Naga rebel group gen secy held in Bangkok

Sources in the Union Home Ministry insist it is too early to comment on the fate of the negotiations because of the "fluid situation" that has developed in view of Muivah’s "alleged" arrest that took place at the Bangkok Airport on January 19. "So far, we do not even know for sure that he has been arrested. Let the facts become clear first; only then can we make a broad assessment of the situation," a senior North Block official said.

Sources close to Padmanabhaiah said his visit to Europe was on since no confirmation of Muivah’s arrest had come so far from any quarter. Another strange aspect of the matter, it was pointed out, is that NSCN(IM) which is always quick to issue statements concerning the outfit has not come out with information even nine days after the "arrest".

"This is what has perplexed us," say Home Ministry officials, adding that even earlier false reports about Muivah had been played up by the media (one such report in the early ’90s had said that he had been killed and his body was fished out from a river).

According to an agency report, Muivah and his associate I Shimre were arrested for having fake South Korean passports when they arrived in Bangkok from Karachi.

The Home Ministry, however, does not seem too convinced by the sequence of events leading to the "arrest". During the past few years, point out officials, Muivah and other NSCN senior leaders have set up operational bases in Thailand and Philippines, which implied implicit consent of the authorities of these two countries. Otherwise, the top leaders of the outfit keep moving from one country to another, without holding any one passport but preferring Europe as the venue for negotiations with the Government.

As for the peace talks that began soon after the Government signed a cease-fire accord with the NSCN(IM) on August 1, 1997 – much to the chagrin of Nagaland Chief Minister S C Jamir – not much progress has been achieved till date. Both sides are stuck on the question of honouring the Indian Constitution to address the vexed Naga problem. While the NSCN is bent upon bypassing the Constitution, the Government has put its foot down.

Late last year, the cease-fire agreement with the NSCN was extended till July 2000.