Naga outfit defied ceasefire rules by abducting two youths: Official

Kohima, Oct 15 (IANS) Ceasefire Supervisory Board (CFSB) Chairman Lt Gen Amarjeet Singh Bedi (retd) on Tuesday said that the Nikki Sumi faction of the NSCN-K has violated the Ceasefire Ground Rules (CFGR) by recently abducting two Naga youths.

After holding a series of meetings with the leaders of NSCN-K-Nikki-Sumi, Dimapur-based various civil society organisations and youth bodies at the Police Complex in Chumoukedima on Monday, Lt Gen Bedi (retd) on Tuesday said that he is hopeful that the Naga outfit would release the captives or hand them over to police.

The Dimapur-based civil society groups and youth organisations earlier on Sunday served a 48-hour ultimatum to the CFSB to arrest the culprits involved in the October 10 abduction and extortion demand.

The two youths were abducted by NSCN-K (Nikki-Sumi) cadres from Dimapur on October 10.

The CFSB Chairman said that the outfit has violated the ceasefire ground rules as well as misused the ceasefire office.

"However, during Monday’s meeting, the outfit agreed in writing that they henceforth would follow all the Ceasefire Ground Rules," he told the media, adding that as the head of the CFSB, he has to make sure that the ceasefire ground rules are strictly followed by the Naga outfits who have signed the ceasefire agreements with the Indian government.

Lt Gen Bedi (retd) said that if any outfit violates the ground rules, the group concerned would be held responsible for unlawful activities and violation of law and order. The CFSB head also said that the state police have already conducted searches at the NSCN-K-Nikki-Sumi office and various locations to rescue the two abducted youths. He also added that a lookout notice has been issued by the police with a reward offered for information leading to the arrest of the individuals involved in the kidnapping.

The Central government and the NSCN-K-Nikki Sumi signed the ceasefire agreement in 2021 and periodically extended the term of the ceasefire period. The Centre on September 4 extended the ceasefire agreement with the outfit for a period of one year.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had said that the Central government and NSCN-K (Nikki Sumi), Nagaland have mutually decided to extend the Ceasefire Agreement with effect from September 8 for a period of one year to bring about lasting peace in the state of Nagaland with the involvement of Naga people.

The Centre has signed ceasefire agreements with five Naga outfits, including the dominant Naga group, the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM). The Union government signed the vital Framework Agreement with the NSCN-IM, in 2015 and also signed the Agreed Position with the Working Committee of Naga National Political Groups in 2017. More than 90 rounds of meetings were held between the government and the Naga groups over the decades-old unresolved Naga political issue. The NSCN-IM has remained firm on its demand for a separate flag and constitution for the Nagas as well as integration of Naga-inhabited areas spread over four northeastern states -- Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and Nagaland, besides Myanmar.

--IANS

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