After a standoff with the ministry of external affairs over the European Union delegation’s visit to Nagaland without the mandatory security clearance, the Union home ministry is preparing to issue standard operating procedures for the visits of foreign delegations to various parts of the country.
What has raised heckles in the security establishment is not just the fact that the EU delegation’s visit went unannounced to the home ministry, but there is serious concern on whether the EU delegation discussed the Naga peace process during its visit to the insurgency-prone state. At a time when New Delhi is working swiftly to bring about a “final settlement” to the protracted Naga political issue, there is concern about possible attempts by some vested interests to use such visits to “internationalise” the vexed Naga issue. The NSCN-IM has strong presence in at least four Naga-dominated hill districts — Ukhrul, Senapati, Tamenglong and Chandel.
Top government sources said there is a need to evolve SOPs for such visits of foreign delegations and the same is being discussed at the highest level. The MEA, meanwhile, has sent a reply to the MHA saying that since they had obtained Protected Area Permit for the delegation’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh they took it as security clearance for Nagaland also, the sources said. The MHA is now waiting for the Intelligence Bureau to file its report on the delegation’s visit.
“We did not know about their itinerary. We don’t know about their meetings and discussions,” an MHA official said. The eight member EU delegation consisting of ambassadors of Czech Republic, Hungary, Finland, Poland, Bulgaria and Slovakia, is believed to have met leaders of various political parties and civil society members in Nagaland, including those associated with some NGOs. It is believed to have taken note of concerns expressed by some Naga civil society groups over the 60-year-old Indo-Naga political problem.