The decade-long cease-fire between the Government of India and the NSCN-IM which expires on 31 July 2007 will be extended for another year.

Below are extracts from an article written by R. Dutta Choudhury and published by the Assam Tribune:

Nearly ten years have passed since the cease-fire agreement between the Government of India and the NSCN (I-M) came into force and it will take some more time before a final agreement is reached […].

Highly placed official sources said that the cease-fire pact with the NSCN (I-M) came into effect from August 1, 1997 and the present term of the agreement would expire on July 31. The Government of India and the outfit, in a meeting held in New Delhi on July 20, agreed to extend the term of the cease-fire pact by one more year and the formal agreement in this regard is scheduled to be signed in Kohima on July 31.

[…] There was a time when the leaders of the NSCN only talked with the Government on foreign soil, but now they have started coming to India for talks. […] “The Government has told the NSCN that solution to the problem must come within the framework of the Constitution of India and the NSCN has also agreed to give up the demand for sovereignty and they have agreed to remain as a part of India. The NSCN now agreed that they would agree to remain as a part of India under “a special federal relation” and on its part, the Government is also of the view that the Constitution is not rigid and it could be amended. Now discussions on this issue is going on,” sources said. Sources also pointed out that the Constitution of India already provided some special provisions for Nagaland on issues like right over land and resources and the special customary and traditional laws remained untouched.

On the reported demand of the NSCN for greater Nagalim with areas of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, official sources asserted that the Government of India would not agree to reorganize the existing boundaries of the States. The Government has made it very clear to the leadership of the NSCN that the Centre would not redefine the existing boundaries of the states without the approval of the concerned state Governments. It may be mentioned here that the Governments of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur have already voiced their strong opposition to the demand for greater Nagalim by including the land of these states.

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