Karaiba Chawang
Kohima | June 11
Nagaland Government has termed the Centre’s mute response to the proposal put up by them for review of Ceasefire ground rules as “insensitive”.
“We have pointed certain clauses in the ground rules which need immediate review, but they have not responded till date. It is very insensitive on their part”, said Nagaland Commissioner, TN Mannen.
Although, he refrained from disclosing the clauses which needed review, Mannen said that there are certain sections in the existing ground rules, which was acting as a hurdle in maintaining complete peace in the State. “But the Centre is least bothered”, Mannen further stated.
Proposal for review of truce ground rules has also been put forth by the Assam Rifles to the Centre since last year June, citing that the existing ground rules is not favourable to the civilian populace. Top officials of the Assam Rifles revealed that they have send proposal for changes in certain clauses of the ground rules, but the Centre has not responded so far.
However, it is learnt that the Assam Rifles has objected to the idea of extension of truce in other Naga inhabited areas, except Nagaland state.
Similar pressure for review of the ground rules are also being put on the Government of India even from both factions of the NSCN.
The ground rules review meeting was scheduled somewhere in late March last at Kohima between the Government of India and NSCN- IM representatives, however, it could not be materialized as Delhi backed off for undisclosed reason in the last minute.
Asked whether, the state government on its part has done anything or is contemplating any action to contain the factional clash in the civilian inhabited areas, Mannen said “I don’t think we have done anything officially so far, but as per the ceasefire ground rules the cadres are not supposed to be in the civilian inhabited areas”. Referring to the Mokokchung Superintendent of Police notification issued on Friday last, asking all underground cadres to move out of the civilian areas within 10 days time, the Commissioner said that there was no such directive from the state government, but said that it is quite “sensible”, when one goes by the ground rules.
“There is always an appeal from the state government to the armed cadres not to disturb peace, but the question is how far they are listening to it”, said the Commissioner.
“Technically they are also all ordinary citizens, so unless they don’t move around with arms or disturb peace it may be difficult to deal with them with ordinary laws”, Mannen said, but asserted “definitely armed cadres should not stay in the civilian areas”.
Mannen also further said that the over all law and order situation in the state is under control.
