05-06-2005, 02:58 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Nagas can never be a part of India: Muivah
&
Nagaland for Christ: Muivah
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The General Secretary of the National Socialist
Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) has told the BBC
that the Nagas "can come as close as possible but it's
not possible for the Nagas to come within the Indian
Union or within the framework of the Indian
Constitution". In his first comments to the
international media since intense dialogue with the
Indian government resumed last December, Mr.
Thuingaleng Muivah told the BBC that "Nagaland was
never a part of India either by conquest by India or
by consent of the Nagas. This is very clear."
Speaking to HARDtalk India about the position reached
at the end of 41 rounds of dialogue with the Indian
government, which started in 1997 when the NSCN (I-M),
the biggest and best known outfit fighting for Naga
independence, declared a ceasefire, he said:
"We can come as close as possible but it's not
possible for the Nagas to come within the Indian Union
or within the framework of the Indian Constitution.
Why? Because it amounts to dismissing the whole
history of the Nagas and the Nagas cannot do that ...
Nagaland was never a part of India either by conquest
by India or by consent of the Nagas."
Speaking about sovereignty, which he said belongs "to
the Naga people and to the Naga people alone", Mr.
Muivah went on to speak about "a special federal
relationship" with India but not within India:
"Sovereignty of the Naga people belongs to the Naga
people and to the Naga people alone. There cannot be
otherwise. So long as that is there adjustments can be
made... When we say a special federal relationship it
has to be on the terms of the agreement that can be
arrived at ... It should be a federation of India and
Nagalim (Greater Nagaland). Within the Indian
Constitution is not possible."
Asked if Delhi would have control over defence,
external affairs, communication and currency he
replied: "In some aspect you are right... Yes, you are
right but we haven't (as yet) settled those kind of
questions... It's in the process of being worked out.
It may be a little bit too early on my part to make
pronouncements on that."
The General Secretary of the National Socialist
Council of Nagaland (I-M) confirmed that all other
powers would rest with the government in Kohima and
his proposed state would have its own constitution to
determine how these powers are exercised. He also
confirmed that these powers would exceed those
presently granted by New Delhi to other Indian states
because Nagaland would wish to have its own state
control over subjects such as wildlife, forests,
environment, education and culture. At the moment
these subjects are on the concurrent list of the
Indian Constitution. Mr. Muivah also confirmed that
his proposed state wished to have its own flag, stamps
and the right to set up tourist and trade offices
abroad.
When asked if the Indian leadership agreed to make all
of this possible within the ambit of the Indian
Constitution whether he would be prepared to accept
the Constitution, Mr. Muivah answered with an emphatic
no and explained that he could not trust future
generations of politicians not to amend the
Constitution.
However, Mr. Muivah told the BBC that whatever
agreement was reached with the Indian Government would
need constitutional backing: "The agreement which is
going to be arrived at should be incorporated in the
Indian constitution (and) equally it should be
incorporated in the Naga constitution."
Mr Muivah maintained that his position on the Indian
constitution was not contradicted by the fact that he
is presently travelling on an Indian passport: "In
filling up the forms I specifically mentioned that
loyalty or allegiance to the Indian Constitution is
not applicable. It's not acceptable."
In the interview Mr Muivah also confirmed that with
regard to his second demand for the integration of all
Naga areas outside the present boundaries of Nagaland
with Nagaland what he was today asking for is
"recognition of the legitimacy of the people's
aspirations for Naga integration and a reasonable time
frame for its implementation." Under specific
questioning Mr Muivah twice confirmed that what he was
asking for was an in-principle agreement recognising
Naga aspirations for integration and thereafter was
willing to grant the Indian Government reasonable time
to implement it.
Asked if given the emotional nature and intractable
quality of the whole land integration issue Mr. Muivah
would accept referral to a states reorganisation
commission or a states boundary commission, he was at
first skeptical:
"That is up to the Indians if they can do that. The
problem is that Nagas are skeptical. Why? Because
whenever any issue arose in the past Government of
India took sides with the others not with the Nagas.
Always that happened."
However, in further questioning Mr. Muivah seemed to
indicate that if such a referral would produce the
desired result and if all Naga areas were considered
he would be prepared to accept it.
In the interview, Mr Muivah said that the slogan
'Nagaland for Christ' did not mean that he intended to
set up a theocratic state :
"Because more than 95 per cent of the population is
Christian naturally they have to profess that way ....
It (Nagalim or Greater Nagaland) has to be secular. If
it is not secular then we will be betraying
ourselves."
Asked if he had a deadline in mind or if the talks
with the Indian government could go on indefinitely
Mr. Muivah replied: "It's too early to talk about it
(a deadline)." Asked if this meant that he was
prepared to give the Indian Government more time, he
replied: "Yes, but we should not be too presumptuous.
Things can go wrong any time." However, Mr. Muivah did
say that progress is being made : "Slowly, slowly but
not on big issues."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
&
Nagaland for Christ: Muivah
http://dailypioneer.com/indexn12.asp?main_...me=story5\
%2Etxt&counter_img=5
The General Secretary of the National Socialist
Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) has told the BBC
that the Nagas "can come as close as possible but it's
not possible for the Nagas to come within the Indian
Union or within the framework of the Indian
Constitution". In his first comments to the
international media since intense dialogue with the
Indian government resumed last December, Mr.
Thuingaleng Muivah told the BBC that "Nagaland was
never a part of India either by conquest by India or
by consent of the Nagas. This is very clear."
Speaking to HARDtalk India about the position reached
at the end of 41 rounds of dialogue with the Indian
government, which started in 1997 when the NSCN (I-M),
the biggest and best known outfit fighting for Naga
independence, declared a ceasefire, he said:
"We can come as close as possible but it's not
possible for the Nagas to come within the Indian Union
or within the framework of the Indian Constitution.
Why? Because it amounts to dismissing the whole
history of the Nagas and the Nagas cannot do that ...
Nagaland was never a part of India either by conquest
by India or by consent of the Nagas."
Speaking about sovereignty, which he said belongs "to
the Naga people and to the Naga people alone", Mr.
Muivah went on to speak about "a special federal
relationship" with India but not within India:
"Sovereignty of the Naga people belongs to the Naga
people and to the Naga people alone. There cannot be
otherwise. So long as that is there adjustments can be
made... When we say a special federal relationship it
has to be on the terms of the agreement that can be
arrived at ... It should be a federation of India and
Nagalim (Greater Nagaland). Within the Indian
Constitution is not possible."
Asked if Delhi would have control over defence,
external affairs, communication and currency he
replied: "In some aspect you are right... Yes, you are
right but we haven't (as yet) settled those kind of
questions... It's in the process of being worked out.
It may be a little bit too early on my part to make
pronouncements on that."
The General Secretary of the National Socialist
Council of Nagaland (I-M) confirmed that all other
powers would rest with the government in Kohima and
his proposed state would have its own constitution to
determine how these powers are exercised. He also
confirmed that these powers would exceed those
presently granted by New Delhi to other Indian states
because Nagaland would wish to have its own state
control over subjects such as wildlife, forests,
environment, education and culture. At the moment
these subjects are on the concurrent list of the
Indian Constitution. Mr. Muivah also confirmed that
his proposed state wished to have its own flag, stamps
and the right to set up tourist and trade offices
abroad.
When asked if the Indian leadership agreed to make all
of this possible within the ambit of the Indian
Constitution whether he would be prepared to accept
the Constitution, Mr. Muivah answered with an emphatic
no and explained that he could not trust future
generations of politicians not to amend the
Constitution.
However, Mr. Muivah told the BBC that whatever
agreement was reached with the Indian Government would
need constitutional backing: "The agreement which is
going to be arrived at should be incorporated in the
Indian constitution (and) equally it should be
incorporated in the Naga constitution."
Mr Muivah maintained that his position on the Indian
constitution was not contradicted by the fact that he
is presently travelling on an Indian passport: "In
filling up the forms I specifically mentioned that
loyalty or allegiance to the Indian Constitution is
not applicable. It's not acceptable."
In the interview Mr Muivah also confirmed that with
regard to his second demand for the integration of all
Naga areas outside the present boundaries of Nagaland
with Nagaland what he was today asking for is
"recognition of the legitimacy of the people's
aspirations for Naga integration and a reasonable time
frame for its implementation." Under specific
questioning Mr Muivah twice confirmed that what he was
asking for was an in-principle agreement recognising
Naga aspirations for integration and thereafter was
willing to grant the Indian Government reasonable time
to implement it.
Asked if given the emotional nature and intractable
quality of the whole land integration issue Mr. Muivah
would accept referral to a states reorganisation
commission or a states boundary commission, he was at
first skeptical:
"That is up to the Indians if they can do that. The
problem is that Nagas are skeptical. Why? Because
whenever any issue arose in the past Government of
India took sides with the others not with the Nagas.
Always that happened."
However, in further questioning Mr. Muivah seemed to
indicate that if such a referral would produce the
desired result and if all Naga areas were considered
he would be prepared to accept it.
In the interview, Mr Muivah said that the slogan
'Nagaland for Christ' did not mean that he intended to
set up a theocratic state :
"Because more than 95 per cent of the population is
Christian naturally they have to profess that way ....
It (Nagalim or Greater Nagaland) has to be secular. If
it is not secular then we will be betraying
ourselves."
Asked if he had a deadline in mind or if the talks
with the Indian government could go on indefinitely
Mr. Muivah replied: "It's too early to talk about it
(a deadline)." Asked if this meant that he was
prepared to give the Indian Government more time, he
replied: "Yes, but we should not be too presumptuous.
Things can go wrong any time." However, Mr. Muivah did
say that progress is being made : "Slowly, slowly but
not on big issues."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->