Ceasefire has lost its meaning: NSCN (IM) after Arunachal encounter

The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM), the oldest rebel group in the country said the ceasefire lost its meaning due to frequent operations by security forces including the killing of its six cadres in Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday.

"The ceasefire can only make sense where there is mutual respect. In today’s highly sensitive world, it is difficult to imagine ceasefire signed for the purpose of negotiating for honourable political solution and military suppression going on side by side. Significantly, this is the manner of the Government of India in dealing with the Nagas. The suppressive nature that GoI refused to part with is the root cause complicating the 23 years of Indo-Naga political talks that have achieved much but honoured very little. The NSCN is being driven to the wall after repeated provocation and aggression. The goodwill spirit of ceasefire has been stamped to the ground," NSCN (IM) said in a statement emailed to DH on Sunday evening.

The statement came a day after army said that six cadres of the Naga rebel group were killed in an encounter in Longding district, close to Myanmar border. One jawan of Assam Rifles was also injured in the gunbattle which, according to the army, continued for about 90 minutes.

The NSCN (IM), which claims that Nagas has never been part of India is in a ceasefire agreement with the government since 1997.

Brigadier Vijay Chachar, the commander of 25 Section of Assam Rifles, which led the operation along with army and Arunachal Pradesh police said the ceasefire was applicable only in Nagaland and not in Arunachal Pradesh. "Also the ground rules of the ceasefire says the cadres must stay in designated camps. In case of any requirement for movement of the cadres, they are supposed to inform the security forces," Chahar told reporters on Sunday, while briefing about the encounter.

The NSCN (IM) signed a "broad framework agreement" with the Centre in September 2015 and concluded negotiations in October last year for signing a final agreement with the government. But government sources said the outfit's insistance for a seperate flag and Constitution for the Nagas was delaying the final agreement.

Chahar claimed that the group was planning to carry out "subversive and anti-national activities" in the area and had opened fire at them when security forces approached towards them and a jawan was injured. "The six died when we retaliated," Chahar claimed.