When did Hawaii become one of the states? 1956 or 1959?
----- Original Message ----- From: "Chan Mahanta" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, August 06, 2003 8:11 PM Subject: [Assam] From the Sentinel > US Senator backs NSCN-IM, new office in DC > > By Wasbir Hussain > LONDON, Aug 6: In a clear push to its efforts at internationalizing the > Naga issue, the NSCN(IM) has set up an office in Washington DC, appointed a > 'Registered Foreign Agent' and has succeeded in enlisting the support of US > Senators in backing its cause, informed sources here said. > > NSCN(IM) leaders in Nagaland, contacted by telephone, confirmed setting up > of the office at Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC. They made it clear > that this move would not hamper the ongoing peace negotiations with the > Indian Government, which, according to them, is still very much 'on track.' > > Delivering a speech at the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee on July > 24, California Senator Barbera Boxer said that the NSCN (IM) has sought the > Committee's intervention in resolving the 55-year-old bush-war over the > Nagas' demand for an independent Naga homeland. > > Describing NSCN(IM) chairman Isak Chishi Swu as 'president of Nagaland' and > the group's general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah as the 'prime minister', > Ms Boxer said the former had urged her to convince the Committee to 'get > involved' in the peace negotiations between them and New Delhi. > > "The Nagas, with great respect, are asking our Committee to get involved > because they believe we are more experienced in political negotiations than > India or their country," Boxer said in her speech entitled 'Call to learn > more about the Naga-India struggle and welcome their new office in > Washington DC.' > > Reached by telephone at Dimapur, Nagaland's commercial hub, NSCN (IM) > Deputy Information Minister K.Chawang confirmed his group opening an office > at Washington DC as well as 'some US Senators' backing their cause. Chawang > refused to specifically name these Senators. "The idea of having an office > at the US capital is to improve our foreign relations. After all, we have > to enlist support from everybody for our cause even while negotiating with > the Indian Government to try and work out an acceptable solution," Chawang > told this writer on Wednesday. > > He added: "We are working for a solution, but whether it comes or not, we > have to continue with our organizational work." > > According to Boxer, the Naga leadership is 'grateful' to Prime Minister > Atal Behari Vajpayee for the 'ceasefire atmosphere and for publicly > acknowledging the uniqueness of the Naga conflict with India..' > > Naga rebels, including the NSCN(I-M), still sticks to their claim that > Nagaland has been an independent nation when the British came to rule India > and that it had announced its independence a day before India declared > independence from British rule on August 15, 1947. > > These Naga rebels therefore argue that they are only fighting to regain > their 'lost sovereignty' and were not waging a separatist campaign. New > Delhi rejects this argument. > > While stating that the Nagas 'admire America's founding principals and are > in alignment with our democratic principles,' Boxer suggested creating a > special task force to go on a fact-finding mission to Nagaland. > > "European Union parliamentarians have already sent two top officials to > learn more about the Naga-Indian conflict. We should send a delegation > likewise," Boxer said. > > Indian Government authorities in the North-east could not immediately > comment on whether any EU officials, as claimed by Boxer, had visited the > region. The US Senator suggested that at a later stage, the Committee could > think of 'taking the suggestion of the Nagas' to act as a 'mediator/neutral > referee' to 'observe, ensure and hold accountable violators of the peace > negotiation for both sides.' > > New Delhi, however, has always been opposed to any third party mediation > efforts in India's internal affairs as in Jammu & Kashmir or the North-east. > > Interestingly, Boxer in her speech stressed on Nagaland's 'military > importance.' She said: "I believe the potential military importance of > Nagaland to the US is akin to that of South Korea's 38th parallel". > > > _______________________________________________ > Assam mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam > _______________________________________________ Assam mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam
