Sonia wrong, Statute has split Nagas: NSCNIM

While Sonia Gandhi said there was enough space in the Indian Constitution to resolve the Naga issue, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had last week said his Government would even go 8220;the extra mile8221; for finding it.

The NSCNI-M leader also said 10 years of ceasefire had passed 8220;simply like that8221; without any significant progress. 8220;There have been arrests, killings and a lot of provocation other than anything else,8221; he said.

Shimrang, who represents the NSCNI-M in the Ceasefire Monitoring Committee constituted by the Government of India in the wake of the ceasefire agreed upon in 1997, also said the NSCNI-M had already suggested a federal structure in order to resolve the Naga issue. 8220;We have already suggested a federal structure during the talks,8221; he said. The last time the Government of India and the NSCNI-M leaders met for talks was in November.

The NSCNI-M leader also accused security forces of provoking it by way of arrests of its cadres and raids on their houses. 8220;The security forces have killed over 100 men of ours since the ceasefire began in 1997. But because we are in a ceasefire agreement we have restrained ourselves as much as we can,8221; Shimrang said.

Accusing the Government of bullying, he said the security forces had arrested a number of its cadre since the imposition of President8217;s rule in Nagaland on January 3. 8220;Security forces search and raid our houses, and arrest and restrict movement of our men as if we are under house arrest. Such acts might even affect the talks process, you never know,8221; he said.

Claiming that the NSCNI-M had not touched a single security personnel since the ceasefire began, Shimrang said it was not an easy task to remain so.