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Centre to sign a ceasefire agreement with another Naga group
In a major development for the ongoing Naga peace process, the government of India and the Niki Sumi-led Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K) are primed to sign a fresh ceasefire agreement on September 8 in New Delhi, HT has learnt
In a major development for the ongoing Naga peace process, the government of India and the Niki Sumi-led Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K) are primed to sign a fresh ceasefire agreement on September 8 in New Delhi, HT has learnt.
The NSCN (K) in 2015 unilaterally abrogated its 2001 ceasefire agreement with the Centre, following which the Union Home Ministry declared the group as a banned outfit and an “unlawful association”.
People familiar with the development told HT that the chairman of Ceasefire Monitoring Group (CFMG Nagaland) Lt. Gen. (retired) AS Bedi is already in Delhi preparing the groundwork with the Union Home Ministry for the new ceasefire agreement while a team of Niki-led NSCN (K) will be leaving for Delhi from Nagaland on Monday.
After abrogating the ceasefire agreement with the government of India in 2015, the NSCN (K) led by its leader SS Khaplang went on to establish a strong base in neighbouring Myanmar. However, Khaplang died of a cardiac arrest at Taga in 2017 in Myanmar’s Sagaing Region under Naga self-administered zone. Subsequently, the group, which was taken over by Khaplang’s relative Yung Aung split into different factions, of which the Niki-led NSCN (K) is one.
The NSCN (K) operates to establish a sovereign state bringing all Naga inhabited areas of Myanmar and India under one administrative setup.
Niki Sumi, a trusted general of late SS Khaplang, is reportedly said to have taken the step to enter a fresh ceasefire with the Centre heeding to the voice of the Naga people who want peace. He is stated to be of the opinion that all Naga negotiating groups could come together if the government of India is sincere in its efforts to settle an honourable and acceptable solution.
Niki Sumi is a prime accused in the ambush on the Indian Army in Manipur which claimed the lives of 18 soldiers and charges have not been dropped yet. The militia general who currently leads the breakaway faction of the NSCN (K) curiously surfaced after five years to renew THE ceasefire with the Centre.
Interestingly, it was learnt that Nagaland Governor RN Ravi, who is also the Centre’s interlocutor for Naga peace talks, was not kept in the loop on the development with Niki Sumi group’s moves, while the Intelligence Bureau and Home Ministry officials said to have facilitated in bringing the group into the peace talks fold.
While there are speculations whether the Niki-led group will bend to any of the Naga groups currently in talks with the Centre, the group reportedly claimed it wanted to heed the Naga people’s voice. Sumi portrays himself as someone who is against factionalism with a strong belief in all groups sitting together at one table with the government of India, propagating a “unite for peace or break ceasefire” ideology.
The Centre has been in a ceasefire agreement with the Isak-Muivah faction of the NSCN (NSCN-IM) since 1997 and had signed the professed historic “Framework Agreement” in August 2015, while a conglomeration of seven different Naga national political groups (NNPGs) was also involved in separate talks with the Centre since 2017 and had arrived at an “agreed position” in 2017. Another breakaway faction of the NSCN (K) led by Khango Konyak is already in peace talks with the Centre under the aegis of the NNPGs.
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