Nagaland insurgency to be resolved in time-bound manner: CM (IANS Interview)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is "serious" and is looking at time-bound steps for an early resolution of the decades-old separatist problem in Nagaland, Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang said Saturday.

"Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and Home Minister (Rajnath Singh) have told us that the government has decided to adopt time-bound discussion to resolve the six-decade-old separatist Naga movement," Zeliang told IANS in an exclusive interview here.

The centre and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) entered into a ceasefire agreement in August 1997. More than 50 rounds of talks have been held to end the insurgency that is said to have claimed 25,000 lives since 1947.

"I feel that the present government in New Delhi is serious and the new interlocutor R.N. Ravi is also serious about solution to the Naga political problem. The government has also invited the NSCN (IM) leader to New Delhi to resume talks and I am told they will be leaving soon. Therefore, we have high hopes that this problem can be addressed by the new government," said Zeliang, who was once a Rajya Sabha member.

However, Zeliang refused to reveal the formula for a lasting solution to the six-decade-old separatist movement in the state.

"We (the Nagaland government) are not participating in the talks, we are only facilitators.... If the central government comes out with an offer, we will also play our role," said Zeliang, who has been elected to the 60-member Nagaland assembly for five consecutive terms.

"If that formula is acceptable to the people, all the separatist rebel factions should also agree. If it is not acceptable to the people, we cannot say anything. But if the offer given by the Indian government is acceptable to the people, we will also be a good facilitator," he said.

Asked for his response to the feeling among many Naga intellectuals and others that talks with the NSCN (IM) will not ensure lasting peace since other groups like the Naga National Council (which started the Naga secessionist movement) are not part of peace process, Zeliang said: "If the outcome of the talks is acceptable to the people, everybody should agree. But if the outcome is not acceptable to the people, nobody will agree."

"But the Central government has taken note of the unique history of the Nagas. So their offer will be also genuine, which should be acceptable to the people....If the people agree, other factions also should agree," he said.

The NSCN (IM) has been fighting for an independent Nagaland for over six decades. But since the peace talks began, it has scaled down the demand to a "Greater Nagaland," including parts of three neighbouring States to unite areas inhabited by around 1.5 million Nagas.

Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh have opposed the demand.

"Today, people think more about economic sovereignty. We should be self-sufficient. We should produce more than what we require, so that we can also export our products. So, that is the main focus of the people," Zeliang stated.

"The Nagaland assembly has passed four resolutions that all Naga inhabited areas should be integrated. But all depends on the talks, the outcome of the talks," the chief minister added.

Zeliang said his government would soon revive the assembly's Joint Legislators Forum to meet the negotiating parties in the peace talks, the Indian government and the rebel groups, as well as various political parties, to apprise them of the sense of the house and to urge upon them to expedite the peace process.

On Manipur opposing the integration of the Naga inhabited areas in that state with Nagaland, Zeliang said, "If the central government thinks that this (integration of Naga inhabited areas) is workable, it should be accepted."

"If it is not within the Indian constitution, the constitution has to be amended. If it is within the constitution, they should work out the integration," he added.

"When Nagaland was created (carved out of Assam), the demarcation was done without the consent of the people....That is why the integration demand is a genuine demand. But it is up to the central government, whether they agree or not," Zeliang said.

But he hastened to add that Nagaland has no say in demanding the integration of ethnic Hemi Nagas inhabiting Myanmar's Sagaing division as it is an "international issue".

On some sections of the Naga people opposing the appointment of R.N. Ravi, who retired as Intelligence Bureau special director, as the government interlocutor for the peace talks, Zeliang admitted that there are some sections of people who are apprehensive about his earlier statements on the issue.

"I think he (Ravi) is prepared to work out a solution....I have discussed the issue with him. And he said: 17 years' dialogue is too long. We should resolve this Naga problem. I think he is positive, so we expect that things would be ok", the Nagaland chief minister concluded.

(Raymond Kharmujai can be contacted at rrkharmujai@gmail.com)