Nagaland today observed 52nd Indo-Naga Ceasefire Day, also known as Peace Day, which marks the signing of ceasefire agreement between the then Naga outfit leaders of Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) and Government of India under the initiative of Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC).
It was on this day in 1964 that both FGN and the Centre agreed to end the armed conflict and sign ceasefire at the initiative of Nagaland Peace Mission constituted by NBCC, comprising former Assam Chief Minister Bimala Prasad Chaliha, freedom fighter Jayaprakash Narayan and a clergyman from England, Reverend Michael Scott.
The mission was formed by the NBCC to restore peace in Nagaland when there was an armed conflict between the Indian security forces and the "Naga army" under FGN.
The conflict had claimed thousands of lives, including civilians, while atrocities like mass rape, burning of villages and other inhuman acts were rampant.
"The formation of the Peace Mission was the evident position of the Church which insisted that a military solution was not the answer to the Naga political issues and the struggle for their human dignity," said former NBCC Peace Director, Reverend L Kari Longchar, who was the main speaker of the programme jointly organised by FGN and NBCC at Chedema Peace Camp, some 8 kms away from Kohima town.
He said that in recent times several Naga national groups have signed ceasefire with GoI, and noted that ceasefire was declared between NSCN(IM) and GoI on August 1, 1997 followed by rounds of political negotiations being held at the Prime Ministerial level.
Welcoming a Peace Accord signed on August 3 between the Centre and NSCN(IM), he called upon the Naga people to pray and hope that this breakthrough will usher a new era of love, joy, peace, forgiveness, healing, reconciliation and justice for all Nagas.
The occasion was also marked by holding special prayers for peace to prevail throughout the state and early resolution of the Naga political issue.
