Ceasefire pact with NSCN(K)/Niki extended for another year

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 5, 2024

The ceasefire agreement between the Union government and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (K)/Niki group was extended for another year from September 8, 2024, to September 7, 2025.

This Agreement was signed on September 6, 2021.

The NSCN (K) Niki group, led by Niki Sumi, is a faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang). Niki Sumi has been a significant figure in the insurgency in the Northeast, and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had placed a reward of Rs 10 lakh on him for his alleged involvement in a deadly ambush in Manipur in 2015. In that incident, 18 Indian Army soldiers were killed, making it one of the most severe attacks on Indian security forces in the region. Sumi’s group has been involved in ongoing insurgent activities, although he entered into peace talks with the Indian government in recent years.

On August 3, 2015, a historic framework agreement was signed with NSCN (I-M), led by Thuingaleng Muivah. This agreement was aimed at finding a permanent political solution to the Naga issue and bringing peace to the region.

The framework agreement was seen as a significant step toward resolving decades of insurgency in Nagaland. The NSCN (I-M) is the main faction involved in peace talks with the government, while the NSCN (K) faction, led by Niki Sumi, had opposed the process and continued with insurgent activities at the time.

However, the peace talks between the Union government and the NSCN (I-M) have faced a deadlock in recent years, primarily due to the group’s insistence on a separate Naga flag and constitution. These demands have been a core part of the NSCN (I-M)’s negotiations for a lasting solution to the Naga issue. However, the Indian government has firmly rejected these demands, stating that they cannot accommodate a separate flag or constitution within the framework of India’s sovereignty.