Dimapur, December 18 (MExN): Adding colour to its frustration, the NSCN-IM today stated, “Unique is the historical and political rights of the Nagas but strange is the way the government of India is changing its colour in handling the Indo-Naga issue that has dragged on for too many years”. The group has wondered why at a “crucial stage” when people await the government to announce a basis for the Naga political solution, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the Ministry of Home Affairs has issued summons to some top leaders of NSCN and arrested some Naga Army officers at will. The government of India has been blamed on this account for “not tightening the rein on NIA”.
Mention may be made that ‘Major’ Clinson was arrested in Halflong area of Assam on December 16, while ‘Brig.’ Absalom was arrested from Gauhati railway station. “These few incidents do not augur well for finding peaceful Indo-Naga political solution,” said the group’s Ministry of Information and Publicity.
The press statement said that the NIA is found to be “stretching its hand too far” serving court summons to some NSCN members like Francis, Col. Levi, Reisang Zimik, Kilonser, Ms. Ayao and Dy. Kilonser Ambison in connection with the Lungpha village case in Ukhrul district of Manipur. It added that “the Lungpha case has already been solved as per the customary law and the interference of NIA is unwarranted”.
The NSCN-IM said that it finds unacceptable that at this “crucial stage” of the Indo-Naga solution, the Indian Criminal Law is being applied to its leaders under one pretext or the other.
This, it said, “is not in keeping with the spirit of finding Naga political solution through peaceful means. Military means has been tested and found obsolete. Because Naga issue is a political matter and therefore no other means other than political talks be given the seriousness, not allowing NIA to pollute the Indo-Naga political talks”.
Double standard policy, said their statement, will never help solve the Naga problem but it will only complicate the matter.
“Rumblings in the course of Indo-Naga ceasefire operation is something not unexpected. However, anything that goes against the spirit of peaceful talks for finding lasting political solution is not to be accepted in any manner. Political correction with vision and sincerity and not forcing criminal law against the NSCN members will certainly help create conducive atmosphere for a meaningful Naga political solution,” stated the release.
