Even as top National Socialist Council of Nagalim (IM) leaders — chairman Issak Chisi Swu and general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah — arrived in New Delhi on January 21 from Bangkok, and have been holding informal parleys with the government, the outfit on Sunday said that resolving the Naga issue without due recognition to Naga political and historical realities would only lead to a failure. “Solution reached at the expense of the Naga political and historical realities will lead both the parties (the government and the NSCN) back to square one,” a press release e-mailed to The Indian Express by the “ministry of information and publicity” of the “Government of the People’s Republic of Nagalim” said.
The organisation accused the Central government of pursuing a “carrot and stick policy” and said that while Muivah and Swu were being accorded a warm welcome by New Delhi, several other leaders were “deliberately” branded as criminals. The reference was to the arrest of Koningam, a deputy minister, and “Major General” Ningkhan Shimray, a top functionary of the NSCN’s armed wing, who were arrested on their way to Delhi.
“The Naga people express their high appreciation and gratitude to the government of India for taking all the necessary troubles in making his (Muivah’s) trip safe and sound in spite of hurdles here and there. At the same time, our people express their unhappiness over their carrot and stick policy,” the statement said.
It added, “We are afraid that indecisiveness in the talks will create more commotion, turmoil and breach of trust between the two parties. ... in spite of all these apprehensions, the Naga people hope and trust that the government of India will take positive steps with utmost sincerity and strong political will in the coming round of talks.”
The NSCN(IM) has been in a ceasefire with the government since 1997.