Peace talks in jeopardy, NSCN negotiating under duress
- A Naga International Support Center, NISC -

NISC mobile office 26 February 2011

Peace talks in jeopardy, NSCN negotiating under duress as Anthony Shimray remains in custody.

How to remove stumbling blocks hampering the peace process? Sincerity the key to a mutually successful solution!

The Prime Minister of India recently met with the Naga delegation in Delhi to talk eye to eye on the progress of the peace talks between India and Nagaland. The crucial points discussed were: sincerity, expediting the talks to reach an honorable solution in the wake of the arrest and detaining of Anthony Shimray, head of Foreign Affairs. Also the chairman of the NSCN handed the PM a copy of the letter on Anthony Shimray.

Since 1997, when the ceasefire was signed as a prerequisite for peace talks, the Government of India and the Naga People together have weathered 14 years and a formidable number of rounds of talks. The Prime Minister of India upon a question posed to him by the Chairman of the NSCN, Mr. Isak Chishi Swu, answered that the Government of India is sincere in pursuing an honorable solution for this age old conflict which spans no less than six decades.

This of course is a laudable answer of the revered Prime Minister and sincerity indeed is the crucial ointment for the peace machinery to run smoothly and steadily.

The Naga International Support Center, NISC, congratulates the Government of India with this initiative put in words through the Prime Minister eloquently and concisely.

However stating stimulating words is one thing, yet translating them into action is quite another. So, although NISC does not question the will of the Government of India to be sincere to make the peace talks meaningful, NISC puts question marks on what the Government of India actually does. Fourteen years of talks have not led to anything tangible but to stalling for time; something which the Government of India hopes or even expects that Nagas will eventually subside and their determination will to resist to dominance fizzles out..

Yet, Nagas as one or partially divided, want to live as a free people. They want to determine their own future, they want to govern themselves. Though this is something which quite known to the Government of India it does not honor this strong desire of the Naga People but instead put Nagas in a prison, the prison of military confinement.

On his way to another round of peace talks a prominent leader of the Nagas, Anthony Shimray, was arrested in a foreign land and put in jail under the charges of procuring arms to wage war against India and to side with China. Thus:

- Is it so that the Government of India is unaware of the fact that it is waging war against the people of Nagaland?
- Is it so that the prime policy of the Government of India is to drive the Nagas into Chinese arms, or
- Could it be that India is playing its delaying tactics so divisions among the Nagas are widened and reconciliation cannot take place?

Government of India through Prime Minister if you want to be sincere in practice then put your words into action:
- talk peace sans the idea of loosing face
- release all political Naga prisoners; this includes Anthony Shimray
- withdraw all troops
- recognize the right to self determination of the Nagas, the right you have signed of the UNO covenant