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Journalism of Courage
With the crucial Naga talks hitting a deadlock, Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani today pulled up Centre’s interlocutor K. Padmanabhaiah, asking him to find a solution quickly.
The talks had reached an impasse with NSCN (I-M) leaders Isak Chisi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah sticking to their main demand for a Greater Nagaland. Their January visit to India — which had raised hopes of a breakthrough to the long-standing Naga problem — seemed to be a thing of the past. The follow-up meeting between the rebels and Padmanabhaiah, held in Geneva last month, ended on a pessimistic note.
‘‘The government is now trying to work out a package, by agreeing to some other demands in lieu of their giving up the Nagalim (Greater Nagaland) demand. However, Isak and Muivah have made it very clear that they will be no talks if the government was not willing to discuss Greater Nagaland. And the government cannot make any unilateral commitment on the issue since it will have to involve other affected states including Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh,’’ said sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
The rebel leaders had also said there would be no more talks in India. They had never really given up on their main demand and had made it a point to mention it whenever questioned by the media during their visit. The political leadership had, however, maintained that none of the prickly issues were being discussed at that stage and talks were on track.
Both Isak and Muivah had steadfastly maintained that ‘‘there was no Greater or Smaller Nagaland, only Nagaland’’. Muivah had made it explicit that all land inhabited by Nagas was Nagaland, whether it was Ukhrul in Manipur or areas in Assam. Ukhrul, he had said, was the land of his forefathers, and his land too.
He had made tougher statements, saying the destiny of Nagas — as also their sovereignty — must be left to them to decide. ‘‘Nagaland was divided arbitrarily, and anybody who is opposed to this will be very sorry,’’ he had said.
The government, at that time, did not take the statements very seriously. ‘‘The interlocutor briefed us that things were under control. But now they are not going anywhere. Padmanabhaiah has been told to shape up and find a solution agreeable to all. He is the only one NSCN leaders are comfortable with, so the government will persist with him for some time,’’ sources added.
