When eagles dare to meet

When two giants meet, the earth trembles so goes a saying.
That may not have actually happened when veteran politician Dr S.C.Jamir present Governor of Maharashtra met veteran guerilla leader Th.Muivah in New Delhi on September 6, but it certainly broke the crust and opened doors for possible future meetings.
According to reliable sources, Jamir flew to New Delhi for health check up and also to meet with Muivah. The meeting took place at the initiative of the Ao Senden over the ban imposed on Jamir by the NSCN (I-M) on charges of being “anti-Naga”.
It was reported that the Senden had been making efforts for a personal meeting between the two in the hope of resolving the ban issue.
Jamir attracted ire over a booklet he purportedly inspired , titled “Bedrock of Naga Society” released during 2001.The NSF burned copies of the booklet and it also gave much needed ammunition to his political rivals.
At the meeting, both leaders known to be political diehards, spoke of their respective stands on the Naga political issue. Though both are known to be great orators; it was not known if who did most of the talking at the meeting.
However, according to sources close to Jamir, the NSCN (I-M) supremo was doing more of the listening or perhaps analyzing. Sources said though the talks were not meant to be conclusive, it gave both an opportunity to seize each other psychologically.
The meeting between the two leaders may not have actually led to any declaration but was also considered significant in the light of changed environment.
Jamir’s message on reconciliation was his personal testimony of having forgiven the NSCN (I-M) for the four abortive assassination attempts on his life. Muivah was accompanied by high ranking NSCN (I-M) functionaries at the meet.
Other sources said the meeting between the two leaders attracted attention of various quarters, some of who were rattled as it led to various speculations doing the rounds.
Political observers also see some hope if veteran Naga leaders from various organizations make efforts to meet each other. They said this could help build bridges of understanding by removing walls of misunderstanding.
Prolonging the rapprochement among various leaders would only ensure that factional killings among armed cadres push the hopes for peaceful solution to the background.
The need for a unified body assumes vital importance in the light of political negotiations with the Government of India.
According to official sources here, the current talks between the Government of India with the NSCN (I-M) appears to have got bogged down over the integration issue.
Veteran Naga leaders who had been involved in the Naga movement or the Naga People’s Convention during the fifties to early sixties, are now in their late seventies and have little time left to help end internal conflicts and set course towards permanent peace. Another church leader said intransigence on the part of the veterans would only preserve and nurture the current bitter division that has percolated down to abnormal level.