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Militants not targeting Mizoram, says Zoramthanga
Mizoram CM Zoramthanga has claimed that his peace missions have kept militant groups away from doing harm to Mizoram.
Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga, who has been involved in peace initiatives with insurgent groups in the northeast including NSCN (I-M), has claimed that his peace missions have kept militant groups away from doing harm to Mizoram.
While winding up the discussion on the motion of thanks on the Governor's address to the state Assembly, which went on till Tuesday night, Zoramthanga said that his main role in the peace initiatives between the Centre and the North-East rebel group was as a 'facilitator'.
"I took great care in my role in the peace deals as we know that conflicting interests between different states and tribes could be disastrous, that is why I have been acting only as a go-between in all the peace initiatives," he said.
He said that, except for some Manipuri rebels, almost all the militant groups in the region were willing to come to the negotiating table.
While accepting the fact that Mizoram, being completely surrounded by insurgency-infested states and two countries, could be a target of the militant activities from across the borders, he said that Mizoram remained the most peaceful state in the region.
He was reacting to some opposition members' allegations that his involvement in the peace deals angered Manipuri militants and they targeted Mizoram.
"I admitted that insurgent groups from Manipur got some kind of kicks when they attacked police outposts near the borders, but no serious law and order problems have occurred so far in the state," he said.
He also informed the state legislature that majority of the rebel groups did not want to make trouble for Mizoram as the state had played vital roles in initiating peace deals in the region.
Earlier, H Rammawi, the state Law Minister praised Zoramthanga for his peace missions saying that amongst millions of people in the country the Chief Minster was the most trusted by militant groups.
Recalling that the late Chief Minister and founder president of the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) Laldenga had helped the Centre to negotiate with the Punjab militants, Rammawi said that the peace missions with insurgent groups in the country was continued by Zoramthanga after Laldenga's death.
