Nagaland

Kohima, Aug 14 (PTI) The Centre is willing to provide a solution for the Naga political issue, but Nagas have to be inclusive to accept it, state BJP president Temjen Imna Along said.

Speaking to reporters, Along said the willingness to settle the age-old Naga political issue is the endeavour of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

"The Government of India (GOI) under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah is ready to provide a settlement, but are we completely inclusive to accept it?" he said on Saturday.

Kohima, Dec 30 (PTI) The Centre's decision to extend the stringent Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act by another six months has raised the hackles of prominent Naga outfits, which said the measure was "unacceptable" and made with the intention to "suppress Nagas for generations to come".

The Centre on Thursday declared the entire state of Nagaland a "disturbed area" for six more months with effect from December 30 under the AFSPA while terming the situation there as "disturbed and dangerous"

Kohima, Dec 16 (PTI) The Naga Students' Federation (NSF) -- apex body of Naga youth and students -- will take out a rally on Friday demanding immediate repeal of AFSPA from the state.

The rally, which is expected to witness a large gathering, will commence from Old MLA Hostel Junction here around 11 am and culminate near Raj Bhavan, NSF president Kegwayhun Tep said.

The protesters will hand over a memorandum seeking immediate withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958 to Governor Jagdish Mukhi for its submission to the Centre.

Kohima, Dec 7 (PTI) The cabinet of Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Tuesday decided to call off the ongoing Hornbill Festival in protest against the killing of 14 civilians by security forces, official sources said.

The state government has also decided to write to the Centre demanding the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, they said.

The 10-day Hornbill Festival, the state's largest tourism extravaganza held at Naga Heritage Village in Kisama near the state capital, was scheduled to end on December 10.

Kohima, Dec 25 (PTI) Nagaland celebrated Christmas with religious fervour and joy on Friday with many churches holding live online Christmas services due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The midnight services on Thursday welcoming the birth of Jesus was limited to lesser congregations in Churches following the COVID-19 protocols in the Christian majority state.

Kohima, Dec 23 (PTI) Naga insurgent group NSCN-K, led by dreaded militant Niki Sumi, on Wednesday announced a ceasefire and said that it has contacted the central government for initiating peace dialogue.

The NSCN-K had signed a ceasefire with the Centre in 2001 but unilaterally abrogated it in 2015 when the then 'chairman' of the group, S S Khaplang, was alive.

Kohima, Oct 12 (PTI) Senior Nagaland minister C M Chang died of COVID-19 here on Monday, health officials said.

He was 77 and is survived by his wife, four sons, five daughters and grandchildren.

Chang was being treated for COVID-19 at a hospital in Kohima, they said.

He is the first MLA in the state, which has reported 7,240 COVID-19 cases so far, to succumb to the infection.

The Nagaland government has declared state mourning on October 13 and 14, officials said.

New Delhi, Sep 16 (PTI) A delegation of top NSCN-IM leaders and officials of the Intelligence Bureau continued the ongoing peace talks to find a lasting solution to the vexed Naga insurgency problem in the Northeast, officials said on Wednesday.

The negotiations are being held almost on a daily basis for the last few days between the NSCN-IM leadership and two senior officers of the IB here.

Kohima, Jul 11 (PTI) The Nagaland government has decided to extend the ongoing lockdown in the state till July 31, and charge fees for COVID-19 tests and stay at quarantine centres at a later stage.

The ongoing lockdown in the state, which was supposed to be lifted on July 16, was extended for another 15 days at a meeting of the High Powered Committee (HPC) on COVID-19 on Friday.

Kohima, Mar 23 (PTI) Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Monday appealed to people across the country to be sensitive to all communities and refrain from racial profiling and discrimination in the wake of coronavirus outbreak.

Reacting to reports of alleged discrimination of Nagas working and studying in other parts of the country and tagging them as "Chinese and virus carriers", Rio said the country must move forward as one nation at this juncture.