'No peace solution if neighbours affected'

NEW DELHI, August 3: Thangso Baite, the Congress Lok Sabha member from Outer Manipur, on Monday cautiously welcomed the peace accord between the government and the the NSCN-IM, saying it should not affect the neighbouring states.

“We were anxiously awaiting the peace accord provided it does not affect the neighbouring states,” the MP from a constituency that has a large ga population told IANS here. “If it affects the neighbouring states, it cannot be a peace solution,” Baite said alluding to the tiolist Socialist Council of galand-Isak-Muivah’s (NSCN-IM) earlier demand for a ‘Greater galim’ that should include areas with ga population in the neighbouring states of Aruchal Pradesh, Assam and Manipur.

He said he was “not sure which direction the Indian government was taking”.

Asked how effective the agreement would be given that the NSCN-Khaplang (NSCN-K) faction had abrogated the ceasefire with the government in March this year, he said, “Since the NSCN-Khaplang had abrogated its ceasefire, we cannot be sure about the progress or digress of the accord.”

The landmark peace accord was signed between the government and the NSCN-IM in the presence of Prime Minister rendra Modi and Home Minister Rajth Singh.

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

Muivah belongs to the Tangkhul ga tribe that hails from Manipur’s Ukhrul district that is part of Baite’s constituency. (IANS)