CFMG talks over continued inter-factional clashes

Kohima, Apr 17 (UNI) An emergency meeting of the Cease-Fire Monitoring Group(CFMG) was held at Dimapur with an aim to defuse the violence among the rival factions of underground outfits throughout Nagaland.

The meeting, held yesterday, was attended by Chairman of the CFMG Lt Gen(Retd) R V Kulkarni, Inspector General of Asom Rifles Maj Gen K S Sethi, Nagaland Additional Chief Secretary and Commissioner T N Mannen, Nagaland Director General of Police(DGP) J Changkija and other senior officials of the State, while the NSCN-IM was represented by Brig Phungthing Shimrang, Convenor of Cease-Fire Monitoring Cell(CFMC) of NSCN-IM along with his officials.

The meeting stressed on restoring peace in the state by avoiding inter-factional clashes among various underground outfits, specially the rival factions of NSCN.

The Government sources said they had earlier appealed to proscribed groups to help restore peace in the state. However, now they are not open to talks, they added.

Speaking to mediapersons after the meeting, Brig Phungthing said the meeting slammed the Union Government and security agencies for their alleged failure to contain the activities of rival factions, especially the NSCN(K). He said the Centre, particularly the Ministry of Home Affairs has miserably failed to contain the activities of NSCN(K) and questioned as to why the Assam Rifles and Indian Reserved Battalion(IRB) personnel were to be deployed in the affected areas to restore normalcy, when they had failed to contain the build up(for NSCN-K) earlier.

The Convenor of CFMG said the NSCN-IM voiced its 'serious concern' at the meeting.

UNI