Politics / Nagaland

IMPHAL, January 27: The tension on the Manipur-Nagaland border on account of some land dispute has subsided, according to Mao MLA M Thori. Speaking to IFP, Thorii also refuted the reports that residents of some villages had fled their homes because of a threat from across the border. He also asserted that any such threats would have no effect, adding that Manipur's territory will be defended by Manipuris. Thorii recalled that after villagers from the Manipur side of the border dismantled the rest house built in the Dzuko area by the Japhii Angami Public Organization, Nagaland residents...

IMPHAL, January 25: Residents of several villages along the Manipur Nagaland border are reported to have fled their homes and taken shelter in Mao during the past week on account of rising tension due to persistent territorial disputes between villagers of this state and their compatriots in Nagaland. A reliable report said after the latest flare-up in the Songsang area, residents of several villages on the interstate border have come under severe threat to leave their villages. It is worthwhile recalling that disputes had occurred earlier in the Tungjoy and Dzuko areas, but these had been...

IMPHAL, January 23: The All Manipur Students' Union, AMSU has strongly objected to the proposal of the extension of ceasefire with the NSCN(IM) to other Naga inhabited areas of the Northeastern region. A memorandum to this effect was sent today to the Prime Minister, the Union Home minister and Chief minister of Manipur by Premananda Yumnam, general secretary. The question of ceasefire jurisdiction has been a bone of contention. Because the NSC (IM) is planning to create a separate state of Nagas comprising large areas of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. Earlier these governments had...

DIMAPUR (Rangapahar), January 22: Though a semblance of peace has returned to Nagaland following the ongoing ceasefire, factional fights among the two warring Naga groups NSCN(IM) and NSCN(K) are going to rock the State and parts of Manipur in the near future. What is a more significant development is that largescale extortion by the militants has also gone alltime high. Although unlike Tripura militants, NSCN militants do not indulge in indiscriminate kidnappings, sustained extortion during ceasefire has certainly been a matter of apprehension for all the Army deployed in the State. The...

IMPHAL, January 21: The NSCN(IM) has stated that it now sees a glimmer of sincerity on the part of the Government of India in the Revised Agreed Ground Rules which was finalised on January 13 as it contains the clause that the ceasefire will be extended to all Naga inhabited areas. In a release faxed to The Sangai Express this evening the Secretary of the Naga rebel outfit, V Horam said that though the NSCN is not fully satisfied with the revised ground rules it is the best option in the prevailing condition. The release added that a little sacrifice here and there between the parties was...

PURUM, January 20: The Union home ministry will be convening a meeting of the four chief ministers of Nagaland, Manipur, Assam and Meghalaya soon to thrash out the question of extending the ceasefire between the government of India and the NSCN(IM) into all Naga inhabited areas falling within their states. This was stated by the Union joint secretary home, in charge of the Northeast, GK Pillai during a meeting with media persons at Purum in the Senapati district on January 18. However, Pillai either out of deliberate omission or unintended slip did not mention the Arunachal Pradesh chief...

IMPHAL, January 20: Opposition parties in Manipur are going to oppose any move of the Central Government regarding extension of ceasefire between the Government of India and the banned National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) in any part of Manipur. A delegation of the Manipur Democratic Front (MDF), the combined front of the Opposition of the State, will pressurise the Centre not to extend the ceasefire agreement to any Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur. This was informed by the leaders of the Opposition during a press conference hold at the Speaker's bungalow on Friday evening. The...

GUWAHATI, January 17(UNI): The ceasefire with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) is likely to be extended to all Naga areas of the Northeastern region. A crucial meeting of the Chief Ministers of Northeastern region, besides that of Nagaland was being convened shortly to take the final decision, said the Joint Secretary of the Union Home ministry, GK Pillai. The July 1997 ceasefire with the rebels had been extended till July 31 with revised ground rules debarring the NSCN cadres to carry arms to all populated areas, besides there would be no safe havens. This was decided after...

GUWAHATI, January 17: The Government of India is likely to convene a meeting involving Chief Ministers of the Northeastern states to discuss the issue of 'ceasefire without territorial limit' as has been insisted by the NSCN(IM) engaged in peace talks with the government. The joint secretary (NE) of the Union Home Ministry, G K Pillai, informed The Assam Tribune that the centre was likely to consider a ceasefire pact with the NSCN(IM) without territorial limit in view of the 'solid progress' made in the last round of negotiation with the outfit. The last round of talks saw changes in the...

NEW DELHI, January 16: The Government of India today suggested setting up of a Boundary Commission with specific terms of reference to settle the boundary dispute of Assam with the neighbouring States of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. Two suits filed by the Government of Assam against Arunachal and Nagaland for the demarcation of the boundary and encroachment of its areas were taken up today by a three-Judge bench of the Supreme Court headed by the Chief Justice of India. In this case, the Supreme Court had earlier sought the assistance of the Attorney General of India to suggest the...