Vajpayee nods, NSCN ban to go

Clearing the way for the return of NSCN(IM) leaders for talks with the Government, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today gave his assent...

Clearing the way for the return of NSCN(IM) leaders for talks with the Government, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today gave his assent for lifting the ban on the insurgent group.

He left the modalities of lifting the ban to the Ministry of Home Affairs which has been tackling the sticky issue.

In a special meeting at Race Course Road to discuss the Naga peace process tonight, the PM agreed to soften the Government’s stand to find a solution to the decades-old insurgency problem in the Naga hills.

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Deputy PM L.K. Advani and Centre’s special emissary for Naga talks, K. Padmanabhaiah, were present. They had been pushing for lifting the ban.

This means that the ban on NSCN(IM) — which was to lapse on November 26 — will not be renewed. It will allow outfit leaders Thuingaleng Muivah and Isak Chishi Swu to travel to India for talks. Vajpayee, however, left it to the MHA officials to work out how much leeway to give to the NSCN(IM).

Other issues relating to the initiation of a political process with the NSCN leaders figured at the meeting. Padmanabhaiah had held several meetings with the Naga leaders in Bangkok and Amsterdam in the past few years.

Recently, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga also met Swu and Muivah in Bangkok to further the political process. It was only when the government realised that the NSCN(IM) leaders were willing to hold talks on ‘‘reasonable grounds’’ that they decided to lift the ban. Zoramthanga has expressed his willingness to play the facilitator for wooing ULFA leaders for a dialogue.

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Talking to reporters in Guwahati, Zoramthanga said he was satisfied with the response by NSCN(IM) leaders to peace talks and would love to help all states solve the insurgency problem if his services are called for.