Naga Talks: A Dutch lawyer Michael and other Movers and Shakers

 

New Delhi, Sep 19 

All eyes are on the meeting between the NSCN-IM and the Centre in Delhi at the earliest. 

The NSCN-IM, which had earlier raised the issues of Flag and Constitution and in the process stalled Naga peace talks since 2019, is now keen for negotiations with the centre "based on clauses and promises made in the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015". 

A seven-member NSCN-IM delegation is likely to meet central leaders and representatives in Delhi this week. It is not yet clear whether the meeting will be held with peace emissary A.K. Mishra, a former intelligence bureau official, or with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

On September 12, Shah met a delegation of Nagaland legislators and ministers led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio.

Team Rio met NSCN-IM leaders in Dimapur on September 17, and a seven-member delegation of militant group would be arriving Delhi for pursuing the negotiations.

Here we take a closer look at some of the lesser known protagonists of the long Naga peace talks drama as it had unfolded way back in the mid-nineties. 

IANS

Link

P V Narasimha Rao:

-  Not only the Congress party even the country seldom remembers Narasimha Rao's stint as the Prime Minister. His stint would be remembered for certain 'negative news' like demotion of Babri Masjid but he was a pioneer in initiating Naga peace talks. He met Late Isak Chishi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah in Paris in July 1995 and set the ball rolling.

** Michael Van Walt, a Dutch lawyer  

The NSCN-IM leadership especially Th Muivah had reposed much faith in Michael and is his ability to understand conflicts. Michael Van Walt was also associated with UNPO and had some knowledge of the Tibet issue. 

He was also advisor to the Dalai Lama. But Indian agencies claimed he "lacked knowledge on the complexities and flexibility" of Indian constitution. Some even said - he discouraged Muivah and Isak Chisi Swu to study Indian Constitution. 

Naga leaders also agreed merrily and the argument being we want a solution ‘outside’ the framework of the Indian Constitution.

During the UPA regime, chief interlocutor Oscar Fernandes had claimed after Bangkok meet that the two sides had agreed on a “broad framework”, whereby they would jointly study the Indian Constitution to decide which parts to be suitably "applies with modifications to resolve the Naga issue". 

The NSCN-IM withdrew from it unilaterally and grapevine is the same formula was later applied by R N Ravi and NNPG to work on the Status Papers and the Agreed Position of 2017.  

Fernandes wanted longer duration of ceasefire and even matters like 'UT status' used to figure at the parleys. The NSCN-IM always favoured periodical extension of ceasefire either for one year or even six months.

Manipur state: 

Of three northeastern states which have a sizable Naga population, Manipur is a chief player in one way or the other in these parleys. Meitei leaders and for that matter, even former Chief Minister of Manipur Rishang Keishing (a Tangkhul Naga), would always swear by 'territorial unity' of Manipur state.

All these and the NSCN-IM having considerable base in the hilly region of Manipur actually created complexities and hardly anyone around could easily resolve the tangle.

For Manipur state, the extension of the Naga ceasefire as was proposed in 2000 to Manipur state was a 'de facto division' of their land. The Imphal valley burnt for days and the move was withdrawn.

For the Nagas, 'Nagaland' also often means Nagalim that includes parts of Assam, Manipur, Arunachal and the entire Nagaland state. Others call it 'Greater Nagaland'. These words and phrases generate angry outbursts in Manipur.

Once Ibobi Singh of Congress played 'saviour' of the Meitei pride and he even upset former Home Minister P. Chidambaram's plans to allow Muivah to visit his native village in Manipur.

Now, that cap has gradually come for N. Biren Singh of the BJP. In October 2019, he told Shah categorically that any Naga solution should not result in any adverse impact on the boundaries of Manipur.

The 11-member delegation led by the Nagaland Chief Minister Rio, whose wife is a Mao Naga, was quizzed on September 12 by the Centre's representative -- "You are talking about Naga integration, what about Myanmar Nagas?"

The Naga team was shell-shocked. "It's out of the box," meekly remarked a regular party hopper and a former state Minister.

Grinder Muivah

Pages have been written about Thuingaleng Muivah, but much less on someone called Grinder Muivah. Sources say it was he who had first put in the 'idea' of peace talks in 1994-95 with the then MoS Internal Security Rajesh Pilot. The then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao and "collective leadership" of NSCN-IM Isak Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah agreed with the same.

The 'senior Muivah' was arrested in Bangkok for travelling with a false passport in 2000. Grinder Muivah, who became a dependable "go-between" between uncles and Indian officials, was also arrested in Kolkata a few years later on a charge that he was trying to "hijack a plane" from Aizawl to rescue Muivah in Bangkok.

The NSCN-IM and a set of Indian intellectuals charged Indian intelligence agencies with working on such a mission. 

Grinder later reportedly struck a deal with a section of central government officials. He was also found not guilty of involvement in plane hijack and was discharged by a court.

Grinder Muivah, the nephew of NSCN (I-M) general secretary, died of stroke in Delhi on April 6, 2016.

Few misses too:

In 2000, then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had proposed to make former Lok Sabha Speaker P.A. Sangma the chief interlocutor for the Naga peace talks. 

The then Assam Chief Minister and a former Congress colleague of Tarun Gogoi had opposed the move stating "only a leader from the national mainstream" should be given such a responsibility.

The Vajpayee government gave in to Gogoi's pressure and an angry Sangma, now deceased, described Vajpayee as the "weakest Prime Minister".

(Source: IANS) 

'We have to be practical', 'respect people's desire' : New Guiding themes 

FNR initiated move rekindles fresh hopes

New Delhi 

Enough of warmongering and mutual hatred, it's time for reconciliation and peace among

Nagas.

There may not be any M letter 'magic' in the simplest expression called hope; but they say

when the Hope is held like a light within you, things do happen, almost like magic. 

The Naga people's desire ought to be respected and hence the all important

meeting between NSCN-IM and NNPG leaders took place on Sept 14 as an effort

of the peacemaker the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR).

It was an important breakthrough for Dr Wati Aier and his team. It was an afternoon

gathering of hopefuls, those who value human bond and those who have faith in God.

The timing is of course important as everyone seems closer to realisation that confrontation and 

mutual suspicion are the only prescription to mutual perish. 

The meeting could have been apolitical and it didn't promise anything big or small in specific terms;

but importantly it reaffirmed collective hope. Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio wasted no time to tweet and 

express his "deep appreciation" to the FNR, the NSCN-IM and the NNPG on the "historic step taken to remain 

committed to peace, unity, respect and settling outstanding issues".

The Wednesday meeting took place after about eight years and four months. Last such meeting was in Kolkata

in 2014. Of course prior to that on June 13, 2009 top leaders of Naga movement had taken the initiative.

Important takeaways from the meeting are the positive body language. 

The rebellion spirit was now entering a crucial phase -- realising the futility of animosity.

There were warm handshakes more than once -- before the start of

the meet and also at later stages. 

And important phrases uttered by representatives of both the rival camps included the likes of - "We are not

born enemies", "this generation has seen the worst of all' ;  and "mutual armed conflicts and also with Indian forces,

 should end".

Some others recalled how one person or the other were attacked and how 'God's miracle' saved them as well.

"Let us be practical", said one; another remark that was almost echoed in the hall was - "Let's respect the desire of the 

people".

There was more than once emphasis on dependence on heavenly grace. 

"There is an opportunity now.... there is hope," said a senior militant-comrade who has seen things

from a closer range.

The September Joint Accordant clearly laid down a roadmap.

Well, it aptly said - "....in order to chart a path forward, we (NNPG and NSCN-IM) remain committed to peace and respect and to resolve outstanding issues amongst us".

ends