Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 05, 2010:
With the Centre-NSCN (IM) talks underway in New Delhi, the Arunachal Pradesh Government today expressed opposition to any move to include any part of its territory for creation of greater Nagaland to solve the vexed Naga issue.
Welcoming the talks and expressing hope of a permanent solution to the Naga problem, Home Minister Tako Dabi told a press conference here, "But if it (the talks) touches the issue of parting any of our territory, we will vehemently oppose it......
it is our clear message to the Central Government".
"We have already lost Tuensang included in erstwhile NEFA (which later became Arunachal Pradesh) to Nagaland.
Enough is enough and we don't want to part with any more territory or districts," Dabi said.
The Mukut Mithi (Congress) Government had earlier communicated the same view to the Centre in 1999 and the State Assembly had reiterated it in 2006 during the tenure of Gegong Apang (Congress).
The NSCN(IM) has been demanding two districts of Arunachal Pradesh -- Tirap and Changlang adjoining Nagaland, along with some areas of other Northeastern States including Manipur for creation of greater Nagaland.Tirap and Changlang are under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act because of militants from Nagaland and Assam using the districts as corridor to go to their bases across the Indo-Myanmar border.