Muivah reaches out to wary neighbours ahead of Naga I-day

National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) General Secretary Thuingaleng Muivah, who signed the August 3 Naga peace accord with the centre, arrived here on Wednesday ahead of the Naga Independence Day to be observed on Friday.

This visit of Muivah, who is the Ato Kilonser (prime minister) of the Government of People’s Republic of Nagaland (GPRN), the parallel regime of the NSCN(IM), has generated much interest in the state capital for people are keen to hear what he says on the NSCN(IM)’s core demand of Greater Nagalim and the pact in general in his address to Nagas on Friday.

The pact has created much uncertainty in the concerned areas of the northwest after none of the parties decided to divulge the details so far. Muivah, however, has been thumping his chest over the fact that the agreement looks at the concept of ‘shared sovereignty’ where both the Nagas and GoI are ‘equal’ entities. Senior NSCN(IM) leaders told Deccan Herald that Muivah would give an outline of the agreement at an event at Camp Hebron, the outfit’s headquarters located about 35 kilometres from here, on Friday.

Muivah, however, has already started addressing his own people. After reaching Dimapur where he was given a ‘low-key’ public reception, the leader made an effort to reach out, not only to the people of Nagaland but the rest of the northeast, in a brief speech. “That is going to be the new policy of our leadership. This deal is outcome of 18 years of negotiations, we understand and so does New Delhi that it is important to address to the concerns of those aggrieved and concerned,” said a senior secretary in the GPRN cabinet.