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Naga ceasefire extension announcement angers NE states
Centre`s decision to extend the ceasefire with NSCN (IM) for a year `without territorial limits` has not gone down well with the neighbouring states of Nagaland. The fear of Greater Nagalim is looming large on these states.Siddharth Sharma reports. Manipur on red alert, bandh from Friday night
Report: Siddharth Sharma
Centre’s decision to extend the ceasefire with NSCN (IM) for a year ‘without territorial limits’ has not gone down well with the neighbouring states of Nagaland. Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura have denounced the ‘territorial’ extension fearing that it would help the militant outfit NSCN (IM) to fulfill its dream of the creation of a Greater Nagalim. These states fear that doing away with the territorial limit of the ceasefire will give the NSCN the license to kill, kidnap, extort and collect taxes beyond Nagaland.
The Greater Nagalim as perceived by the NSCN includes Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh, Ukhrul and Tamenglong districts of Manipur and parts of eastern and southern-eastern Assam comprising Sivasagar, Jorhat, Karbi Anglong, Golaghat and North Cachar hills districts.
People are apprehensive that the extension of truce will give NSCN the leverage to work among the Nagas living beyond Nagaland. They believe that it will also help the insurgent group to influence the Naga diaspora in neighbouring states to demand for a Greater Nagalim. On the other hand, security forces deployed in the area fear that the new lease given to the ceasefire will reduce them to mere spectators and give immunity to the militants. Incidents like the recent ambush of an Assam Rifles patrol on the 13th vindicate their fears. The ambush is believed to be carried out jointly by ULFA and NSCN.
The Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi has strongly opposed the move and said that the Centre never consulted them before extending ceasefire to other areas. “The Center, without consulting with anybody, has extended the ceasefire to areas outside Nagaland and we oppose it,`` Gogoi said. The chief minister said that the Assam government will support any kind of peace process but it did not support such a move which "may create law and order problems for the state". The Samata party, which has a sizable number of seats in the Manipur assembly, has gone a step further and termed the agreement as a Himalayan blunder and a shortsightedness on the part of the government.
Meanwhile, sentiments are high in the Manipur valley. A 66-hour Manipur bandh has been called from midnight on Friday by over 100 social organisations, including the All Manipur United Clubs Organisation (AMUCO) to protest the extension of the ceasefire between NSCN (IM) and the Centre to Manipur. Water supply, medical department, public health engineering services and religious services would be exempted from the purview of the bandh. Security has been beefed up in sensitive pockets and Sec 144 has been invoked as a precautionary step.
Centre’s decision to extend the ceasefire with NSCN (IM) for a year ‘without territorial limits’ has not gone down well with the neighbouring states of Nagaland. Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura have denounced the ‘territorial’ extension fearing that it would help the militant outfit NSCN (IM) to fulfill its dream of the creation of a Greater Nagalim. These states fear that doing away with the territorial limit of the ceasefire will give the NSCN the license to kill, kidnap, extort and collect taxes beyond Nagaland.
The Greater Nagalim as perceived by the NSCN includes Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh, Ukhrul and Tamenglong districts of Manipur and parts of eastern and southern-eastern Assam comprising Sivasagar, Jorhat, Karbi Anglong, Golaghat and North Cachar hills districts.
People are apprehensive that the extension of truce will give NSCN the leverage to work among the Nagas living beyond Nagaland. They believe that it will also help the insurgent group to influence the Naga diaspora in neighbouring states to demand for a Greater Nagalim. On the other hand, security forces deployed in the area fear that the new lease given to the ceasefire will reduce them to mere spectators and give immunity to the militants. Incidents like the recent ambush of an Assam Rifles patrol on the 13th vindicate their fears. The ambush is believed to be carried out jointly by ULFA and NSCN.
The Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi has strongly opposed the move and said that the Centre never consulted them before extending ceasefire to other areas. “The Center, without consulting with anybody, has extended the ceasefire to areas outside Nagaland and we oppose it,`` Gogoi said. The chief minister said that the Assam government will support any kind of peace process but it did not support such a move which "may create law and order problems for the state". The Samata party, which has a sizable number of seats in the Manipur assembly, has gone a step further and termed the agreement as a Himalayan blunder and a shortsightedness on the part of the government.
Meanwhile, sentiments are high in the Manipur valley. A 66-hour Manipur bandh has been called from midnight on Friday by over 100 social organisations, including the All Manipur United Clubs Organisation (AMUCO) to protest the extension of the ceasefire between NSCN (IM) and the Centre to Manipur. Water supply, medical department, public health engineering services and religious services would be exempted from the purview of the bandh. Security has been beefed up in sensitive pockets and Sec 144 has been invoked as a precautionary step.