In Manipur, yet so far: Ukhrul is with Muivah at peace talks in Delhi

‘‘If Muivah says leaders in Delhi sound sincere about resolving the problem, there’s no reason why anyone should doubt that. Nobody can read their moves better. He has fought them for years. And he is the one man who can end the fighting the day he decides. We believe him,’’ says the 30-something who sells music cassettes by the roadside.

Others around him, presumably Tangkhuls, nod in agreement and tell you to ‘‘wait and watch.’’

There’s nothing very attractive about Ukhrul except its thick jungles. More than 100 km of the border with Myanmar is unguarded, one reason why it was so easy for Naga insurgency to take firm root in this north-east corner of Manipur.

The jungle provides refuge and shuts out patrols as it extends its dense cover deep inside Myanmar.

Long before Muivah carved out his name and space, Ukhrul fed the Naga insurgency when it began in the mid-50s under the underground Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN).

When some from the FGN signed the Shillong Accord in 1975, Muivah and Isak Chishi Swu refused to be a party. In 1980, they joined hands with S S Khaplang, who hails from Upper Burma, to form NSCN. Ukhrul and other Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur became NSCN territory.

But in 1988, Khaplang broke away. Isak and Muivah became the I-M and retained control of the Naga-majority areas.

Ukhrul today believes Muivah will never broker a truce which lets them down. At Humpum, near the district headquarters, Thangkul boys crowd around you, telling you to ‘‘write the truth that Muivah is a hero.’’

The mere mention of Khaplang has them on the boil: ‘‘He betrayed Muivah. And he is from Upper Burma. He doesn’t belong here.’’ But shouldn’t Manipur be made party to the resolution of the Naga problem? After all, Ukhrul is part of Manipur.

Pat comes the answer: ‘‘What have the Meiteis got to do with the Naga issue? Muivah will sort it out, everything will be normal. We don’t have Meiteis here. We have nothing against them but they are making a noise as if we have just moved in.’’

On his home turf, it’s advantage Muivah, the one man Ukhrul believes will get the Nagas their due. That’s why they have their gaze fixed on Delhi.