High time the Government make its intentions clear on whether it wants to pursue peace through force or genuine dialogue: NSCN-IM

Claiming that the security forces are violating the mutually agreed Ceasefire Ground Rules, the NSCN-IM has stated that it is high time the Government of India made its intentions clear to the world on whether it wants to pursue peace through force or peace through genuine dialogue.

"Either way, the Naga people remain resolutely committed to go the distance, at all costs," the NSCN-IM said in a release issued on Wednesday.

The NSCN-IM accused the Indian security forces of harassing civilians at TM Kasom in Ukhrul district, Makuilongdi in Senapati district, and other nearby villages by conducting unauthorized raids, carrying out door-to-door searches without judicial warrants, militarizing residential areas, and allegedly abducting four innocent civilians.

The NSCN-IM stated that such actions constitute a grave violation of fundamental human rights, adding that civilians caught in the midst of any conflict, justified or not, deserve protection, not persecution.

"The Indian security forces are violating the mutually agreed Ceasefire Ground Rules at a pace that outstrips the MIP. The recent military activities of the Indian armed forces in Naga areas are of grave concern. This militarization has turned peaceful villages into zones of fear and control," the release stated.

The NSCN-IM reminded the Indian security forces that the agreed Ceasefire Ground Rules are a bilateral agreement and reiterated that they do not give the security forces the sole right to act according to their own whims and fancies.

The NSCN-IM further stated:

"These violations are on record, and they constitute a serious breach of trust that undermines the credibility of the ongoing peace talks. It is high time the Government of India (GoI) made its intentions clear to the world on whether it wants to pursue peace through force or peace through genuine dialogue."

The NSCN-IM demanded that the Government of India initiate an immediate and independent investigation into the alleged violations of the Ceasefire Ground Rules, ensure strict adherence to the terms of the ceasefire agreement, and allow international and independent human rights monitoring of the affected areas.

"The pursuit of a lasting and honourable solution to the Indo-Naga political issue should be based on trust and respect for each other's differences rather than on the barrel of a gun," the release added.