'Ceasefire doesn't grant immunity to Naga groups for taxation, bullying'

Provisions of ceasefire agreements do not grant immunity to any Naga group to carry out any form of "taxation" or threaten the general public, Lt. General Amarjeet Singh Bedi, chairman of the Ceasefire Monitoring Cell, said on Saturday.

The Centre has signed ceasefire agreements with five Naga groups over a period of time -- NSCN (IM) in 1997, NSCN (Unification) in 2012, NSCN (Reformation) in 2015, NSCN-K (Khango) in 2019 and NSCN-K (Nikki) 2021.

Only these five of the total 24 Naga underground groups have entered into a truce with the Centre.

"Ceasefire agreements have been signed to usher in peace so that political discussions to resolve the Naga issue can move ahead in an atmosphere of mutual trust, respect and peaceful conditions," Bedi, also the chairman of Ceasefire Supervisory Board, said while addressing a press conference here.

All the Naga groups that are signatories to the ceasefire agreements with the Centre have committed to adhere to the ceasefire ground rules, he said.

Certain support instruments including designated camps, ceasefire identity cards and ceasefire offices have been provided to the groups purely for administrative purposes to undertake ceasefire-related tasks as well as ensure smooth continuation of the ceasefire, he said.

"However, these facilities are in no way meant to cause inconvenience to the common public and also in no way accord immunity to any group to indulge in violations of ceasefire ground rules or unlawful activities," he said.

The efficacy of the ceasefire mechanism can be judged by the prevalence of the peaceful environment Nagas have enjoyed for so many years as well as continuation of the political negotiations to resolve the Naga political issue, he said.