Ceasefire among warring Naga factions is a must, says CPO

KOHIMA, July 17: The Chakhesang Public Organisation (CPO), an apex body of the Chakhesang tribe, has strongly advocated that unless the ceasefire is declared among the underground factions there is not much hope for the Nagas, reports UNI. In a recent interview, CPO president P Pusazo Luruo emphasised on the importance of honouring the ground rules of the ceasefire by the parties involved and cautioned that the Naga problem could not be solved by the ceasefire or political dialogue unless the internal bickerings were done away with." I feel this ceasefire will not bring any good result till Naga underground groups called for a ceasefire among themselves," he said. Blaming the Government of India for divisions among Nagas, Luruo said the Centre always preferred to talk with separate Naga underground organisations. He warned that piecemeal solution would never bring permanent solution to the vexed political problem and would rather complicate the process. Nagas have a separate political, historical, social and cultural background, Luruo said and added that they were not demanding independence but the Centre should recognise the historical rights of the Nagas. Regarding the 16-point agreement of 1960 by a few Naga leaders under the banner of the Naga Peoples Convention, which resulted in the statehood of Nagaland, he said the real mandate of the Nagas was given in the 1951 plebiscite, under the banner of the Naga National Council (NNC) for Naga sovereignty.