IM lashes out
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network

Dimapur, February 05 2014: The Isak-Muivah group of National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) today lashed out at one of the proposed persons to succeed RS Pandey, the Interlocutor in the Naga peace talks.

The Naga outfit termed the comment of RN Ravi, a retired Special Director of Intelligence Bureau (IB) 'as malicious and distorted' .

RN Ravi's article was published in a section of The Hindu newspaper on January 23, 2014 under the caption 'Nagaland: decent into chaos' .

It can be mentioned here that RN Ravi is one of the four persons speculated to succeed RS Pandey.

"It is simply an expression of a frustrated fiasco in one of the favorite projects of the Indian's intelligence department including himself, to divide the Nagas and crush them militarily as they have been doing for the last more than 60 years, of course out of sheer desperation," the NSCN-IM stated today.

"In his writing he begins, 'The reckless ceasefire between the Government of India and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM), a militia predominantly of the Tangkhul tribe of Manipur, for the last 17 years is pushing the Nagas into a state of civil war.' The following paras will explain whether his disparaging and immature criticism against the Government of India (GoI) and the Naga leadership stands," the Naga outfit stated.

It said the Government of India (GoI) and its leaders realized the futility of the military way solution.

And therefore, in spite of the efforts of their Intelligence department to block political solution to the Naga issue in the end took the conscious decision to initiate a political dialogue with the NSCN-IM.

The Cease-fire agreement between the Governme t of India and the NSCN was declared on August 1' 1997 on the basis of three condition that since it is a political issue, the talks must be at the highest level i.e., Prime Ministerial level.

The second condition has been that since it is not 'law and order' problem of India, the talks must be without pre-condition.

Thirdly, since it is an issue of two separate entities, Nagas and India, the talks must be in a third country, i.e., outside India.

"Subsequently, the recognition of the "unique history and situation of the Nagas" through a Joint communiqu� signed on July 11, 2002 at Amsterdam have shown the realistic and serious approach taken by the Government of India and its leaders towards the Naga issue.

Why is Mr.RN.

Ravi so fond of unfounded argument to deny this fact?," the Naga outfit asked.

These steps taken mutually through political dialogue clearly acknowledges that all the past agreements with the Nagas including the 16 point agreement that led to the formation of the present Nagaland state cannot be final.

A fresh negotiated political settlement acceptable to both shall decide the relationship of the two entities.

RN Ravi claims that the Indian state had far superior guns and far superior numbers.

Accoprding to the Naga outfit, it merely reflects his frustrated colonial mindset completely ruling out the question of right and wrong.

The Naga issue is not a contest of strength but exercise of one's national right and aspiration of the Nagas to decide their own future.

"Has mighty Indian Armed forces combined with the Armed forces of Burma crushed the tiny Nagas? The claim by some of its leaders that they can crush the Nagas in few days has extended to more than 5 decades of conflict and become one of the longest struggles in the whole of South East Asia.

Can he deny this reality? Indeed they have achieved on one count, that is, in killing, torturing and raping the Naga women just to name a few.

We are proud to state that not even a single Indian civilian has been harmed by the Nagas in the decades' old conflict in retaliation.

When will he be disillusioned from his chimera?," posed the NSCN-IM.

According to the Naga outfit, the Nagas including the Naga Hoho representing the Naga tribes have been a keen participant in the peace process in view of their constant support for seeking a solution to the Indo-Naga conflict through peaceful means.

It is certainly not on the advice of Mr.R.N.Ravi, a retired Special Director of IB that the Nagas support the peace process, because like all of his predecessors he also has the conscious role in trying to divide the Nagas including the formation of the present Nagaland state and the 1975 Shillong Accord.

It is praiseworthy that many sensible Indian leaders have refused to listen to the like of him and supports the Indo-Naga peace process that was greeted with applause in the Indian Parliament during the Prime Minister-ship of I.K.Gujral, it added.

According to NSCN-IM, R.N.Ravi's desperate attempt to confuse and legitimize the 'phantoms' in the name of 'stakeholders'! so called 'Nagaland state' and 'active militias' will be an exercise in futility.

The Government of India knows with whom and to whom they should negotiate with in order to bring about an honourable settlement with the Nagas.

Like a self-righteous man he took pride talking about the 'belligerent' Nagas in this vicious cycle of fratricidal killings' .

"But does he know the truth? Is he not aware of the fact that on account of the Indian aggression Nagalim has become a killing field of innocent Nagas? Isn't this a part of the policy evolved by his department?," the NSCN-IM also questioned.

"We are also aware that the proliferation of armed 'militias' and 'factions' is a creation of some departments in the Government of India and under their patronage they are responsible for this very "fratricidal killings" which he seems to be very concerned about," it stated.

The NSCN-IM then said it believes in the peaceful solution to the Indo-Naga issue through political negotiation.

"We would never betray our commitment given to the Government of India to seek a political solution which is honorable and acceptable to both the parties.

We hope that the conscientious people and leaders in India will not be swayed by the writings of people like Mr.RN.

Ravi (Retd) IB, Special Director as that will undermine their wisdom too," it affirmed.

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