[Assam] report

[ranenkumar goswami]

Centre, NSCN-IM truce extended indefinitely (The Assam
Tribune, August 1, 2007)
 DIMAPUR, July 31 – Giving a fillip to the ongoing
Naga peace process, the Centre and the NSCN-IM today
decided to extend the decade-old truce prevailing in
Nagaland for an indefinite period from August 1,
reports PTI. “We have decided to extend the ceasefire
for an indefinite period subject to the progress in
the political process,” top NSCN-IM leader V S Atem
said emerging from a meeting here with Government
representatives led by Union Minister Oscar Fernandes.


“Reviewing the status of peace talks and ceasefire, it
was decided to extend the truce indefinitely from
August 1 subject to the progress of talks,” a joint
statement issued by the Centre’s key interlocutor K
Padmanabhaiah and NSCN-IM general secretary T Muivah
said. 

Both sides also decided to strengthen the truce
monitoring mechanism to ensure peace at the ground
level, the statement said. 

Conceding to a suggestion from the NSCN-IM leadership
during the last round of talks in New Delhi, the
Centre’s negotiators decided to hold the first-ever
peace parley in Nagaland. 

The peace negotiations revolved around NSCN-IM’s
demands for special federal relation, a separate
constitution for the Nagas, integration of
Naga-inhabited areas among others on the basis of
their ‘unique history and situation.’ 

Besides Fernandes and Padmanabhaiah, the Central team
included Intelligence Bureau chief P C Haldar and
Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta. 

Muivah and NSCN-IM chairman Isak Chishi Swu,
accompanied by nearly 20 senior functionaries of the
group were present at the deliberations held at the
heavily-guarded Dimapur circuit house. 

Both the sides had already decided to extend the
period of truce during the last round of Delhi talks
and today’s parley was just a formality to make the
announcement from Naga soil. 

During the 10-year truce, over 50 rounds of formal and
informal peace parleys were held between the two sides
in the country and abroad. 
 
  
 
 


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