Padmanabhaiah and Muivah reading out the joint statement. Picture by Deepak Dewan

Bangkok, Jan. 31: Displaying amazing brinkmanship, the government of India and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) today decided to extend the ceasefire agreement between them for another six months, barely hours before it ran out.

The six-month extension of the ceasefire seemed conditional. This is what the NSCN (I-M) had wanted ? to get Delhi to focus on the purpose of the ceasefire.

The joint statement extending the ceasefire thus began with the mutual acknowledgement that “there has been insufficient progress in the talks” and committed both sides to “new initiatives” to carry “the political negotiations expeditiously forward”.

This, in effect, means that the Indian negotiators accepted that the last eight-and-a-half years of the ceasefire had not been used as productively as they could have been.

Although it was not very clear what “new initiatives” would be explored, it is reliably learnt that there is some understanding that the two sides would exchange unofficial proposals for discussion to address the Naga issue.

This could happen as early as this February or March.

The NSCN (I-M)’s concerns about untoward incidents creating friction between them and the Indian security forces both inside and outside Nagaland were also addressed in the joint statement. And so was the issue of both sides desisting from encouraging groups inimical to the other.

Although yesterday it had seemed that a direct commitment would be given in this regard, these issues were finally taken on board only indirectly and in very general terms. The joint statement only said: “It was agreed to reactivate and make effective mechanisms to address all ceasefire issues, including modification of ground rules.”

This implies that the ceasefire would be honoured wherever there could be fighting and rival groups would not be encouraged to spoil the ground situation, both of which were prime concerns of the NSCN (I-M).

Despite their best efforts, the Indian negotiators could not get a one-year ceasefire extension. Thuingaleng Muivah, general secretary of the NSCN (I-M), seemed happy that his pressure had worked. “We agreed for only six months because this will serve the process better,” he said.

Muivah said his concerns about the ceasefire being made effective had been met and that he wanted a “political solution” without “any disturbances or differences” coming in the way of a peaceful solution.

A delegation of the supreme Naga tribal body, the Naga Hoho, was also present in Bangkok during the negotiations. The Indian side claimed that this was by design. The Hoho’s presence and support, they claimed, was used by Muivah to harden his posture ? that the ceasefire should not be extended for long periods of time and in a routine manner.

Muivah justified his consultations with the Hoho and said: “In our society, the Hoho is highly respected and I cannot go ahead without respecting their views. We belong to the Naga people and in many ways the Naga Hoho represents the Naga people.”

The Hoho’s support of the ceasefire extension was further underlined when its leaders were asked to stand behind Muivah as he and the Centre’s emissary K. Padmanabhaiah signed the agreement and posed for photographs.

The longest discussions on ceasefire extension between the Nagas and the Indian security forces in the last nine years lasted four days. Almost all the negotiators had to change their travel plans and reschedule their return flights out of Bangkok ? some of them twice in as many days.

Commenting on the ceasefire talks with Delhi, a Naga leader quipped: “This is like wooing a very difficult and unruly woman. Even after eight-and-a-half years of courtship there is a reluctance to make a commitment.”