Manipur is back in the news. The National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah backed United Naga Council of Manipur has raised a fresh demand for 'creating a separate Union Territory or a separate state within the constitution of India,' in the just concluded tripartite talks held on December 3, in the Senapati district of Manipur.
The two sides agreed to meet again later in March, possibly in the last week of the month.
Security forces have mounted vigil along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh boundary to prevent United Liberation Front of Asom militants' anti-talks faction from sneaking into Assam through its eastern district of Tinsukia.
Naga students have the National Socialist Council of Nagaland - Isak-Muivah leader a rousing welcome.
The ongoing peace talks between the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-IM leadership and the Government of India have reached a 'sensitive stage' and efforts are on to iron out a longstanding solution to the over six decades old Naga political problem, observed P Chidambaram in his last press conference as the home minister.
The Myanmar govt has declared that it would go to the extent of scrapping its ceasefire with National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang if the underground group is found to be misusing its ceasefire agreement and allowing other Indian insurgent groups to stay in its designated 'Naga zone' in Myanmar which enjoys benefits of ceasefire including permission to move freely with no fear of arrest.
The National Socialist Council of Nagaland Isak Muivah on said the recent statement of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the territorial integrity of Manipur was 'unfortunate' and it might affect the on-going Naga peace process.
Following the week-long standoff between the Nagas and the Manipur government over Thuingaleng Muivah's visit to his native village, the Congress core committee decided not to allow the separatist leader to enter the state. After prolonged deliberations, the party top-brass on Wednesday felt that the visit of the country's top rebel leader from the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-IM might worsen the law and order situation in Manipur.
The Manipur government declared as 'wanted' the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-IM militant, who had allegedly molested a Manipuri film actress, as protests against it grew on the third day of the indefinite bandh and curfew was clamped in the entire valley area to defuse the situation on Monday.
The ruling People's Democratic Party on Tuesday welcomed the "historic peace accord" between the Centre and Nagaland's National Socialist Council of Nagaland-IM, saying a similar approach was needed in Kashmir and suggested that the four-point formula propounded by former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf could be used as a 'launching pad'.
Criticising the NSA's recent statement that the peace talks had slowed down and it could move forward if only the NSCN (I-M) agreed to broad parameters under the Indian Union, the outfit termed the remarks, at a time when the peace talks have entered a crucial phase, as 'irresponsible'.
National Socialist Council of Nagaland -- Isak-Muivah leader T Muivah, camping at a border village since Wednesday, is understood to have put on hold his visit to his native village in Manipur after the Centre asked him to defer it and plan his tour in a more congenial atmosphere.
The next round of formal peace talks between the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Issac-Muivah) General Secretary Thuingaleng Muivah and the centre's interlocutor Mr R S Pandey is expected to take place on Wednesday amidst reports that both sides have been able to iron out many ticklish issues which were pending for last several years.
A political agreement by any group with the Centre to resolve the protracted Naga problem without the consent of the people would "only lead to more bloodshed among Nagas", the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang has said.
The 68th round of peace talks between the Centre and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah leadership, by all indications, are heading for a deadlock, as the both sides are rigid on the issues of sovereignty.
Sources within the NSCN, indicated that the incorporation of the four Naga-inhabited districts of Manipur, two districts of Arunachal Pradesh and some parts of Assam is the main issue which is causing delay in finding out an acceptable solution to the Naga problem. Once this issue is settled, other issues can be solved within a very short period.
The National Socialist Council of Nagaland - Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) on Wednesday termed as an insult the 'inclusive package' offered by the Centre and said that nothing except integration of Naga-inhabited areas in the north-east is acceptable to the Nagas.The Centre has ruled out the integration demand and offered an 'inclusive package' to the NSCN-IM. The Naga problem cannot be resolved through social, economic and cultural packages, the NSCN-IM said.
The chairman of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang faction) S S Khaplang has asked all the 12 elected legislators of the Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh to quit the ruling government or face the consequences. The alleged letter categorically directed all the 12 MLAs to corner Arunachal Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu.
Chipu Menon, senior leader of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim-Khaplang faction, a self-styled brigadier in the outfit, was assassinated by suspected cadres of the rival NSCN-IM group at Mon in Nagaland on Thursday night, intelligence sources in New Delhi said
Demand for repeal of the act found echoes in the nation's Parliament with National People's Party (NPP) MP Agatha Sangma, a former Minister in the United Progressive Alliance government, terming the act as 'the elephant in the room which (needs to) be addressed' and seeking the 'draconian' Act be repealed.
'All the hard work of 23 years of Indo-Naga political talks having passed through six successive prime ministers is coming to a nauseating end because of the mischief that keeps boiling in the hands of this interlocutor who has become more a liability than anything,' the NSCN IM said.
The agreement for the ceasefire was signed by interlocutor for the Naga talks K Padmanabhiah and NSCN (IM) General Secretary Thuingaleng Muivah.
'I am happy to announce the appointment of R S Pandey as the interlocutor and the representative of the government of India to hold talks with NSCN-IM,' Home Minister P Chidambaram said in a statement.
The infighting in Naga rebel group, National Socialist Council of Nagaland - Khaplang has led to its Myanmar-based chairman S S Khaplang expelling Khole Konyak from the post of commander-in-chief of the self-styled 'Naga Army' with immediate effect.
The United Liberation Front of Asom on Monday accused the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) of killing its two cadres and abducting seven, a charge denied by the Naga group.
"This time, we want something concrete from the government on our demands. Otherwise it is futile to meet only for the extension of the ceasefire," NSCN-IM spokesman Tongmeth Wangnao Konyak told PTI on phone.
The Assam Rifles has thwarted an attempt by the National Socialist Council of Nagaland- Isak-Muivah rebels who are in truce with Government of India forces, to set up a designated camp near the Siroy village in Ukhrul district of Manipur, even as the stand off between the Naga rebels and the Assam Rifles personnel continued in the area.
Speaking at Camp Hebron, the NSCN-IM's central headquarters, Swu said New Delhi's recognition of the 'unique history and situation' of the Naga people had not been translated into reality.
The 60-metre-long bridge on river Irang is 70 km from Imphal and located between Khongsang and Noney in Naga-dominated Tamenglong district.
The NSCN (IM) has been operating from South Asian territories since nearly four decades. It entered into a ceasefire agreement with the government in 1997.
Investigation has revealed that the Special Force Operation team had not followed the Standard Operating Procedure and the Rules of Engagement
The delegates made a declaration and handed over a copy of it to NSCN (I-M) chairman Isak Chishi Swu and its general secretary Th Muivah.
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