The Centre on Friday renewed efforts to breathe air into the stalled peace talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting leaders of the apex body of Naga tribes.
A six-member delegation of “Naga Hoho” led by its president Chuba Ozukum met Modi against the backdrop of the Army carrying out a cross-border surgical strike in Myanmar to hunt down NSCN(K) militants.
The delegation “emphasised their commitment to peace” in the North-East, while appreciating “the prime minister’s vision” of development of the region, a PMO statement said.
The NSCN(K), which ambushed the Army in Manipur on June 4 killing 18 soldiers, had recently criticised Naga Hoho for holding talks with rival NSCN(IM)–which has a ceasefire agreement with India.
The Naga Hoho, which is for a peaceful solution to the Naga problem, attended the Naga Consultative Meet hosted by NSCN (IM) in Bangkok.
In the meeting, the NSCN(IM) had sought views of various Naga tribes about a final settlement of the Naga political problem with the Centre.
The NSCN(K), which had walked out a ceasefire agreement with the Centre recently, had termed the meeting “nonsensical”, saying they were supporting the ongoing talks without knowing what was being targeted. A senior official said the meeting with Naga delegation shows the Modi government’s resolve to “re-ignite” the peace talks and find a “lasting solution” to the long-pending issue. The peace talks, which started in the late 1990s, have slowed down.
Meanwhile, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is travelling to Myanmar for a two-day visit, starting June 16, to seek support for tackling the North-East insurgents holed up in that country.
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