Peace accord welcome but need to see contents: Naga Hoho

The Naga Hoho, the apex body of all Naga tribes of Nagaland, on Monday cautiously welcomed the peace accord between the government and the NSCN-IM, saying it needed to see the contents of the deal before further commenting on it.

"We are happy and welcome the accord but we need to see its contents before making further comments," Naga Hoho president P. Chuba Ozukum told IANS over phone soon after the announcement of the agreement made here on Monday evening.

Asked how effective the deal would be given that it was signed with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM), and the NSCN-Khaplang faction abrogated its ceasefire with the government in March this year, Ozukum said S.S. Khaplang was being asked to renew the ceasefire.

"We are still requesting Khaplang to renew the ceasefire. We are trying to make him understand," he said.

On March 27, the NSCN-K announced that it had abrogated the ceasefire with the government. Reports suggested that Khaplang took the step at the instigation of United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) leader Paresh Baruah who has taken refuge in the latter's camp in Myanmar.

Monday's landmark peace accord was signed between the government and the NSCN-IM in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

NSCN-IM leader Thuingaleng Muivah, who signed the pact, described it as a momentous occasion.

In his brief comments, he praised Mahatma Gandhi who, he said, understood and respected the Nagas, and also lauded the "visionary leadership" of Prime Minister Modi.