Source: Matamgi Yakairol
New Delhi, June 27:
The extension of Nagaland ceasefire agreement reached between the centre and the NSCN (IM) beyond Nagaland, which led to large-scale violence in Manipur, will neither be withdrawn nor reviewed, quoting official sources a report in Deccan Herald today.
It says, ignoring Manipuris� views, the centre has decided to give finality to the agreement by getting it approved from the Union Cabinet soon.
And if need be parliamentary stamp would be put on it by bringing this agreement to the approval of Parliament to ensure protection of territorial integrity of the North Eastern states, including Assam and Manipur.
The tussle between the Prime Minister�s Office and the Home Minister came to the fore on the issue when Home Minister LK Advani assured the Manipur MLAs and MPs to review the agreement, but the next day, Prime Minister AB Vajpayee refused to review it but assured territorial integrity of Manipur when all the MLAs met Mr.Vajpayee at a meeting which was attended by Minister of State for Home ID Swami and the Prime Minister�s emissary, Mr.K Padmanabhaiah.
The reason for the tussle between PMO and Home Ministry being given is that Mr.Advani chose to finalize the agreement without waiting for the arrival of the Prime Minister fro Mumbai where he had gone for knee replacement surgery.
It was not done in a transparent manner which led to apprehension in the minds of Manipuris that the centre has succumbed to the Nagas� demands of �Greater Nagaland� the sources said.
This is for the first time that the Nagaland ceasefire has been extended beyond Nagaland by the BJP-led NDA government though it was provided in the original agreement signed in July 1997 and subsequently extended in 1998 but was never implemented by the centre.
The cease fire agreement was first reached in July 1987 when Mr IK Gujral was the PM at that time, the area of ceasefire was beyond Nagaland, but this aspect was never implemented by the respective central government s apprehending stiff opposition to any such move by other North Eastern states.
The failure to extend the ceasefire had resulted in killings of Nagas by the security forces outside Naga land over the years.
At that time, the Centre�s interlocutors were Mr NN Bohra and Mr Arun Bhagat who had assured NSCN (IM) leader Th Muivah that the ceasefire would be implemented in Manipur, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and other North Eastern States.
In June 1998, Mr Swaraj Kaushal had resigned to protest the Home Ministry�s dilly dallying over implementing the ceasefire beyond Nagaland, NSCN (IM) Gen Secretary T Muivah had given to the PM the details of the Centre�s failure so far in implementing the Nagaland ceasefire in toot and the killings of Nagas at the hands of police organizations and security forces.
Mr Muivah pointed that while the centre has taken action to curb Naga militants, but it failed to contain Manipuri militants over the years.
This time when Mr Padmanabhaiah went to negotiate the extension of ceasefire with Mr Muivah at Bangkok talk alleging the violation of the cease fire by Indian forces.
On the other hand, Manipur MLAs and MPs have pointed out a clause of the Nagaland ceasefire that Nagas would be allowed to shift themselves from one camp to another along with their heavy arms and ammunition.
Manipuris feel that such a step would help Nagas to consolidate themselves in certain pockets.