Dangerous trend in rebel Nagas’ thinking

The underground Naga leader, Mr. Zashie Huire, has made it plain that rebel Nagas enjoyed unfettered freedom to go to China and return after receiving training in sabotage and subversion from the Chinese.

In a statement issued after the conclusion of the tripartite truce conference at Dimapur over the weekend Mr. Zashie Huire, who led the underground delegation to the conference, contended that there was no clause in the Nagaland Truce Agreement to curb their “China traffic.”

The leader of the Government delegation, Mr. Hokishe Sema, in a rejoinder drew attention to this dangerous trend in underground thinking and expressed surprise at their attempt to wriggle out of a firm commitment, at the conference table, not to send any more rebels abroad for training and arms supplies.

The latest underground statement, Mr. Sema, Nagaland Finance Minister, said, revealed that no reliance could be placed on their assurances. He accused them of knocking out the bottom from their won solemn assurances by denying and disowning their commitment to observe faithfully the truce agreement in letter and in spirit.

In a statement issued here today, Mr. Sema said that the underground delegation had given specific and categorical assurance before all those attending the conference that the undergrounds would honour the terms of the truce agreement strictly and would not violate any of its clauses including Clause Nine which prohibited importation of weapons from outside.