EMN
DIMAPUR, JUNE 1
Exactly thirty-four days after the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) announced its decision to sever the ceasefire agreement with New Delhi, the chief minister of Nagaland TR Zeliang on Monday told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the government of Nagaland, all this while, had been kept completely in the dark by both the parties involved.
According to a press statement received here from the chief minister’s office, TR Zeliang met Modi on Monday to “apprise him of the latest developments in the State” in which he told the PM that the decision to abrogate the truce between NSCN-K and New Delhi had been done without “any consultation or formal intimation” to the government of Nagaland.
The CMO press release quoted the chief minister as saying that “some law and order problems” and attacks on the Assam Rifles “on a few occasions leading to loss of lives on both sides “have been reported across Nagaland since the abrogation of ceasefire.
"Since, most of the NSCN (K) cadres are across the border in Myanmar, security arrangements and movement of people across the border have been tightened, which has created various problems, affecting the normal life of the people living in the border areas,” the statement quoted the CM as saying.
The chief minister, according to the press release, reminded Modi that the government of Nagaland as well as Naga civil organizations had already appealed New Delhi to “reconsider the abrogation of the cease-fire and to continue the cease-fire, so that the on-going peace process is not disturbed by the law and order situation in the State.”
Zeliang also used the occasion to emphasize that the Indo-Myanmar border areas of Nagaland are the most backward regions of the State.
“There is a need to build a road along the Indo-Myanmar border that will help in opening up this backward and land-locked region of the state, and also help in better patrolling of the border areas by the police and security forces.
“The border trade points already identified at Longwa in Mon district, Pangsha in Tuensang district, Mimi in Kiphire district and Avangkhu in Phek District should be properly developed and made operational,” he told Modi.
Also, the chief minister along with home minister Y Patton and advisor to CM, Lalthara met union home minister Rajnath Singh and apprised him of the situation in Nagaland, the statement from the CMO informed. Union home secretary, LC Goyal and joint secretary (NE), MHA Shambhu Singh were also present in the meeting.
Detailed discussions were held with the Union home minister and it was decided that a meeting will be convened by the home secretary within a week with the state government and other officials concerned “to take stock of the situation and finalize steps to be taken. “
Later on, RN Ravi, the Interlocutor to the on-going peace talks also called on the chief minister at Nagaland House, and apprised him of the latest position about the peace talks.
The chief minister also requested the Interlocutor to bring out a formula to resolve the Naga problem as early as possible so that permanent peace could come to Nagaland, the statement read.
