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India hopeful of an end to insurgency in Nagaland

IRNA

Guwahati, Oct 15, IRNA -- Indian authorities Wednesday said they were 
hopeful of finding an early solution to end more than 56-years of 
violent insurgency in the troubled northeastern state of Nagaland. 
"We are expecting a solution to end decades of violence in the 
region very soon," Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio told IRNA by 
telephone from state capital Kohima. 
The chief minister`s remarks follows talks held at Amsterdam last 
month between federal government peace negotiators and leaders of a 
frontline tribal separatist group, the National Socialist Council of 
Nagaland (NSCN). 
"From all indications available, the Amsterdam talks ended on a 
very positive note and we all are happy about the progress of the 
dialogue," Rio said. 
Led by guerrilla leaders Isak Chishi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah, 
the NSCN has been observing a ceasefire with New Delhi since August 
1997. 
The NSCN, fighting for an independent homeland for the Naga 
tribes in Nagaland, is the oldest and the most powerful of the nearly 
30-odd rebel armies operating in the region. 
They have held previous rounds of talks with Indian officials, 
mostly on neutral territory overseas in Bangkok and Amsterdam, 
although talks were held on Indian soil earlier this year. 
New Delhi is also operating a ceasefire with the rival NSCN group 
headed by factional leader S.S. Khaplang. Formal talks are yet to 
begin with the Khaplang faction. 
Despite the optimism, the peace process has run into rough 
weather with both the NSCN groups accused of violating the ceasefire 
by indulging in murder, kidnapping and extortions. 
"Two NSCN (Khaplang) militants were killed Tuesday in an encounter
after they fired at the security patrol," an Indian army statement 
said. 
The Nagaland government too has warned the NSCN against violating 
the truce. 
The NSCN wants the creation of a Greater Nagaland by carving 
slices off the neighbouring states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and 
Manipur -- all of which have sizeable Naga populations. 
Protestors in Manipur have been staging demonstrations and general
strikes in the state to pressurize New Delhi against conceding to the 
NSCN demand of dismembering parts of other northeastern states having 
Naga populations. 
/212 
End