The Hindu : National : NSCN wants integration of Naga areas

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 28, 2005

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NSCN wants integration of Naga areas

By Sushanta Talukdar

GUWAHATI, MARCH 27. The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) said today that an honourable solution to the "Indo-Naga conflict" was not possible without the integration of Naga-inhabited areas.

The underground outfit also appealed to the "neighbouring Indian States of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh" to acknowledge the "unique history of the Nagas" and not oppose the integration.

The NSCN (IM)'s map of Nagalim territory, comprising the Naga-inhabited areas of the region, includes the hill districts of Manipur and parts of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

Foremost condition

The Deputy `Kilo Kilonser' (Home Minister) of the NSCN (IM)-run parallel government of the `People's Republic of Nagalim,' V. Horam, told The Hindu over phone that during the peace talks, now on in New Delhi, the NSCN (IM) explained to the Government of India that any honourable solution had to apply to a certain area and, hence, the integration of all Naga-inhabited areas was the first and foremost condition for the peace talks to achieve the desired result.

"We acknowledge and respect what is rightful for the Assamese, Meities and Arunachalese. So, they should also acknowledge what is rightful to the Nagas and respect the unique history of the Naga people. They should not make any fuss over the issue of integration of Naga-inhabited areas because the existing demarcation of geographical boundaries was done without the consent of the Naga people," he said.

The NSCN (IM) believes in peaceful co-existence with the traditional neighbours and wants more people-to-people dialogue.

Negotiations on

About the progress of the peace talks, he said the NSCN (IM) led by its general secretary, Thuingaleng Muivah, was negotiating with the Government of India on substantive issues. "We had raised about 30 different issues and about half of them have already been discussed at great length."

However, there has been no negotiation on the issue of sovereignty. "The sovereignty of Nagas is non-negotiable. The peace talks are mainly about relation between the two nations in different spheres and about co-existence."

On Saturday, a team of Assam Ministers and legislators of the ruling Congress visited the Assam-Nagaland border areas to take stock of the situation. The Minister of State for Home, Rockybul Hussain, said the team would submit a written report to the Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi, on their findings.

The team addressed a public meeting in Doyang area.

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