The ten-year-old ceasefire between the government of India and the Naga rebel group, Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagalim-Isak-Muivah on Tuesday received fresh lease of life 'subject to progress of peace talks.'
Following a day-long discussion at Dimapur Circuit house in Nagland, both the sides decided to extend the term of the truce indefinitely linking it to progress of on-going peace negotiations. The extension of the ceasefire comes into effect from Wednesday with the expiry of current extension on Tuesday.
A joint statement, signed by the NSCN-IM general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah and government of India interlocutor K Padmanabhaiah, was released to this effect following Tuesday's discussion.
The communiqué stated that the negotiations were held in cordial atmosphere with free and friendly exchange of views. The NSCN-IM stated that people in Nagaland were concerned for an early conclusion of the talks.
Both sides agreed to strengthen the monitoring mechanism to ensure that the ground situation remains conducive for continuance of ceasefire.
The government of India was represented in the negotiations by chairman of the Group of Minister, Union Minister of State Oscar Fernandez along with K Padmanabhaiah, senior officials of the Home Ministry and Intelligence Bureau.
The 22-member team of the NSCN-IM was led by its two supreme leader -- Chairman Isak Chisi Swu and general secretary Th Muivah.
The prolonged peace negotiation between the NSCN-IM and the government of India since 1997 sans any concrete progress has led to uncertainty over the peace process prompting the rival rebel group the NSCN-K to cast aspersions on the possible outcome of the talks.
This has in turn led to uneasy coexistence between the two rival NSCN factions that have engaged in bloody conflicts on several occasions of late much to the worry of civil society groups and the Chruch leaders who have been backing the peace process for the sake of establishing lasting peace in Naga society. The history of insurgency in Nagaland dates back to 1950s.
