Dimapur, June 28 : Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) Chairman Isak Chishi Swu, passed away this afternoon after a prolonged illness in New Delhi.
The 87-year-old Swu was undergoing treatment for almost a year at a private Fortis Hospital in South Delhi where he breathed his last at around 12: 27 P.M following multi-organ failure. Swu is survived by his wife Mrs Khulu Isak, five sons and a daughter.
Sources from NSCN (IM) informed Eastern Mirror that Swu was surrounded by his family and members of NSCN (IM) who were taking care of him during his illness. A service for the late Naga leader will be held at Nagaland House Delhi on June 29 at 5 p.m.
The mortal remains will arrive Dimapur on June 30. On July 1, a state funeral service will be held at Hebron and on July 2 a condolence service will be conducted which is being organized by Naga Hoho and civil societies. On July 3, his mortal remains will be taken to Chishilimi (his native place) from Dimapur. On July 4, a funeral and committal services will be performed for the late Naga leader.
Muivah said people of Nagaland were waiting for him and the group will have to respect their wish.
In 1997, NSCN-IM entered into a truce with the Central government for peace and since then has been continuing dialogue with Centre's emissaries.
In August last year, the NSCN-IM signed a framework agreement with the government which Prime Minister Narendra Modi described as a "historic" step to usher in peace in the state.
The pact was signed in the presence of the Prime Minister, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval by Muivah and government's interlocutor R N Ravi at the PM's residence here.
The signing of the pact came after over 80 rounds of negotiations that spanned 16 years with first breakthrough in 1997 when the ceasefire agreement was sealed.
PTI Adds: NSCN-IM today hoped that a solution to the decades-old Naga insurgency problem will be found soon, as the outfit paid tribute to its chairman Isak Chishi Swu, who passed away here.
"Government of India is serious and we are also serious. Our commitment is there. We are hopeful for a solution soon," NSCN-IM general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah told reporters after paying glowing tributes to his long-time colleague and the chairman.
Muivah said progress has been made in the ongoing peace dialogue between the NSCN-IM and the government's emissary. The Naga leader said Swu's demise was a shock but could not be avoided.
"The departure of the chairman is a shock but this is what we can't avoid. We wanted him to be with us till the end of the solution. My tribute," he told reporters here.
Meanwhile, huge condolence messages continued to pour in from various quarters.
Governor: PB Acharya in his message to Mrs. Khulu Isak, wife of Late Isak Chishi Swu expressed great shock at the passing away of Swu.
The governor said, the Nagas have lost one of the most influential and courageous leaders who spent all his life for the cause of Nagas.
“The contribution of Isak Chishi Swu, Chairman of the NSCN (IM) for the frame work agreement signed between GOI and NSCN (IM) has been enormous. His guidance and contributions will remain vital. It is unfortunate that he is not in our midst to participate on the final agreement between GOI and NSCN (IM) which is heading towards the final stage. The vacuum caused by his departure will be very hard to fill.”
Chief Minister: TR Zeliang recalled, “On the several occasions that I have had the privilege to interact with him I have always been impressed by his dedication to the cause of the Naga people – the cause for which he had forsaken the numerous opportunities of personal comfort he could have easily availed as one of the few Naga graduates in the 1950s.”
Describing Swu as a ‘thorough gentleman, soft spoken and God-fearing’, Zeliang said, “Uncle Isak always had a word of guidance for the younger Naga leaders that the fear of the Lord should be, and must be, the guiding spirit for any leader so as to lead the people in the right direction. If God is on our side, no problem is too big to be insurmountable, he had been quoted on several occasions.”
“However, to ensure the memory, life and contributions of our legendary leader do not go in vain, we the living must endeavor to fulfill the precious dream he could not witness when alive: Let all sections of the Naga people come together, sink our differences and concertedly work to bring about an early solution to the Naga problem.”
“Let the living also learn from the testimony of uncle’s life: Though he had taken up armed struggle when the Naga movement was at its peak, he had realized the futility of violence to solve any political problem and he had opted for peaceful negotiations to find a solution. And to uphold his aspirations let us, in his memory, resolve to fulfill his cherished dream to bring a peaceful and negotiated settlement as early as possible so that we Nagas can hold our heads high in the comity of peoples and Nations.”
SC Jamir: Governor of Odisha and former chief minister of Nagaland Dr. SC Jamir in his message said, the passing away of veteran and recognized Naga Political leader and Chairman of the NSCN (IM), Issac Swu came as a big shock.
Jamir said, though basically religious minded, Swu had always firm belief in peace and non-violence. Prior to joining the Naga movement, Jamir recalled, Swu was one of the champions to restore peace in the trouble-torn Nagaland in the late Fifties.
“As a matter of fact, he and late Gohovi Sumi were sent as peace emissaries to the Naga Federal Government but they never returned back from there. Since then in different capacities and position, he played an important role in the Naga independent movement with full commitment and dedication. All through the perilious Naga political pilgrimage, he never deserted his political ideology and remained steadfast in his approach.”
Jamir said, Nagaland today desperately seeks a congenial political environment burying all the differences among different sections of the Naga community and reinventing a dynamic and progressive Naga society rooted in the spirit of peace, harmony and feeling of oneness.
“Dedicating to this cause by drawing inspiration and motivation from his eventful life will be the best tribute to Issac Swu. His death is indeed a great loss to the Nagas at this critical moment. After all, life is not in our hands.”
FNR: Forum for Naga Reconciliation deep sorrow at the news of the demise of Swu and recalled, ever since the Forum was formed in March 2008, Swu extended his unwavering support to the works and initiatives of the Forum, which will always remembered with appreciations.
“Isak Chishi Swu may no more be with us in physical form, but his spirit, his works and his leadership as a pioneer of the Naga National movement till his last breath, is a testimony of the firmest of Naga rights, who was not only a friend and leader of the Nagas, but also of the world’s community. Even as a very elderly person, age and years did not deter him and he moved and worked, poised with commitments as belonging to all and was never limited by walls of separation.”
“Today, the promise of Christ’s resurrection is for Chairman Isak to have and then for the Naga people. And with death no longer posing as the wall of separation in between sides, let us creatively work out that unconquerable life in the midst of death already present.”
“And as Chairman Swu passionately gave unreserved support to Naga Reconciliation, in his death, let all Nagas conquer and abolish alienations amongst us, even as we recall his last message on March 22, 2016, where he asked all Nagas to “unite in the spirit of forgiveness”. “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love our brothers and sisters” (1. John 3 :14)
