Kohima, August 23 (IANS): The Indian government has agreed not to carry out security operations near designated camps of NSCN-K, a rebel leader said Tuesday.
A three-member team of rebel leaders belonging to the S.S. Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K) held a crucial meeting with home ministry officials in New Delhi Monday to prepare ceasefire ground rules.
“It was agreed that security forces would not conduct any operations near our designated camps in the future. It was one of the main changes in the ceasefire ground rules proposed by us,” Kughalo Mulatonu, a senior NSCN-K leader who was part of the rebel team, told IANS over the phone from New Delhi.
“In the past security forces often harassed our boys on the pretext of launching operations against other groups and so we sought some changes in the ground rules.”
Secretary (Internal Security) Anil Choudhury led the home ministry delegation. C. Singson, the self-styled external affairs minister of the NSCN-K, led the rebel team.
“The meeting was held in a very cordial atmosphere and we are happy at the outcome. We, however, told the home ministry that the NSCN-K would sit for formal peace talks with the government only after negotiations with the other faction (NSCN led by Isak and Muivah) come to an end,” Singson said. The NSCN-K also proposed the name of Major General (Retd) D.P. Merchant as chairman of the Ceasefire Supervisory Board. Merchant was earlier inspector general of the Assam Rifles based in Nagaland.
“The home ministry team said our proposal for a new chairman would be taken up with the higher authorities and it is very likely Merchant would be the new government appointed head,” Mulatonu said. At present Lt. Gen (retd) Ramesh Kulkarni is the chairman of the Ceasefire Supervisory Board.
“We have sought his (Kulkarni’s) replacement as he openly supports and backs the NSCN-IM,” Mulatonu said.
