Guwahati, August 07: The NSCN warned on Tuesday that it could take up arms again after a four-year ceasefire, following the failure of peace talks with the Government.

�We are preparing ourselves for any eventuality, including going back to the jungles,� said AZ Jami, steering committee secretary of the outlawed NSCN (IM).

�We have asked our cadres to prepare themselves to go underground at very short notice,� Jami said.

But the truce has been threat ended by a bitter dispute over the Government�s U-turn on an initial pledge to extend the ceasefire outside Nagaland state to all parts of India with tribal Naga communities.

The latest round of talks, held in Amsterdam, collapsed on Monday without agreement, and a last ditch attempt to save the ceasefire is scheduled to be made at another meeting next week.

�It is very unfortunate if we have to call off the ceasefire and go underground and for that the Indian government should be held responsible.

We have sacrificed a lot and now we cannot compromise,� Jami said.

An initial agreement on June 14 had envisaged a pan-India ceasefire � a move that triggered violent demonstrations in the neighboring northeastern states of Manipur, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh.

All three have sizeable Naga population and feared the government was planning to shave off tracts of their territory to create Greater Nagaland � a concept mooted by the NSCN.

Bowing to the pressure, the Government backtracked on the agreement, triggering fresh rounds of protest � this time from the Naga community.

Our staff reporter adds A rally to protest the Centre�s decision to limit the ceasefire within the boundary of Nagaland was taken out today from Hundung to Kharasom in Ukhrul district, police sources said.

The rally was organized by the Coordinating Committee on Ceasefire.

The rallyists burnt the effigies of Prime Minister and Home minister.

A public meeting was later held at the Tangkhul Long ground, Ukhrul.

A bandh was called in Tamenglong to protest the limitation of the ceasefire within Nagaland only.

Business establishments remained closed ad passenger vehicles stayed off the road, said police.

Sit-in-protests were held at various places in Chandel district demanding the extension of the ceasefire beyond Nagaland.

In Senapati district normal life was not disturbed with vehicles playing on the highway.

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