Naga Hoho appeals negotiators not to mislead people

EMN DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 12 NAGA Hoho has appealed to all the stakeholders/negotiators not to mislead the people in regards to ceasefire coverage and the same spirit should be maintained even with other Naga political groups so long the ceasefire remains. The Hoho said that the Naga people are quite contented with the present ceasefire between the Government of India (GoI) and various Naga political groups since 1997, albeit, the political negotiation/ dialogue is under process between the GoI and NSCN (IM) and it fully depends on the negotiators of both the entities whether the political settlement would be acceptable to the Naga people or not. A statement issued by Communication Cell, Naga Hoho today said, “Naga people are also well-versed in regards to the ceasefire coverage which clearly indicates through various Agreements between the GoI and NSCN (IM) .The then GoI interlocutor Swaraj Kaushal had told the media during the Indo-Naga peace talks held in Paris in 1998 that the “Ceasefire covered not only Assam, Nagaland and Manipur but “even Delhi up to Paris.” The “Joint Statement” signed by former GoI interlocutor, K Padnamabhaiah and NSCN (IM) General Secretary, Th. Muivah in Bangkok on June 14, 2001, wherein it was “mutually agreed upon” that “the cease-fire agreement is between the Government of India and the NSCN as two entities without territorial limits.” Most importantly, when the NSCN (IM) collective leadership met former Indian Prime Minister, AB Vajpayee, in Osaka, Japan, on December 8, 2002, Vajpayee had assured the NSCN leaders that “where there is fighting there will be ceasefire. It was the nature of Ceasefire as per the agreement entered into on June 14, 2001.” In this backdrop, the Naga Hoho appealed to all the stakeholders/negotiators not to mislead the people in regards to ceasefire coverage and the same spirit should be maintained even with other Naga political groups so long the ceasefire remains. It warned, failing to uphold the mutual agreement by both the entities, political ramification would be irreparable.