Naga peace door: Centre oils hinges

In a move which could clear the decks for the return to India of outlawed Naga leaders and kickstart a process to break the age-old deadlock...

In a move which could clear the decks for the return to India of outlawed Naga leaders and kickstart a process to break the age-old deadlock in the insurgency-ridden hills, the Centre has begun sounding the governments of Nagaland, Manipur and Assam on lifting the ban on the NSCNI-M.

The new Central initiative follows a meeting in Bangkok in the first week of May between NSCNI-M leaders Thuingaleng Muivah and Isak Chishi Swu with K Padmanabhaiah, the Centre8217;s interlocutor on Nagaland, and Intelligence Bureau chief KP Singh.

Withdrawal of arrest warrants against the two I-M leaders is also on the anvil. Muivah is still on Manipur8217;s wanted list though Nagaland has done its bit to facilitate the I-M return by withdrawing all cases.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Padmanabhaiah said he was not involved in the decision-making which was the prerogative of the Home Ministry. 8216;8216;As far as I am concerned, it8217;s all there in the melting pot. I will get to know when the situation is ripe.8217;8217;

The ceasefire with the NSCNI-M, which came into effect on August 1, 1997 and has been extended every year thereafter, is due to run out this July 31. The meeting in Bangkok took place days after Home Minister L K Advani informed Lok Sabha on April 28 that the ceasefire with the NSCN Khaplang, which is opposed to the I-M, had been extended by another year.

Recalling that the Government had entered into a formal ceasefire with the Khaplang outfit for a period of one year from April 28 last year, Advani said, 8216;8216;during this period, there have been discussions between representatives of Government of India and the NSCN K. Both sides are satisfied with the progress made so far in implementing the ceasefire.8217;8217;

But it is the I-M which holds the key to a Naga peace process. Muivah himself is a Thangkul Naga from Ukhrul 8212; this tribe is a force in the Naga areas of Manipur though a section in Nagaland till date maintains they are not Nagas 8212; and the I-M is the dominant Naga insurgent group, calling the shots even in Konyak areas.

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With Nagaland due to go to polls next year, the Centre has stepped up its efforts to build fences with the I-M.