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Centre declares ceasefire with
NSCN's Khaplang faction

With a joint cease-fire already in existence with the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (IM) which will continue till July this year, the Indian government has now begun efforts to open informal parleys with the third main militant group in Nagaland - the NSCN (Federal).

"The ceasefire (with NSCN-Khaplang) will come into effect immediately and will be for a period of one year," a senior home ministry official said.

During his visit to Nagaland in February, Union Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani had received a number of representations seeking that the Centre should enter into a formal ceasefire with the Khaplang group.

Early this month, Central representatives led by Additional Secretary, Home, P D Shenoy and NSCN representatives led by Tongmeth Wangnau Konyak met in Delhi.

Nagaland Chief Minister S C Jamir in a statement on Saturday said it was high time people of Nagaland, irrespective of their political affiliations and ideologies, stood as one to bring about peace and unity among all sections of the Naga community.

"We are indeed grateful to the prime minister and the Union home minister for their earnest efforts to ensure peace in Nagaland as well as their deep concern for settling the Naga political issue," he said.

"The steps taken so far by the Union government are a clear expression of their commitment and determination to resolve the problem in the larger interest of the people of Nagaland. Let us pray and trust that the coming days would usher in an era of peace, harmony and reconciliation in our society and among our people," Jamir said.

He said the maturity and political wisdom displayed by both NSCN (I-M) and NSCN-K in entering into ceasefire agreements with the government will indisputably pave the way for permanent peace and an appropriate political solution to the Naga problem.

Giving details of the ground rules of the ceasefire, a home ministry spokesman in New Delhi said that a Ceasefire Supervisory Board, comprising five representatives of the Centre and the Nagaland government and another five from NSCN (K) was being set up to monitor the situation.

UNI & PTI

ALSO SEE:
Ceasefire may be announced during Budget session: PTI

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