Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Guwahati, July 04 2009:
The ceasefire agreement term between the government of India and the Bodo based militant outfit National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB-pro-talks) has been extended for a period of six months.
The extension of the ceasefire came following a meeting between representatives of Union Home Ministry and the Assam-based outfit in New Delhi on Saturday.
The previous term of the ceasefire expired on June 30.The NDFB first signed the ceasefire agreement with the Centre in 2005 and since then the truce has been extended periodically.
"The term of our ceasefire with the central government has been extended for another six months," NDFB spokesman S.Sanjarang said.
"The Government has assured us to hold peace parleys during the current term," he said.
"In fact, we wouldn't have agreed to go for another extension (of the ceasefire) had the Government not committed to hold peace negotiations during the current term," Sanjarang said.
"If they (Centre) fail to hold talks in the next six months, we will regard this as their defeat," the NDFB spokesman added.
On many occasions, members of the pro-talks faction were found violating the ceasefire ground rules.
But Sanjarang claimed that their cadres have remained confined to the three designated camps ever since the outfit signed the ceasefire agreement with the Centre.
The ceasefire with the pro-talks faction has been extended amidst stepped up operations by police and para military forces against members of NDFB's anti-talks faction.
Over 30 militants of the anti-talks group were gunned down by police and para military forces in last one month.
The operations were intensified following reports that the anti-talks faction was making attempts to trigger a series of blasts in the state.
The NDFB suffered a split late last year in the wake of the deadly bomb blasts in Assam.
Currently, the NDFB (pro-talks) faction is led by Dhiren Bodo..
Ranjan Daimari, chairman of the anti-talks faction, is believed to be operating from Bangladesh.