NSCN (IM) decries activities of NIA

Newmai News Network
DIMAPUR, Jan 27: The NSCN-IM has cautioned the "unrestrained excessive activities of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will certainly reverse the clock back towards the pre-ceasefire period which witnessed intensive militarization, violent conflict and serious violation of human rights".
In a statement issued to media houses here last night, the NSCN-IM alleged that of late the activities of the Government of India's intelligence agencies, particularly the NIA have definitely created trust deficit in the minds of the Nagas and the NSCN. "We doubt the sincerity of the Government of India in concluding an acceptable and honorable political solution considering its 'carrot and stick' policy", said the NSCN-IM and added, "It is only when the Government of India starts respecting its commitment, not otherwise, can the political dialogue move forward in the spirit of mutual trust and understanding”.
According to the NSCN-IM, this statement has been necessitated in view of the urgency to save the political dialogue instead of creating distrust at this stage and demolishing the political negotiation. It also cautioned that the situation will certainly go out of control if the Government of India does not take corrective measures in the true spirit of the ongoing political dialogue.    
The NSCN-IM added that after decades of "suppressing" the Nagas within the purview of India’s “internal law and order issue”, the Government of India later on acknowledged that the Indo-Naga issue was political. "It was only after the change seen in India’s policy that the NSCN agreed to have political dialogue with the Government of India in 1997".
According to the NSCN-IM, the political dialogue is now more than two decades and some positive steps were taken with the official recognition in 2002 of the “unique history and situation” of the Nagas and the signing of August 3, 2015 Framework Agreement (FA). "The FA, among others, recognized the need of ending violent confrontation and recognized the sovereign right of the Naga people and peaceful co-existence of the two entities through the sharing of the sovereign power," it added.
The NSCN-IM then said, "However, much to the indignation of NSCN, the more than two decades of ceasefire and political dialogue has witnessed innumerable violation of Ceasefire Ground Rules by the Government of India (violations which are well documented), its security forces and its intelligence agencies particularly the National Investigation Agency (NIA) whose power has been increased in the name of checking terrorism and protecting India’s National security". The statement also alleged that the NIA has been acting with impunity and intensified its activities particularly after the ultimatum served by the Government of India Interlocutor in July, 2019 and the deliberate rejection of the FA principle wherein the sovereign rights of the Naga people to use its National flag and Constitution has been officially acknowledged.
"This agency in particular has taken recourse to India’s law and order against the NSCN which is having political dialogue with the Government of India," it stated. According to the NSCN-IM, the agency, while protecting criminals are implicating members of the NSCN-IM within India’s law and order, Acts and Regulations, "and the most recent case is that of Mrs Alemla Jamir, Cabinet Kilonser, charged paradoxically of terror funding”. It added, "This accusation has come as total shock and surprise considering the more than two decades of political dialogue with the NSCN".