Government of India extends ceasefire agreement with Niki-led NSCN (K)

Our Correspondent
Kohima, Sep. 7 (EMN): The government of India extended the ceasefire agreement with the Niki Sumi-led National Socialist Council of Nagaland (K) group for a period of one more year following the expiry of its earlier agreement on Thursday.

“Ceasefire Agreement is in operation between the Government of India and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (K) Niki group. It was decided to extend the Ceasefire Agreement with the NSCN (K) Niki for a period of one year with effect from 08.09.2022 to 07.09.2023”, the Ministry of Home Affairs stated in an update on Thursday.

The NSCN (K) Nikki entered into a ceasefire agreement with the Centre on September 8, 2021, after the group led by Niki Sumi in 2020, expressed willingness to join the Indo-Naga peace talk and sought Delhi to initiate the ceasefire process.

A statement from MIP, NSCN/GPRN also said that a delegation of NSCN/GPRN Cease Fire Supervisory Board (CFSB) led by Supervisor, Abel Zingrü Thuer signed the ceasefire extension with the Centre at The Ashok hotel in New Delhi on Thursday.

It stated that the group left for Delhi on Monday to hold a meeting with GoI officials in connection with the extension of the ceasefire agreement.

It may be mentioned that the NSCN-K had in 2001, entered into a ceasefire with the Government of India only to be abrogated after five years, in March 2015. Niki Sumi, former military advisor to the NSCN (K), later formed his own group — NSCN (K) Nikki, in 2019.

The government of India has already signed a ‘Framework Agreement’ with the NSCN (IM) and ‘Agreed Position’ with the WC- NNPG. Ceasefire agreements have been signed with several other Naga groups, including the NSCN (NK), NSCN (R) and NSCN (K)-Khango.