Land of Jewels (Sana Leibak)

Manipur-posted soldiers gain experience: Guwahati, Dec. 27: Four decades after Thuingaleng Muivah led a team of Naga National Council (NNC) members to China for training in guerrilla warfare, the Chinese army is helping India deal with militancy. Brig D.S. Dadwal, the head of the Indian contingent that participated in the first joint military exercise between the two countries -- Hand-in-Hand 2007 -- said on his return today that the common aim of the neighbours was to eliminate the “scourge of terrorism”, The contingent, drawn from the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry unit posted in Bishnupur district of Manipur, believes the experience of a joint exercise with China will help it conduct counter-insurgency operations better. “Such exercises definitely help you to hone your skills and use them at Ground Zero,” Brig. Dadwal said. The five-day drill was conducted at the Kunming Military Academy in Yunnan province of China. Battalion commander Col J.S. Budhwar said a mock hostage rescue d...

Rio wants Myanmar to recognize NSCN (K) Guwahati, Dec 20: The Nagaland Government wants that the Mynamarese Junta recognize the NSCN (K) group of militants holed up in that country for early resolution of the Naga peace process. Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said he had raised the matter with the External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukharjee. “I am going to write to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to pressurize the military junta to recognize the NSCN (K) in their side of the border so that we can push forward the case,” he said. The NSCN(K) or Khaplang faction of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) has been largely based at Myanmar since they had split up with the Issac-Muivah faction of the NSCN. As the peace process has entered a crucial stage with the Centre, there were efforts to cover all the Nagas under the possible solution. However, it is not so easy as the political boundary of India and Myanmar have separated many...

'Unification that wasn't': FOR all the rumour and speculation that flew around, the NSCN factions will unite only when chairman Isak Swu and general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah so desire. Let alone reunion, Muivah has long said that even ''reconciliation cannot be forced, it has to come naturally''. The Naga Hoho's reconciliation campaign initiated in December 2001 floundered after Muivah came down harshly on the appointment of some office-bearers and all members of the reconciliation committee quit en masse in protest. He provided the unkindest cut when he said Naga civil society was ''biased'' in its efforts to push ''reconciliation'' and unity efforts. Those whom the NSCN(IM) leaders are supposed to consult at every stage of political development are, more or less, silent spectators to what is going on. So it comes as no surprise that Isak and Muivah have politely told the so-called Unification Team to leave well enoug...