Nagaland: Muivah leaves Viswema, moves to Pfutsero

Ending his stormy month-long wait for a visit to his birth place Somdal village in Ukhrul district of Manipur that was opposed by the Manipur government, National Socialist Council of Nagaland general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah on Friday shifted his camp from Viswema village near Nagaland-Manipur boundary to Pfutsero in Phek district bordering Myanmar and Manipur.

Sources said Muivah left Viswema village, where he had pitched his camp since May 5, after he had been given a warm send off by the village council there and reached Pfutsero on Friday morning along with senior NSCN-IM leaders "on a peace mission".

Muivah thanked the people of Angami tribe dominated Viswema village for their hospitality extended to him and his entourage during their stay in the village and informed that he would go to Pfutsero on peace mission. Muivah was expected to meet various non-governmental organisations at Pfutsero and also likely to visit other places in Nagaland to hold consultative meetings.

Pfutsero is about 70 km away from Viswema village.

However, rival Naga rebel groups NSCN-K and Naga National Council have sounded a note of caution over Muivah's visit to Pfutsero dominated by Chakhesang Naga tribe. Pfutsero was once a bastion of the NNC.

The NSCN-K has warned that he (Muivah) would be responsible for any "incident or bloodshed that may arise out of this visit".

Accusing Muivah of trying to gain "political mileage" by stepping into Chakhesang soil, the NSCN-K also charged Muivah of "committing numerous atrocities" against Chakhesang tribe in the past.

Muivah's stay in Viswema with intention to visit Somdal village in Manipur's Ukhrul district had evoked very sharp reaction from Okram Ibobi Singh government in Manipur which deployed Manipur police commandos at Mao border gate on NH 39 to prevent Muivah from entering Manipur.

There was police firing on Muivah's supporters that claimed three lives besides aggravating the situation.

The people of land-locked Manipur are still reeling under economic blockade along the arterial NH 39 and NH 53 called by Naga students in retaliation to Manipur government's opposition to Muivah's proposed visit to Somdal village.