NSCN-IM talks of new ties

Swu rules out ‘relationship’ within Constitution

Kohima, March 20 : The NSCN (Isak-Muivah) has ruled out any solution within the Constitution as the countdown to the next round of Indo-Naga peace talks at Zurich in Switzerland begins. NSCN (I-M) chairman Isak Chishi Swu said in a statement from Bangkok that there was no question of a relationship within the Indian Union. “But we have been talking about how to have a new relationship, like two entities,” he said and expressed hope that the Centre would hasten the process of the construction of the new relationship.  Swu was reacting to Union home minister P. Chidambaram’s recent statement that any solution to the Naga problem would have to be within the ambit of the Constitution.  Swu said they would question the Indian representatives about the statement during the talks.  The talks are scheduled to be held at the end of this month.  The NSCN (I-M) chairman said it was 12 years since the group had entered into a ceasefire with Delhi and was holding peace parleys with the Centre.  If the Centre wanted to delay the solution to the Naga issue, the group would have to take some other step but would not announce it now. “We shall do it afterwards,” he added.  According to Swu, the Centre had assured the NSCN (I-M) that it would table an interim proposal, but had later retreated. “They said they do not have an agenda to discuss. They are delaying the matter in this way,” he added.  The NSCN (I-M) has already submitted its proposals to the Centre.  The last round of talks held at Amsterdam from December 7 to 9 failed to break the deadlock, as the Centre could not table the “interim proposal” as sought by the NSCN (I-M).  Swu said they would stress on the Centre’s delaying tactics in the next round of talks.  Though the Naga talks have not progressed as expected, Swu ruled out armed confrontation. He, however, did not rule out breakdown of the ceasefire. He said the Indian security forces were trying to create a situation that would compel the NSCN to break the truce.  “We are not afraid to fight, but that is not going to solve the problem soon. That will simply delay it. We want to reason and bring the solution soon. We believe India also (wants to solve the problem soon). They have so many problems, so they should solve the problem which can be handled now. So they must also try to be reasonable,” the NSCN (I-M) chairman said.  He hoped that New Delhi would approach the problem realistically and the two sides would come to understand each other to have a close relationship between India and “Nagalim”.  The outfit sought a “third party” intervention to take the Naga peace process forward.