ULFA(I) grieves Isak’s demise

The United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) expresses deep sorrow over the passing away of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim, Founding Member and Chairman Isak Chishi Swu who died Tuesday, June 28 following prolonged aliment since July 5 at Fortis Hospital in New Delhi. He was 87.

ULFA(I) in reverence terms him as “a tower of a man” in the politics of the Naga People as a whole and identifies him as a deeply religious man with an amiable personality which proved to be a great asset to his group in bringing unity between tribes and taking forward the Naga cause with fortitude and revolutionary inspiration to fight on. The over for more than three decades

Swu with his mature skill and statesmanship tried his best to undo the shackles of the 1975 Shillong Accord that the Naga Nationalist Council had then signed with New Delhi.

“Mr. Swu will be remembered for his historical role in bringing out the Framework Agreement for Naga peace,” tweeted PM Modi on hearing of Swu’s demise.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi condoling his demise hoped that Swu’s legacy would evolve into that of lasting peace and reconciliation.

NSCN-IM in August last year had signed a Framework Agreement for peace with the Government of India in the presence of PM Modi and other tall dignitaries. The pact was a result of over 80 rounds of negotiations spanning 16 years. The first breakthrough was in 1997 when a ceasefire agreement was finally signed. This resulted from meetings with then PM P V Narasimha Rao in Paris in June 1995 and PM H D Deve Gowda in Zurich in February 1997.

For ULFA(I) Swu died with the laurel on his head as a Naga National hero undefeated at the hands of the treacherous Indian establishment.

A Bible scholar Swu led the Naga revolution for more than three decades.