Of reconciliation and roadblocks in Nagaland (News Analysis)

DIMAPUR - Peace and reconciliation are the buzzwords in insurgency-roiled Nagaland, with two warring separatist groups advocating the need for patching up and working together to end decades of a violent fratricidal gang war in the region.

The two National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) groups, one led by Isak Chishi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah (NSCN-IM), and the other headed by S.S. Khaplang (NSCN-K), have been engaged in a bitter turf war for supremacy with an estimated 500 cadres killed in the past five years.

The two factions are also operating a ceasefire with New Delhi - the NSCN-IM is currently holding talks with the Indian government after entering into a truce in 1997.

The Khaplang faction is yet to begin formal peace talks although it entered into a ceasefire in 2001.

“Without reconciliation there cannot be any permanent solution. I have a clean heart and let their leaders come out and accept the reconciliation process,” Kitovi Zhimomi, self-styled prime minister of the NSCN-K, told IANS.

The NSCN had split into two in 1988 following ideological differences. Since then they have been waging a violent turf war.

Several attempts have been made at brokering peace between the two NSCN groups.

A peace attempt is currently being brokered by the Forum for Naga Reconciliation, the apex body of various civil society and rights groups in Nagaland, backed by the powerful Baptist Church in the state.

Helping the Forum in its efforts are conflict resolution experts from the Britain-based Religious Society of Friends, whose members are commonly known as Quakers, besides members from the American Baptist Church.

“It depends on their (NSCN-IM) leaders … from our side we have an open mind,” the NSCN-K leader said.

“We also want unification and patching up of all differences so that we can work together in achieving our goal,” said a senior NSCN-IM leader.

Amid the talk for reconciliation, NSCN-IM general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah has made a sharp u-turn in so far as resolving the decades old Naga issue by again raking up the issue of sovereignty or independence.

Earlier this month, Muivah held talks with Home Minister P. Chidambaram in New Delhi and said later that everything was going on track.

But soon after landing in Dimapur this week, Muivah changed his tone.

“Chidambaram, let me tell you that you cannot impose the Indian constitution on the Nagas. We are not going to accept the constitution and also cannot compromise on sovereignty,” Muivah said.

The belligerent posturing has surprised many. Some feel that Muivah made the statement under pressure after some in the outfit accused him of a sell-out.

Under the changed circumstances, the Naga peace talks appears to have once again hit major roadblocks - the toughening of stand by Muivah.

The only silver lining is that the two sides are softening their stand on territorial supremacy and talking of shedding their differences.