With Prime Minister Manmohan Singh intervening personally to sort out hurdles in Naga peace talks, the NSCN (I-M) leaders have finally agreed they would visit India to continue the dialogue. Tentatively scheduled to fly from Amsterdam on December 5, it took an ‘‘official clarification’’ from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to convince the insurgent leaders to change their mind.Isak Chisi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah were earlier supposed to come on November 28, on the invitation of the Prime Minister. Centre’s interlocutor K. Padmanabhaiah had carried the invitation to them when he met the insurgent leaders in Bangkok in September.However, during Manmohan Singh’s visit to the Hague last month, the Naga leaders conveyed through interlocutors their reservations over the proposed visit. Swu and Muivah backed out, accusing the Home Ministry of supporting rival Naga rebel groups NSCN (K) and NNC, to the extent of helping the latter acquire arms.Keen to take the peace process forward, the PM took upon himself to remove the hurdles. It was only after Singh’s intervention that the Centre issued a clarification to them to remove the ‘‘misunderstanding’’ and clear way for their visit.The NSCN (I-M) leaders propose to stay in India for four-five months, celebrating Christmas and talking to people of Nagaland, and political leaders of the country.‘‘The NSCN (I-M) leaders had complained that a senior minister in Neiphiu Rio’s Cabinet was helping NNC (Phizo’s Naga National Council) arm itself with weapons, including SLRs. We got the allegation investigated and found some truth in it. The CM has been told to rein in the minister. Home Minister Shivraj Patil was asked to take up the issue with Rio. Last week, Patil met Rio and told him to pull up his socks to ensure a smooth Naga peace process,’’ an official said.The NSCN (I-M) leaders were informed that the problem had been sorted out. They were also given the assurance that the Centre was negotiating peace only with them, and not with any other group, including NSCN (K). ‘‘We told them that the peace process with them was at a delicate stage and the government did not want to do anything to derail it,’’ the official added.The insurgent leaders had taken exception to a NSCN (K) statement that the I-M faction had given up the Naga cause and sold out to the Indian government.
