Seriousness in Naga peace talks becomes visible; consultations underway in informal manner

TR Zeliang, Central leaders discuss Naga issue; TR returning to Kohima on Thursday Our Bureau DIMAPUR, APRIL 7 Seriousness of the Naga peace talks becomes visible with the NSCN-IM leaders carrying out consultation spree among the Nagas while Central leaders discussed the Naga issue with Chief Minister T R Zeliang on Tuesday. Sources said Chief Minister T R Zeliang who rushed to New Delhi on Monday will be back in the state capital on Thursday after discussing on the Naga issue with the Central leaders. The Chief Minister was asked to come to Delhi by the Centre for ‘an emergency meeting’ in connection with the Naga political issue. Sources said discussions were held today between the Chief Minister and the Central leaders and more discussions are likely to take place on Wednesday between them. Meanwhile, in the past few weeks NSCN-IM leaders have been taking opinions and carrying out consultations with the Naga public leaders, civil society organizations and intellectuals in the state regarding the Naga political issue. Some of the NSCN-IM leaders have gone back to New Delhi on Monday after collecting opinions. Sources said consultations and sharing of opinions between the NSCN-IM leaders and the public leaders and civil society organizations will continue. It can be noted here that under the new format of talks over 40 rounds of talks have been held in the past few months. Centre will not tolerate ceasefire violation : Rijiju PTI ITANAGAR, APRIL 7 Sending out a strong message to insurgent groups active in the North East, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju today said the Centre will not tolerate any violation of ceasefire agreement. "If any group violates ceasefire agreement, action will be taken against them. No group can operate outside the ceasefire operation area," Rijiju said replying to questions by the media on the ambush of an army convoy by suspected NSCN in Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh on April 2 last in which three jawans were killed. NSCN factions, he said, cannot operate in the territory of Arunachal Pradesh which is against the ceasefire agreement. "The group involved in the Tirap ambush has fled to Myanmar and the MHA is chalking out strategies to counter such incidents," he said adding action would be taken against those involved in it. "If they continue to violate ceasefire agreement, there will be repercussion from our side too," he said. Responding to a question on peace talks with the insurgent outfits of the region, Rijiju emphatically said no talks were possible until the groups gave up violence and surrendered. "They will have to surrender with arms and come to the negotiation table. We will provide suitable rehabilitation package for them and initiate dialogues," he said. Moreover there would be no more talks on the political level for which the government had appointed interlocutors to initiate dialogues with the ultra groups of the region. "We have already directed the interlocutors to expedite the talk process for a permanent solution to bring peace into the region," he added. Ceasefire between the Centre and NSCN(IM) was signed for the first time in July 1997 and has been extended several times till July 2007 when it was extended indefinitely. The ceasefire with Mynamar-based NSCN(K) came into being in 2001 but the outfit had recently abrogated it.