Ceasefire with NDFB (Ranjan) extended

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, February 20: The ceasefire between Ranjan Daimary faction of the tiol Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) and the Central government has been extended till June 30 this year.

The decision to extend the ceasefire, which was earlier for an indefinite period, was taken at a joint monitoring committee (JMC) meeting held at Dispur on Friday, in which Sambhu Singh, Joint Secretary, Home Affairs, North-east, Assam government’s Additiol Chief Secretary MGVK Bhanu and the State Home Department’s top officials were present.  After the meeting, Ranjan Daimary told reporters that the talks between the government and the NDFB were moving in the right direction. Efforts are being made to fast track the talks process, Daimary added. Other groups - the Kuki Revolutiory Army (KRA), the Adivasi Cobra Militants of Assam (ACMA), the Adivasi People’s Army (APM), the Birsa Commando Force (BCF), the All Adivasi tiol Liberation Army (AANLA) and the United Kukigam Defence Army (UKDA) - which also took part in the JMC meeting on Friday, raised their respective demands.

The Adivasi outfits demanded ST status for the Adivasi people living in the State while the Kuki outfit again raised their demand for a Kuki Regiol Council in Karbi Anglong district.

APM chairman Bijoy Sing Lokra, after the meeting, said, “We are hopeful that our demands will be considered by the Central government.” KRA joint secretary J Hangsing said, “Our main demand is the formation of the Kuki Regiol Council for the greater interests of Kuki people.”