Ceasefire realities: Naga Hoho, church bodies review scene

KOHIMA, Feb 5 – Naga Hoho, the apex tribal council’s co-ordination committee, various NGOs and church organisations reviewed the latest political situation in Naga-inhabited areas in a meeting recently, report agencies. The meeting was briefed on a Naga Hoho delegation’s talks with NSCN(IM) leaders in Bangkok in the first week of this month. In a press release here, the Naga Hoho president, M Vero, described the Bangkok meeting as a “positive step” towards finding a lasting solution to the Naga political problem. Welcoming the ceasefire between the Kuki National Front and the NSCN(IM), the meeting urged the two rival NSCN factions to stop their armed confrontations. The apex Naga council urged the NSCN(IM) to reciprocate positively to the ceasefire announced by the NSCN(K) on December 19. So far the NSCN(IM) has not reciprocated officially to the offer. A major armed clash had occurred between the two groups on January 19 at a village near Dimapur where six NSCN(K) cadres were gunned down by NSCN(IM).