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NEWS - India Extends Ceasefire Agre



Subject: NEWS - India Extends Ceasefire Agreement with Naga Rebels

India Extends Ceasefire Agreement with Naga Rebels

               Reuters
               28-JUL-99

               NEW DELHI, July 28 (Reuters) - The Indian government and
               a leading separatist group from the northeastern state of
               Nagaland have extended a ceasefire agreement by a year
               from August 1, the government said on Wednesday. 

               In a statement, New Delhi said officials and the National
               Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) had agreed to the
               extension. 

               "This is in pursuance of the ongoing peace process
between
               the two held at Amsterdam on July 23 and 24," the
statement
               said. 

               The two-year-old ceasefire agreement would have ended at
               the end of July. 

               India began a dialogue with Isak Swu and Thuingaleng
               Muivah, two leaders of the NSCN (Isak-Muivah) faction,
               three years ago, but progress has been slow. 

               The rebels' inability to settle differences with rival
factions is
               seen as a major hurdle to restoring peace in the
violence-hit
               province close to Myanmar's border. 

               The ceasefire, which has been in force since August 1997,
               was seen as a step towards restoring peace in the
province,
               one of the most troubled in the tumultuous northeast
where
               more than 200 ethnic groups are fighting for secession or
               independent homelands. 

               In 1975, the separatist Naga National Council signed a
               peace accord that accepted the Indian constitution, but
was
               challenged by Swu and Muivah, who have led a life in
exile
               ever since.