By R Lester Makang
UKHRUL, January 14: Leaving aside the protracted headache of factionalism, the ensuing peace dialogue between the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) and the Government of India (GoI) is most likely to focus on the suffering of the Nagas and their rights to self determination collectively to reach an honorable settlement over the vexed Naga political issue.
`We have come to a stage where factional conflicts among the Nagas can no longer hold back our political aspirations which have for far too long been suppressed,` a senior official of the outfit in Dimapur informed this IFP correspondent Wednesday over the phone, while adding that irrespective of the existence of any number of factions, peace talks will now be solely based on the collective recognition of Nagas rights and their suffering.
Describing the present as opportune moment to push for the final solution, the official further informed that various international support groups and individuals from countries like US, Netherlands have come forward to lend legal support among others to the Nagas pressing for an early end to the age-old issue.
At the same time, the outfit`™s chairman Isac Chishi Swu already left Dimapur for New Delhi a few days back for the ensuing talks, while general secretary Th Muivah, who is currently staying put at Hebron, might be heading for the national capital in a few days`™ time, disclosed the NSCN-IM leader without giving exact date slated for the dialogue.