Have to work out survival strategy if talks fail: NSCN-IM

Guwahati: Citing trust deficit on the part of the central government, NSCN(IM) on Tuesday underlined the need for working out a “survival strategy” in the event of the failure of peace talks that has been on for over 25 years now without reaching a final settlement.
NSCN (IM) ‘Yaruiwo’ (president) Q Tuccu, in his speech at the council headquarters at Hebron in Nagaland on the occasion of “44th Republic Day celebration”, said “…the Government of India is planning clandestinely to strike the Nagas with all its state machinery, Thus, there is trust deficit on the part of the Government of India.” “What is to be done in the event of failure of talks? We have to work out a survival strategy. We must live and that this final show down must be a battle to decide our future. The fight is going to be tough, but it is to be noted that ours is not a contest of strength, it is a matter of right and wrong, just and unjust. Therefore, the truth shall triumph in the long run,” Tuccu said. The NSCN (IM) leader said, “The ball is, therefore, in the court of India.” The leader said the ceasefire agreement between NSCN (IM) and the Centre in 1997 to prepare the ground for “principle-based negotiations and solution” took five years “to make the authorities of India understand the Naga issue and get the unique history of the Nagas recognized by the Government of India in the year 2002.”