IMPHAL, March 4: The 17-day-old People's Front Ministry led Radhabinod Koijam has strongly opposed the proposed extension of the 3-year-old ceasefire between the Centre and the NSCN(IM) to Naga-inhabited areas of the Northeast, particularly Manipur. The Chief Minister, Radhabinod Koijam who is currently in New Delhi for the Chief Minister's conference, in a statement which was made available here, said that Naga outfits have been demanding a Greater Nagaland or Southern Nagaland integrating all Naga-dominated areas of Manipur have strongly opposed the extension of the ceasefire and will, at...

AIZAWL, March 4: Chief Minister Zoramthanga has held discussions in New Delhi with Defence Minister George Fernandes on the overall security scenario in the Northeast, reports UNI. According to official sources here, the Chief Minister also requested the Defence Minister to shift the Assam Rifles from the heart of the capital town to the outskirts at the earliest. The state government has already earmarked a site for the proposed new Assam Rifles complex. The two leaders yesterday discussed the issue of fencing the State's 424-km-long international border with Myanmar to check the flow of...

SHILLONG, February 28: The 42nd Rashtriya Rifles (Assam), formed specially to combat insurgency and terrorism, came into existence at a simple inaugural ceremony at the Assam Regimental Centre, Happy Valley here on Thursday, reports UNI. Major General IJS Bora, GOC 101 area, unfurled the Rashtriya Rifles (RR) flag heralding the formal raising of the battalion which would be commanded by Lt Col Naresh Razora. Smartly turned out guards of the new battalion presented the major general salute in presence of officers, jawans and their families of 101 area and 42nd RR battalion. While four RR...

IMPHAL, March 3: Contradictory to news reports, the state Chief Minister, Radhabinod Koijam has reiterated that Manipur's objection to the proposed extension of the three year-old ceasefire between the Government of India and Naga UGs, to Naga inhabited areas in the state still stands. Talking to mediapersons at the Chief Minister's secretariat, the health minister, Nimaichand Luwang speaking on behalf of the Chief Minister, who is now in Delhi, categorically denied that the Chief Minister had at any point during his talks with either the Prime Minister or the home minister gave any positive...

IMPHAL, March 3: The proposed extension of the ceasefire between the NSCN(IM) and the Centre to other contiguous Naga-dominated areas of the Northeast has received a boost after Union home minister L. K. Advani yesterday hinted at getting "a positive response from the Chief Ministers of some states in the region." However, Manipur Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam today opposed any move to extend the ceasefire to the Naga-inhabited areas of the state. In an official statement released from New Delhi, Koijam reportedly mooted the idea of a ceasefire with all the militant outfits of the Northeast...