Open Forum: Watching, listening, speaking: The NE awaits Muivah-Swu
http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=14&theme=&usrsess=1&id=62627
[ALTHOUGH there appears to be a studied silence on the part of civil society groups in
An influential youth group, the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad, says it is �monitoring developments� in the wake of the Swu-Muivah visit to
The powerful All Assam Students Union says that there hasn�t been a softening of its stand on this question. It is learnt that the coordination between Aasu, the All Manipur Students Union and the All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union still holds against the Naga demand since all three states are affected by it.
�When the time comes, Aasu, Amsu and Aapsu will join hands again to oppose the (integration) bid,� said Aasu advisor Samujjal Bhattacharyya. This is in line with the state government�s position: an
all-party resolution in Assam Assembly against the NSCN (I-M)�s claim over
There have been skirmishes and tension along the hot spots on the Assam-Nagaland border at Merapani in Golaghat district and Karbi Anglong areas because of alleged attempts by armed Naga groups to encroach on
Support comes from an unusual source: the banned United Liberation Front of Assam, which is known to be close to the rival NSCN (K) group! Ulfa has been quick off the mark to reiterate its strong opposition to the view on integration.
In a statement, Ulfa chairman Arobinda Rajkhowa criticised intellectuals and historians in Assam for maintaining a �studied silence� over the NSCN�s demand for integration of a large part of Tinsukia, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong, North Cachar, Hailakandi and Silchar districts of Assam into the proposed Naga homeland. He appeared to have ignored consistent statements and views by many who have taken a tough
anti-integration stand.
(The author is the Guwahati-based Special Representative of The Statesman.)
Arunachal: Not an inch will be spared
By Mamang Dai
Whatever the outcome of the peace talks between the Centre and NSCN (I-M) chairman Isak Chisi Swu and general secretary Th. Muivah, the arrival of the Naga leaders in Delhi has provoked a strong statement from the state on the question of territorial integrity along with a resolution that not an inch of territory will be spared for the creation of a �Greater Nagaland.�
According to a former minister from Tirap district, TL Rajkumar, the Tirap-Changlang Peoples� Forum has unanimously endorsed that in �any decision to be taken during the Indo-Naga talks affecting or
concerning the two districts of Tirap and Changlang (bordering Nagaland), the people of those districts must be consulted and taken into confidence.�
The TCPF includes present and former elected leaders, panchayat members, student union presidents and a 12-member executive body headed by a chairman and co-chairman, civil supplies minister CC Singpho and Rajkumar respectively. Amid fears that the Centre may slice away parts of Arunachal in the interests of a solution to the Naga problem (an earlier proposal was that Tirap and Changlang be made a Union Territory under the Nagas), Rajkumar said while everyone has supported the peace process, no one in these districts wanted to be linked to the problem or become part of a larger Nagaland.
Rajkumar said that a strong reaction from the state government was the need of the hour.
At a meeting in Itanagar, the TCPF appealed to all political parties, public leaders, student organisations, human rights activists and NGOs in the state to be alert to any negotiation between the Centre and the I-M leaders that might jeopardise Arunachal�s integrity.
The Forum has called a one-day bandh on 16 December as a mark of protest against the insurgency related killings in the two districts.
The influential All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union also reiterated its stand that the apex student body would do everything needed to protect the state. Aapsu has called for a meeting of all its top district student and college union leaders on 15 December to discuss the issue. In New Delhi, the state�s two Lok Sabha MPs, Tapir Gao and Khiren Rijuju, also met home minister Shivraj Patil to convey to the government that no
agreement involving Arunachal should be arrived at without taking the people and the state government into confidence.]
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