Nagaland CM appeals to NSCN-K to restart peace process

Nagaland Chief Minister T.R Zeliang on Wednesday appealed to the Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council ofA Nagaland (NSCN-K) to restart the peace process with the Indian government.

In his message for "Naga Day" being observed on Wednesday, Zeliang revealed he had dispatched a letter to the Myanmar-based NSCN-K leadership on January 8 appealing to them to re-consider their stand, revisit the ceasefire agreement with the Indian government and join the peace process.

Naga Day was observed to commemorate the 89th year of the historic Naga memorandum was submitted to British Parliamentary Commission headed by Sir John Simon with the points made by 20 members of the then Naga club, who signed the submission on January 10, 1929.

Appreciating the NSCN-K leadership for their participation in the peace dialogue with the Myanmar government, the Chief Minister said that he sincerely hoped that the NSCN-K will acknowledge his letter with "positive response and understand the desire of their Naga brethren for peace in our lands".

The NSCN-K abrogated a 2001 ceasefire accord signed with the central government in March 2015, just a month before the truce was up for renewal.

After abrogating the ceasefire, Khaplang's rebels went on a killing spree, attacking Indian soldiers in Nagaland and Manipur. The outfit mounted a deadly ambush on an army convoy in Manipur's Chandel district on June 4, 2015, killing 18 soldiers.

--IANS

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