Naga-Centre cease-fire extended for indefinite period

) :In a landmark development in the Naga talks, the cease-fire agreement between the rebel NSCN(IM) (National Socialist Council of Nagaland) and the Central Government was extended for an indefinite period.

By Vaschipem Kamodang/Sanjay Kumar

Dimapur/New Delhi,July 31 :In a landmark development in the Naga talks, the cease-fire agreement between the rebel NSCN(IM) (National Socialist Council of Nagaland) and the Central Government was extended for an indefinite period.

Till now, the truce had been extended for a year since 1997. In 2005, however, it was renewed initially for six months at the insistence of the rebels, and was further extended by another six months in February 2006.

"The cease-fire has been extended for indefinite period subject to the progress on the ground situation," said the Centre's interlocutor K Padmanabhaiah after talks in Dimapur.

Talking to ANI, a senior NSCN (IM) functionary Phunthing said "We all are seriously into talks. We want to take the talk to some logical end".

Analysts view today's development as a "win-win situation for both parties".

The current ceasefire ends today, and the fresh one commences from Wednesday, implying that both parties can concentrate on their talks seriously without being concerned about datelines.

There is an important rider, however, that in case of a violation of ceasefire rules by any party, the arrangement ends.

This is for the first time that peace talks were held in Nagaland. Talks earlier took place in New Delhi, Amsterdam and Bangkok.

The talks in Dimapur coincided with a rally convened by the powerful Naga Hoho, the apex organisation of all Naga tribes.

The rally was organized to appeal to the Government of India and the NSCN (I-M) to expedite the political negotiations.

Union Labour Minister Oscar Fernandez led the central team, which included interlocutor K. Padmanabhaiah and several top officials from the Union Home Ministry and intelligence agencies. The NSCN (I-M) delegation included its Chairman Isak Chishi Swu, General Secretary Thuingaleng Muivah and their aides.

In the previous round of talks, the NSCN-IM had submitted a charter of demands to the government, including creation of a separate Constitution for Nagaland, a "new and unique" relationship with New Delhi and unification of Naga- inhabitated areas of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.

But these three states have rejected such demands.

In the Bangkok talks held last year, both sides had agreed on a broad framework to define a relationship that could end Naga insurgency.

There was, however, confusion over the parameters of the broad framework.

Muivah arrived in India in December last year, while Swu came to the country in the first week of January. Since then, they have been in Nagaland for discussions with NSCN-IM cadres and civil society and political leaders on the group's key demands.

ANI