Dimapur, June 14 (EMN): The NSCN (IM) has accused the National Investigation Agency (NIA) of running a “libellous campaign” to brand the Naga group as a terrorist organisation.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the NSCN (IM) maintained that the NIA came into existence more than ten years after Indo-Naga political talks started in 1997.
“When government of India (GoI) under Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao approached NSCN, we agreed to start political negotiation only after GoI recognised the Naga issue as political and stopped terming it as India’s ‘Internal Law and Order Issue’. Hence, the GoI declared that military solution is not possible as political problem calls for political solution,” read the statement.
However, it alleged that the NIA, “under the garb of an investigation agency, but performing the role of terror agency”, has been “recklessly trailing NSCN to stigmatise and label the organisation as terrorist organisation”.
“GPRN strongly disapproves the NIA for its deliberate indulgence to go libellous against the very party engaged with the GoI negotiating for a peaceful political solution that is honourable and acceptable. Who give the sanction to NIA to put the tag ‘terrorist’ against NSCN? NIA came into being in 2008 following the terror attack in Mumbai. By then, the Indo-Naga political talk has taken deep root as the talk was carried in the spirit of mutual trust and respect,” read the statement.
It reminded that the NSCN (IM) has made its stand very clear that an acceptable political solution can be arrived only through respect for a people’s history and their national identity.
“As agreed, NSCN is no longer a banned organisation that NIA can dabble with. Legally and politically, NIA have no authority to label NSCN as terrorist organisation. For its historical and political legitimacy the GoI boldly entered into political negotiations with NSCN. For the same reason NSCN was admitted into the fold of UNPO (Unrepresented Nations and People’s Organisation). UNPO give no qualification to any organisation to become its bona fide member if it uses terrorism as an instrument of policy.
“Besides being a member of UNPO, NSCN is also a signatory of the Geneva Call ‘Deed of Commitment’ wherein NSCN gave the commitment to non-use of uncontrolled anti-personnel mines. It would be a breach of trust and commitment on the part of the GoI if it allows NIA to run amok to fool the world communities and undo the hard earned achievement of Indo-Naga political talks spanning over 23 years. Thus, it would be a matter of credibility and seriousness for GoI to rein on NIA to stop forthwith its slanderous campaign against NSCN. The NIA’s repeated slander against NSCN is not only nasty and disgusting but sending a confusing signal. NSCN puts on record that this misplace tag ‘terrorist’ against NSCN be clarified,” the NSCN (IM) stated.
It went on to remind that when government of India and NSCN (IM) signed ceasefire, there was also an agreement on “agreed ground rules” for the ceasefire.