Nagas on Mission South Africa

Posted by Sinlung
- NSCN-IM leaders meet Nelson Mandela to garner support
H. CHISHI
Kohima, May 8: Naga leaders booked tickets from Switzerland to South Africa just ahead of the IPL season, but not for cricket.
They were on a mission to meet Nelson Mandela in the hope that the African leader would support their cause like Mahatma Gandhi did 62 years ago.
The delegation of leaders from the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah), led by R.H. Raising, called on the former South African president and African National Congress leader and sought his intervention in taking the Naga peace process forward.
An NSCN (I-M) leader in Nagaland revealed this today and drew parallels with Naga National Council leader A.Z. Phizo’s rendezvous with Mahatma Gandhi at Bhangi colony ashram in 1947. During that meeting, Gandhi had reportedly told the Naga leaders that for him the Nagas were part of the Indian family, but if they (Nagas) thought otherwise, they had every right to be free.
A senior leader of the NSCN (I-M)’s ministry of information and publicity said the meeting with Mandela was part of their ongoing effort to garner support from world leaders for their cause. He described the meeting with the South African leader as “fruitful and encouraging,” but refused to divulge any further details.
The leaders of the militant outfit are currently meeting a cross-section of leaders and policy-makers in America, Europe, South Africa and Asia. The outfit has been engaged in peace talks with the Centre since 1997, but the issue has remained unresolved despite several rounds of meetings.
“World leaders need to be properly briefed about the Naga issue. As part of this briefing process, a delegation from our organisation met Mandela and had a very fruitful and encouraging meeting with him,” the official said.
For the “historic” meeting, the NSCN (I-M) leaders flew to South Africa from Switzerland last month. Apart from Mandela, the Naga leaders met other senior South African leaders.
The NSCN (I-M)’s latest drive to secure international support for settling the over six-decade-old Naga problem was preceded by a series of consultative meetings organised by Naga civil societies in Thailand and Nagaland to chart out the future course of action.
Meetings with Mandela assume significance as the Naga diaspora has been insisting on a non-violent movement.
The NSCN (I-M) chairman Isak Chishi Swu and general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah, too, have said they will not resume the “armed struggle” unless they are “forced” to do so by the Centre.