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India, Northeast separatists NSCN-IM extends ceasefire by a year

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Guwahati, India, July 31, IRNA
India-Northeast Separatists-Ceasefire
Separatist rebels from northeastern Nagaland state and the Indian government Monday agreed after three days of talks in Bangkok to extend their nine-year-old ceasefire by another year, a rebel spokesman said.

"It was agreed to extend the ceasefire by another year until August 1, 2007", a joint statement by the Indian government and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) said.

The ceasefire had been due to expire Monday midnight.

Indian federal minister Oscar Fernandes and New Delhi's chief peace negotiator K. Padmanabhaiah led the government side in the latest talks. The NSCN-IM was led by its general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah.

"Substantive issues were discussed and the two sides expressed satisfaction over the progress made in the talks",the statement signed by Muivah and Padmanabhaiah said.

The NSCN-IM, led by guerrilla leaders Isak Chishi Swu and Muivah, threatened last week not to extend the ceasefire and accused the army of supplying weapons to a rival rebel outfit to provoke a "fratricidal war."
"The two sides agreed to strengthen the ceasefire monitoring mechanism and the need to move expeditiously in discussing substantive issues to reach an early settlement," the statement said.

Rebel leaders were tight-lipped about the outcome of the talks and the issues discussed in the meeting.

"We are hopeful of a solution and it is good the ceasefire was extended", a senior rebel leader said by telephone from Bangkok requesting anonymity.

In Nagaland, the news of the ceasefire extension was hailed.

"We pray the two sides are able to reach an accord soon so that there is no more war and bloodshed", said church leader T. Ao.

"We are happy the ceasefire was extended."
The main NSCN-IM rebel group wants a "Greater Nagaland" to unite 1.2 million Nagas, a demand strongly opposed by neighbouring Indian states.

India and the NSCN-IM have held at least 50 rounds of negotiations in the past nine years in a bid to end one of South Asia's oldest revolts, which has claimed around 25,000 lives since the country's independence in 1947.

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