Kohima, July 12: Nagaland is anxious about whether the ceasefire will continue with the NSCN (Isak-Muivah) yet to take a decision on extending the term of its truce with Delhi beyond July 31. Chief minister Neiphiu Rio and his colleagues today met representatives of the Church and various non-governmental organisations to ascertain their views on the subject. The verdict was unanimous: the ceasefire, declared in 1997, should continue in spite of the deadlock in the peace talks.
The last round of talks between Delhi and the NSCN (I-M) in Amsterdam ended in a stalemate, leading to speculation about whether the militant group would do a rethink on the truce.
?A meeting will be held in the last week of the month to decide on the issue,? K. Chawang, deputy kilonser (minister) in the outfit?s information and publicity wing, said.
The deadlock in Amsterdam was apparently over the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance?s common minimum programme, which rules out any change in the territory of the northeastern states. This clause clashes with the NSCN (I-M)?s demand for the integration of all contiguous Naga-inhabited areas of the Northeast.
Naga Students? Federation president Achumbemo Kikon expressed concern over the impasse, but said no disagreement could justify ending the ceasefire.
?There were no two opinions (during the meeting) on the continuation of peace,? he said.