NLFT announces ceasefire with Centre, Tripura

The Centre, the Tripura government and the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) today decided on a ceasefire with immediate effect. The cessation of hostilities is a prelude to dialogue between the Centre and the underground tribal outfit for peace in the state.

Though no date has been fixed by the three sides to initiate peace talks, given Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani’s pre-occupation with the poll campaign, the dialogue should commence only after elections. Moreover, it would be appropriate that the new government alone makes any long-term commitments. The ceasefire announcement came after two factions of the NLFT separately met with Advani and expressed a desire to give up violence and start a dialogue with the Centre. A third NLFT faction, led by Bishwa Mohan, is not in the loop yet.

Today’s agreement said the parties would ‘‘observe mutual suspension of operations with immediate effect for a period of six months…peace talks between all concerned parties will follow the suspension of operations.’’ Advani had mediapersons during the day that even though NLFT leaders were in town, he could not invite them for talks due to his Bharat Uday Yatra which ended only yesterday.