Kohima: During the final day of the fifth session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly on Thursday, Kuzholuzo (Azo) Nienu, the NPF legislature party leader, voiced serious concerns about the ongoing ceasefire agreements in the state. Initiating a discussion on the Naga political issue under matters of public importance, Nienu argued that the ceasefire has done “more bad than good” and is now “counterproductive.”
Nienu condemned the ceasefire, stating it has become “a license to threaten and intimidate, a license to extort and impose multiple taxes, a license for ransom and kidnapping, and above all, a license to kill.”
He highlighted that the situation has escalated to where factions are harassing the public, including pastors, under the guise of the ceasefire. “Every day you see in the papers, one faction or another harassing the public, beating up people, even pastors, under the guise of ceasefire,” he remarked.
Nienu also pointed out the alarming proliferation of factions in the state, with approximately 25 to 26 factions now operating, according to the Home Minister. He questioned the necessity of the ceasefire and urged that if it is to be extended, the ground rules must be reviewed “immediately” to enforce the rule of law.
He criticized the current ceasefire agreement, signed with five groups, for lacking provisions for sustenance, allowances, or compensation mechanisms for armed civil cadres. Nienu proposed that the Government of India provide a minimum monthly sustenance allowance and rations to members of the groups under ceasefire to prevent them from resorting to extortion.
Additionally, Nienu recommended reforms to the Ceasefire Monitoring Group/Ceasefire Supervisory Board (CFMG/CFSG). He suggested that the board include three regular committee members—representatives from the army, police, and a civilian—rather than retired officers who, according to him, “are redundant and have no power.”
Nienu advocated placing the CFMG/CFSG under the control of the state government and proposed relocating all ceasefire offices from Dimapur to a single building in Kohima for better coordination and quicker resolution of ceasefire violations.
He called for strict action against groups not in ceasefire agreements with the Government of India, stating that such outfits should be banned and their members excluded from the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) or any other factions. Nienu also urged the government to issue strict directives to all factions to stop issuing parallel orders to the general public immediately, emphasizing that the state’s mandated government should be the sole authority.
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