The apex Naga civil society body said the Naga people are quite contented with the present ceasefire between the Government of India and various Naga underground groups since 1997, although the political negotiation or dialogue is under process between the Government of India and NSCN (IM) and it fully depends on the negotiators of both the entities whether the political settlement would be acceptable to the Naga people or not.
The Naga Hoho also said that the Naga people are also well versed with the ceasefire coverage which is clearly indicated through various agreements between the Government of India and NSCN (IM). It said the then Government of India interlocutor Swaraj Kaushal had told the media during the Indo-Naga peace talks held in Paris in 1998 that the ‘ceasefire covered not only Assam, Nagaland and Manipur but even Delhi up to Paris.’
The ‘Joint Statement’ signed by former Government of India interlocutor, K Padnamabhaiah and NSCN (IM) General Secretary, Th Muivah in Bangkok on June 14, 2001, which stated that it was ‘mutually agreed upon’ that ‘the cease-fire agreement is between the Government of India and the NSCN as two entities without territorial limits’, the Naga Hoho added.
Most importantly, when the NSCN (IM) collective leadership met former Prime Minister, AB Vajpayee, in Osaka, Japan, on December 8, 2002, Vajpayee had assured the NSCN leaders that ‘where there is fighting there will be ceasefire’.
“In this backdrop, the Naga Hoho appeal to all the stakeholders or negotiators not to mislead the people with regard to ceasefire coverage and the same spirit should be maintained even with other Naga political groups so long the ceasefire remains. Failing to uphold the mutual agreement by both the entities, political ramification would be irreparable,” the Naga Hoho cautioned.
Source: The Sangai Express
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