GA PEACE ACCORD SIGNED

*    NSCN-IM signs pact with Government of India

*    Modi terms accord ‘historic’, Muivah thanks God

*    Surprise pact catches ga civil groups by surprise

*    Neighbours must not be affected, says Manipur MP

NEW DELHI, Aug 3: The Centre and the tiol Socialist Council of galand-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM) on Monday signed a historic accord that promises to bring peace in a state which has been ravaged by violence for over six decades.

The accord was signed in the presence of Prime Minister rendra Modi who described it as ‘historic’. The agreement is expected to end the oldest insurgency in the country.

“The ga political issue had lingered for six decades, taking a huge toll on generations of our people,” said Modi.

He admitted that unfortutely, the ga problem has taken so long to resolve because we did not understand each other.

Modi spoke of his vision for the transformation of the Northeast region and expressed confidence that the agreement will open “a glorious new chapter for the ga people to build a bright future for galand.

The ga agreement was the second major initiative in the Northeast — after the peace accord between the government and the Mizo tiol Front in 1986.

NSCN-IM general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah, who signed the accord on Monday at the ceremony held at the Prime Minister’s 7 Race Course Road home, hailed it as a “momentous occasion”.

He said all ga people had great respect for Mahatma Gandhi who understood the problem of the gas and was in favour of their demands.

Muivah, 81, is a key leader of the NSCN-IM which has been in talks with the Central government since 1997 after a ceasefire was signed.

It needs to be mentioned that, NSCN-IM Chairman Isak Chishi Swu, who had also signed the agreement, could not make it to the ceremony as he is unwell and undergoing treatment at Fortis hospital in Delhi. His son Pasheto was, however, present.

Apart from NSCN-IM, there are three more major factions involved in insurgency in the state. These are NSCN-K, NSCN-U and NSCN-KZ. They are unlikely to accept this peace accord.

The ga peace accord took many by surprise, with the Prime Minister making a dramatic tweet: “I will be making a special announcement at 6:30 PM from RCR.”

The ga People’s Movement for Human Rights (NPHMR) chairman N. Krome told IANS over phone: “We were all caught by surprise by the sudden announcement.”

He said they were aware that something was happening “but we did not realise that something like this would happen so soon.”

The accord comes almost two months after 18 army soldiers were killed in a major ambush carried out by NSCN(K) militants in Manipur’s Chandel district. Following this, the Indian army had carried out an operation in Myanmar.

galand became India’s 16th state on Dec 1, 1963. The mostly mountainous state is spread over 16,579 sq km and is home to 16 major tribes, each with distinct customs, language and dress.

Christian-domited galand is home to around 20 million people. Its official language is English.

NSCN-IM claims to speak for the gas and has also been demanding a separate ‘Greater galand’ for themselves by carving an area which includes parts of galand, Manipur, Assam  and Aruchal Pradesh.

According to an official statement, government’s interlocutor for ga peace talks, R.N. Ravi, signed the agreement on behalf of the Government of India.

The entire top leadership of the NSCN-IM, including all members of the “collective leadership”, has fully endorsed the agreement and was present during the ceremony.

The statement said it will restore peace and pave the way for prosperity in the north east. It will advance a life of dignity, opportunity and equity for the ga people, based on their genius and consistent with the uniqueness of the ga people and their culture and traditions.

Attempts were made from time to time to resolve the issue through discussion with representatives of the ga people. A fresh attempt for a comprehensive resolution was initiated with the NSCN in 1997.

The new government on assuming power in May 2014 accorded highest priority to this lingering problem.