The peace process between the government of India and the Naga armed opposition groups which started in 1997 failed to make any breakthrough. The ceasefire with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (I-M) was extended indefinitely from 1 August 2007 subject to progress in talks while the ceasefire with NSCN (K) was also extended up to 27 April 2008.

On 23 November 2007, a third faction known as National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Unification) was formed when the NSCN (IM) and NSK (K) signed a historic joint declaration “to bring an end to the fratricidal killings” at Niuland near Dimapur. But the NSCN (I-M) rejected the unification declaration. On 26 November 2007, Chairman of the NSCN (I-M), Isak Chisi Swu described the Niuland Declaration of 23^rd November as “controversial unification initiatives” and that “any independent unity move, deliberately done through the back door, shall not be acceptable” to NSCN-IM. Mr Swu however maintained that his group supported “reconciliation, unity and peace of all the Nagas”.

Violence was for the most part confined to inter-factional fighting between NSCN (I-M) and NSCN (K). According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, in 2007 the killing of civilians in Nagaland recorded the highest number of deaths (44 deaths) since 2003. 29 civilians were killed in 2006, 28 in 2005, 42 in 2004 and 13 in 2003. The MHA also stated that one security personnel died in 2007 while 211 cadres of AOGs were killed/arrested/surrendered.

On 3 October 2007, four persons, three civilians and an alleged cadre of NSCN-IM of Chakhesang community from Kikruma village in Phek district were killed by alleged cadres of NSCN (K) in an ambush in Kohima.

In October 2007, a truck driver reportedly died from injuries after he was beaten up by the Nagaland Police at Lalmati area in Kohima.

On 28 January 2007, the NSCN (Kaplang) issued ‘Final Quit Notice’ to the the Tangkhul community to leave Nagaland by 5 February 2007.

1.     Govt-NSCN ceasefire extended indefinitely, The Indian Express, 1 August 2007

2.     NSCNs ready to unite, The Telegraph, India, 24 November 2007

3.     Available at http://www.nscnonline.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=849 (Source: The Sangai Express)

4.     Annual Report 2007-08 of Ministry of Home Affairs

5.     Chakhesang body flays killings, The Assam Tribune, 8 October 2007

6.     Furious drivers call bandh on NH-39 after NP assaults colleague to death, The Kanglaonline, 23 October 2007

7.     NSCN(K) gives final quit notice to Tangkhuls, The Kanglaonline, 29 January 2007