Naga rebel groups agree to maintain status quo

Kohima, Oct 13 : The Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) has informed that all the three major Naga insurgent groups during the meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) has resolved to maintain a status quo on their existing ''territories''.

The FNR, in a release here today, said to endorse spirit of the agreement during the September Summit signed by the groups NSCN-IM, NSCN(K) and Naga National Council (''Federal Government'' of Nagaland), a JWG meeting was convened at Dimapur on Saturday.

It was agreed that all of them would maintain the status quo in their present ''territories'' and stop all activities of extortion, kidnapping and violence. The agreement was signed by JWG conveners - Zhopra Vero (NNC/FGN) C Singsong (NSCN-K) - and ''general'' V S Atem (NSCN-IM) also urged the people to remain vigilant and cooperate in order to clean this menace without delay. ''The culture of extortion and kidnapping would not be tolerated,'' the organisations maintained.