Naga insurgent group NSCN-K, led by militant Niki Sumi, on Wednesday announced a ceasefire and said that it has contacted the central Government for initiating peace dialogue. The NSCN-K had signed a ceasefire with the Centre in 2001 but unilaterally abrogated it in 2015 when the then ‘chairman’ of the group, S S Khaplang, was alive. Sumi is the prime accused in the killing of 18 Indian Army soldiers in Manipur in 2015 and the National Investigation Agency had announced a reward of `10 lakh for his head.
In a statement, Sumi said the NSCN-K has been striving all these years to achieve an honourable and acceptable political solution to the Naga issue and the group is also conscious of the overwhelming sentiments among the Naga people for an early solution to this long standing matter. It said that the NSCN-K is aware of the “sincere and genuine efforts” made by the central government in the recent past to find a final and lasting solution to the Naga issue with the involvement of all the stakeholders.
“Therefore NSCN has resolved to strengthen and support the peace process at this crucial juncture. Our leaders have established contact with the officials of Government of India in this connection. To facilitate the process and keeping in view the desire of the Naga people particularly Naga civil society organisations and NGOs, the NSCN has further decided to revive the ceasefire with immediate effect by revoking the earlier decision of unilateral abrogation of the ceasefire in 2015,” the statement said.
The other dominant group - the NSCN-IM - had entered into a ceasefire agreement with the central government in 1997 and since then engaged in peace negotiations. The NSCN-IM had signed a Framework Agreement on August 3, 2015 in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to find a permanent solution.