Highly placed official sources in Delhi told The Assam Tribune that the new government at the Centre is of the view that the talks with the militant outfits have been going on for a long time, which has complicated matters in some cases.
Sources said that after several rounds of informal talks, a formal ceasefire agreement with the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (IM) was signed way back on July 25, 1997, and the formal talks have been going on since then. But, unfortunately, no solution to the problem is in sight even after 17 years of holding talks.
Sources said that the Government of India has already turned down the demand for sovereignty and efforts are on to find a solution to the problem within the framework of the Constitution of India. The concerned States have also strongly opposed the NSCN demand for creating a Greater Nagalim including areas in seven districts of Assam and parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur.
On the other hand, the Government of Assam, on several occasions, alleged that members of NSCN(IM) were involved in creating trouble along the Assam-Nagaland boundaries and the outfit was also alleged to have extended help to smaller militant groups of the State. The Assam Government reported such matters to the Centre on several occasions.
Meanwhile, a formal ceasefire agreement with the Khaplang faction of the NSCN was signed in the year 2000, but formal political talks with the outfit are yet to start. In this case also, the outfit is held responsible for extending help to active militant groups of the State, including the United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent), despite signing a ceasefire agreement with the government.
According to reports available with the security agencies, several militant groups of the region, including the ULFA(I), are using the facilities of the NSCN(K) in the Taga area of Myanmar. Sources also said that the Government of India is likely to set a time-frame for completion of the talks process with the militant groups that have signed ceasefire pacts with the government, which include the pro-talk faction of the ULFA and two factions of the NDFB.
Source: Assam Tribune
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