Ceasefire agreements with Naga groups do not grant immunity to conduct any form of “taxation” or intimidate the public, asserted Lt. General Amarjeet Singh Bedi, chairman of the Ceasefire Monitoring Cell, on Saturday.
Bedi clarified that the Centre has established ceasefire agreements with five Naga groups over the years: the NSCN (IM) in 1997, NSCN (Unification) in 2012, NSCN (Reformation) in 2015, NSCN-K (Khango) in 2019, and NSCN-K (Nikki) in 2021.
Out of a total of 24 Naga underground factions, only these five have entered into a truce with the government.
"The purpose of these ceasefire agreements is to promote peace and create a conducive environment for political dialogue aimed at resolving the Naga issue," Bedi stated during a press conference.
He said that all signatory groups are obligated to comply with ceasefire ground rules.
Bedi explained that certain administrative provisions, such as designated camps, ceasefire identity cards, and ceasefire offices, have been made available to these groups solely for managing ceasefire-related activities and maintaining order.
“However, these arrangements should not be used to inconvenience the general public, nor do they provide immunity for any group to engage in violations of ceasefire rules or unlawful actions,” he added.
Bedi also maintained that the effectiveness of the ceasefire mechanism is evident in the relative peace the Naga people have enjoyed and the ongoing political negotiations to address the Naga political issue.
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