in the wake of the ongoing peace talks between Centre and Nagaland. The delegation leader and Chief Minister of Manipur Okram Ibobi Singh told newsmen that this assurance was given when the team met Vajpayee to discuss the impact of the talks on the state. Singh said Manipur also wanted a constitutional amendment for the maintenance of territorial integrity of the state. "We welcome Centre's peace talks with Nagaland but the...

IMPHAL, Jan 21 ? The oldest regional political party in Manipur, Manipur Peoples? Party (mpp) and ruling Secular Progressive Front (spf) alliance partner Democratic Peoples? Party (dpp) have cautioned the Government of India against adopting measures detrimental to the interests of the people of Manipur.

MPP president and Opposition leader O Joy Singh and party leader Dr Nimaichand Luwang, addressing media-persons at the party office on Monday, said the Centre should accord maximum respect to the State Assembly resolution on territorial integrity of Manipur.

Stating that in a democratic...

NEW DELHI, Jan 21 ? The formal round of negotiations between the Union Government and the NSCN (IM) got underway here today, even as the Central Government has shelved plans of immediately appointing a political interlocutor. The day-long talks between the Government of India and NSCN (IM) was held in two rounds at a secret location away from the media glare. The NSCN (IM) delegation was led by chairman, Isak Chisi Swu and included Th Muivah, their spokesman R H Raising, Grinder Muivah and Samson Jajo among others.

The Government of India was represented by its chief interlocutor, K...

New Delhi, Jan. 20: Eleven days after their arrival in the capital, the NSCN (I-M) leaders today held a meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi to seek the principal Opposition party?s support for peace talks to end Naga insurgency.

The meeting, held at Sonia Gandhi?s 10 Janpath official residence late this evening, was symbolic of the Congress party?s support to the Naga peace talks.

According to her political secretary Ambika Soni, Sonia Gandhi told the NSCN (I-M) leadership, ?We also want that the Naga issue should be settled at the earliest.?

However, Sonia Gandhi exercised extreme...

Kohima, Jan. 20: In a severe jolt to the ruling Congress in Nagaland ahead of the February Assembly elections, two senior leaders ? higher education minister T. Chuba and PCC vice-president Imkong Inchem ? quit the party today.

While Chuba joined the Nagaland People?s Front (NPF), Imkong is yet to announce his future plans. None of the leaders were, however, available for comments.

The NPF is part of the BJP-led ?Nagaland Democratic Alliance?, constituted with the single agenda of toppling chief minister S.C. Jamir and installing a ?pro-talks? government.

Former Nagaland chief minister and...

Dimapur, Jan. 20: With the spectre of violence looming over the Assembly polls in Nagaland, the Centre?s top man for ensuring proper implementation of the Naga ceasefire, Lt. Gen. (retd) R.V. Kulkarni, today called for restraint from all warring groups. Gen. Kulkarni is the chairman of the ceasefire bodies for both NSCN factions.

Stating that he was very much aware of the possibility of trouble during the polls in Nagaland, Gen. Kulkarni explained that ?to ensure that there are no smoking guns in the coming days?, he will soon hold meetings with the two dominant armed organisations, the NSCN...

KHUZA (Phek district) Jan 20 ? Will it bring the ultimate solution or will it usher in another period of bloodshed? While cautioning the Naga people not to expect an instant solution to the Naga political struggle, Nagaland Chief Minister SC Jamir cast a shadow of apprehension over the peace talks between the Government of India and the top brass of NSCN-IM. ?The Congress party shall be a bridge between the Government of India and the Naga people and if all factions of the underground unite and bring about a settlement better than the 16-point Agreement, we are ready to step down so as to...

Kohima, Jan. 19: Stressing the need to bury the hatchet among warring militant outfits in Nagaland, the Naga Hoho and the Church have submitted a ?unity formula? to the NSCN (I-M). The two influential establishments have sought a firm commitment from the insurgent outfit in this regard.

A delegation comprising Hoho leaders and Church representatives met Isak Chisi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah in New Delhi, apprising the duo of the need for reconciliation.

?The reconciliation is crucial to a permanent solution. We have made our stand very clear, that all other underground groups should also be...

NEW DELHI, Jan 19 ? MPs belonging to major political parties, including BJP and Congress, Saturday had a meeting with leaders of Naga insurgent outfit NSCN (I-M) after which its General Secretary Th Muivah said he was convinced that their voice was being heard, reports PTI. The luncheon meeting was hosted by Swaraj Kaushal of Haryana Vikas Party (HVP) who had earlier acted as the Centre?s interlocutor with the NSCN(I-M) before being replaced by K Padmanabhaiah.

When contacted, Kaushal said he told Muivah and NSCN(I-M) Chairman Isak Chisi Swu that the Naga problem had become a ?national issue...

New Delhi, January 18: Emotions overtook politics when the NSCN(I-M) delegation, including its two senior leaders T. Muivah and Isaak Swu, met 27 MPs cutting across party lines at a lunch hosted by India International Centre here today.

Muivah is believed to have told the MPs after the interaction: ‘‘We did not know that you are prepared to hear us. We have not been heard for 55 years. But we have been heard today.’’

The lunch meeting was hosted by MP Swaraj Kaushal, who was the interlocutor between the Government and the NSCN(I-M), in 1998-99. It was during his period that the two-month...