Visema (Nagaland): National Socialist Council of Nagaland Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) leader T Muivah today put off his visit to his ancestral village across the Nagaland border in Manipur's Ukrul district on the request of four Naga NGOs.
Speaking to a small gathering here, where he spent the night after arriving from NSCN(IM) headquarters at Camp Hebron near Dimapur yesterday, Muivah said he was postponing his visit to Somdal village, where he was born, after the NGOs requested him to put off his visit by a day or two till the situation returns to normal in Manipur.
He reiterated that he did not understand why the Manipur government was opposing his visit.
"I am not going to create a disturbance. I am going for peace and to meet my people," he said.
Meanwhile, Manipur police opened fire and used teargas shells to quell protests by Nagas, mostly women from Ukrul district, at its side of the border at the inter-state check gate at Mao in protest against the Manipur government's decision disallowing Muivah's visit.
Three people from the Hill District of Manipur were killed in violent protests. Some locals were also arrested.
Muivah's visit has been opposed by the Manipur government on the ground that it would disturb communal amity in the state.
It has clamped prohibitory orders at the Mao check gate and mobilised security forces.
Meanwhile, Manipur Chief Minister Ibobi Singh left early this morning for Delhi to brief Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister P Chidambaram about the situation in Manipur, officials in Imphal said.
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio had yesterday met Chidambaram in Delhi requesting him to ensure that Muivah could visit his home village.
NSCN-IM, one of the oldest and powerful rebel groups in the Northeast, is demanding a 'greater Nagaland' which it has proposed be formed by merging Naga populated areas of adjoining states, which has been rejected by Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh governments.