Kohima, Jan 14 (NEPS): The National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) said, "The people of the north-eastern region should clearly know that the Nagas have been struggling for sovereignty and it will not be a threat to their integrity and political ideologies." Talking to NEPS here over phone from Nagaland�s Mon district today, Kughalu Mulatonu, NSCN (K) Kilonser (Minister), explained that the Nagas had been fighting for sovereignty and for which ceasefire agreements were entered into with the Government of India for having a political dialogue.

"Because the Naga issue is political and sovereignty is a political issue, whereas this demand of Naga integration is for social and emotional ones," the NSCN (K) leader explained adding, "The Nagas have never struggled for �integration� but �sovereignty� and this was clear in the records of the British-India Government and the British Government in London through a memorandum submitted by Naga leaders as early as in 1929." Lamenting that the Naga NGOS had failed to understand whether the Nagas had been fighting for "integration" or for "sovereignty," the NSCN (K) leader said the NSCN (IM) collective leadership�s coming to Nagaland from Bangkok via Delhi and asking "views and opinions" of the Naga people was nothing but trying make the "Naga NGOs" a "scapegoat." The NSCN (IM) leaderships had been holding political talks with the Government of India over the years without letting the Naga people know what was the basis and substance of their talks.

And after almost collapsing the process with the Government of India, they are now coming to Nagaland to seek their "views and opinions." "It is something ridiculous," Mulatonu said asking, "How can you carry on talks which are going to decide the destiny of the Naga people without letting them know what was in the substance of the talks." Whereas the NSCN (K), unlike its rival, would first seek the mandate of the Naga people, then only it would proceed to political level talks with the Government of India, the NSCN (K) Kilonser disclosed.

"There is no hide and seek to this, we are open to all," he stated.

Asked when the organization would start political dialogues with the Government of India, Mulatonu said they would start as and when the Government of India "sends a formal invitation." He, however, categorically stated the organization would first seek mandate of the Naga people before commencing any political dialogue with the Government of India. The NSCN (K) leader also alleged that Isaac and Muivah had already become good Indian citizens just before starting political dialogues with Delhi.

"I now wonder the two leaders (Isaac and Muivah) of the NSCN (IM) will be on whose side when the NSCN (K) starts political dialogue with the Government of India," he pointed out asking, "Where is the legitimacy for them to represent the Nagas after becoming Indian citizens." With regard to the Naga unity, Mulatonu said Naga unity should be evolved from within but not the kind of theory manufactured and pushed forward by Isaac and Muivah.

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