HYDERABAD, 22 June 2004 — The outlawed People’s War Group of Naxalites yesterday announced a cease-fire to pave the way for peace talks with the Andhra Pradesh government.
Responding positively to the Congress government’s announcement of a three-month cease-fire, the PWG said that it would observe the cease-fire.
In a statement faxed to the media yesterday evening, the PWG state committee made the announcement. The statement, signed by CPI (ML) People’s War Group politburo member Prakash, said the cease-fire had already come into effect on June 16. The PWG’s response came four days after Home Minister K. Jana Reddy announced a cease-fire to create conducive atmosphere for the talks.
“We will not take up guns as long as guns are not trained at us. In other words, we will not resort to unilateral armed action,” the PWG said and promised that its armed cadres would remain underground during the period.
“During the period of cease-fire, our party and our People’s Guerilla Army will not take any action to kill anybody. We are assuring the government that we will cease all armed activities during this period,” the PWG politburo member added.
While assuring that it would not obstruct the campaign of political parties, the PWG also urged the government to ensure that the police did not obstruct its political campaign, since it had the democratic right to visit villages and run its political campaign.
The PWG also disclosed that it would name the mediators for talks with the committee to be set up by the state government for initiating the dialogue.
