New Delhi: The Union Government agreed to further extend the ceasefire accord with Naga insurgent groups for a period of one year, and today signed ceasefire agreements to this effect, the Ministry of Home Affairs stated here today.
Ceasefire agreements are in operation between the Government of India and National Socialist Council of Nagaland/NK (NSCN/NK), National Socialist Council of Nagaland/ Reformation (NSCN/R) and National Socialist Council of Nagaland/K-Khango (NSCN/K-Khango).
Henceforth, such agreements will be extended for one year with effect from April 28, 2021 to April 27, 2022 with NSCN/NK and NSCN/R and from April 18, 2021 to April 17, 2022 with NSCN/K-Khango.
It may be mentioned that the first ceasefire agreement with any Naga insurgent group since Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister, was signed on August 3, 2015. Termed as “historic”, it was signed between the Centre and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) in New Delhi.
The signing of the 2015 pact with NSCN-IM, the most influential insurgent group in the region with a budget of over Rs. 100 crore, was then widely seen as the culmination of over 80 rounds of negotiations with the Naga insurgent group. However, at that time the government was not able to bring the other insurgent groups to the table.
Preceding the 2015 agreement, the Para Commandos (special forces) of Indian Army along with Assam Rifles had crossed into neighbouring Myanmar and attacked two militant camps early on June 9, 2015, reportedly killing 83 rebels of the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland – Khaplang ((NSCN-K) and allied insurgent groups.
However, of late Indian military’s diplomacy efforts succeeded in the return of prominent Naga underground leaders from their hideouts in Myanmar. These included NSCN-K chief Nikki Sumi, who returned to the Naga Hills on December 19, last year and subsequently joined the Naga peace talks in January this year; and NSCN (K-Yung Aung) leader Starson Lamkang, who returned on December 25, who along with 54 more guerilla fighters surrendered amid peace talks.
Both Sumi and Starson, from the Sema and Lamkang Naga tribes in Nagaland and Manipur respectively, were leaders in the NSCN (Khaplang) faction who returned from their hideouts in neighbouring Myanmar months after the split in the NSCN(K) in July 2020 when Sumi, Nyamlang Konyak Naga, and Starson Lamkang Naga were reportedly expelled by the Yung Aung faction. Incidentally, NSCN (K-YA) led by Khaplang had abrogated the ceasefire with the Indian Government in 2015 on grounds that it was not invited for talks with the government.
It may be mentioned that the Naga problem has a long history, which traces its origin to the ethnic Naga movement with the formation of the Naga Club by 20 Nagas in 1918.
– global bihari bureau
