Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 8
The NSCN-K (Niki group) on Wednesday joined the Indo-Naga peace process with the signing of a Ceasefire Agreement with the Government of India (GoI) with effect from September 8, 2021 to September 7, 2022.
As per the Agreement, the Ceasefire will be applicable for a period of one year and will be subject to adherence to the Ceasefire Ground Rules to be mutually agreed and signed by the two sides. The Ceasefire Ground Rules will be subject to mutual review and amendment with the involvement of both the parties, as per the Agreement.
Signed by Piyush Goyal, Additional Secretary to the GoI Ministry of Home Affairs; Nikato Pilot Sumi (Supervisor, CFSB NSCN/(K) Niki) and Abel Zingru Thuer, (Member, CFSB NSCN/(K) Niki), the Agreement was “to bring about a lasting peace in the State of Nagaland with the involvement of Naga people.”
According to a PIB Delhi press release, with the signing of the Agreement, more than 200 cadres of the group along with 83 weapons joined the peace process. “In fulfilling the vision of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi of ‘Insurgency free and prosperous North East’ and in a significant boost to the Naga peace process, under the guidance of Union Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah, the Government of India has entered into a Ceasefire Agreement with National Socialist Council of Nagaland (K) Niki Group,” the PIB stated.
The Ceasefire Agreement and Agreed Ceasefire Ground Rules were signed on September 8.
The NSCN-K (Niki group) emerged out of the Khaplang-led NSCN (K) which had earlier abrogated Ceasefire with the GoI in 2015. However, in December 2020, the group led by Niki Sumi had issued a statement informing of its decision to revive the Ceasefire with immediate effect “by revoking the earlier decision of unilateral abrogation” taken in 2015.
According to the PIB press release, the GoI had signed “an Agreement with NLFT (SD) in August 2019 by which, 88 cadres along with 44 weapons joined the mainstream of society in Tripura.” In January 2020, with the signing of Bodo Agreement, more than 2,250 cadres, “including all factions of NDFB, along with 423 weapons and huge quantity of ammunition surrendered in Assam and joined the mainstream.”
On February 23, 2021, “a total of 1040 leaders/cadres of various underground Karbi groups of Assam surrendered along with 338 weapons which was followed by signing of Karbi Anglong Agreement on September 4, 2021,” the PIB release informed.
