Government of India (GoI) and National Socialist Council of Nagaland (GPRN/NSCN) on April 18, 2016 have mutually decided to extend the Cease Fire (CF) Agreement with effect from April 28, 2016 for a period of one more year i.e. till April 27, 2017 “to bring about a lasting peace in the state of Nagaland with the involvement of Naga people.”
The ceasefire agreement was signed in Delhi between GoI represented by MHA joint secretary, Satyendra Garg and GPRN/NSCN represented by Jack Zhimomi and Chen Konyak.
While extending the cease-fire agreement, the two parties affirmed that the ceasefire would be subjected to adherence to the Cease Fire Ground Rules (CFGRs) as mutually agreed and signed by the two sides. The signatories also agreed that the CFGRs would be subjected to mutual review and amendment with the involvement of both the parties.
IANS adds: GPRN/NSCN however made it clear that it won’t be joining the Naga peace accord stating that the pact was an understanding between the GoI and NSCN (I-M).
“The GPRN/NSCN, under the leadership of Khitovi Zhimomi and ‘Gen.’ Neokpao Konyak, has fundamentally agreed in principle to bring about lasting and meaningful peace in Nagaland with the Naga People. Therefore, we cannot simply jump into the present arrangement, which is the Naga peace process, since we have also entered into a bilateral cease-fire agreement with the government with unique political dispersions and unique a political dimensions,” Jack Zhimomi, supervisor of GPRN/NSCN cease-fire supervisory board, told IANS.
On their new decision, Zhimomi said that as the government was already involved in a peace process with the NSCN (I-M), it was “impossible” for the other stakeholders to join the process.
“For the past many years, the present arrangement (peace process) is exclusively in parlance with one particular group (NSCN-IM) and not others. So therefore, what I feel is that the term inclusive, which the government is referring to as far as the Naga accord is concerned, is neither tenable nor applicable,” said Zhimomi.
IANS report further stated that NSCN (Reformation) also extended its ceasefire with Government of India in the presence of senior home ministry officials in Delhi.
The report stated that both the factions held separate meetings Home ministry officials in Delhi.