Ending insurgency in North Eastern region
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: While expressing his concern that most of the states in the North Eastern region are suffering the scourge of militancy, Mizoram Chief Minister Lalthanhawla however refused to give any suggestion on the strategy to be adopted by the different governments for restoring peace and harmony in their respective states, even as he hinted that the North Eastern states should take a lead from Mizoram on how to end insurgency-related issues in their respective states.
“I am too small a personality to give any suggestion on such a critical issue. But I personally feel that it is up to the state governments to decide if they would like to follow the footsteps of Mizoram to end the militancy problem,” Lalthanhawla said while speaking to reporters on the sideline of the passing out parade of the 300th batch of the Assam Regimental Centre (ARC) here on Saturday.
He further said that the respective state governments of the region should take a call on the best possible option to tackle the problem of militancy.
“Personally, I am satisfied that Mizoram is free from militancy problem. Even though we have achieved this after quite a struggle,” the Mizoram Chief Minister said.
It may be mentioned that it was the signing of the Mizoram Peace Accord in 1986 which ended militancy in the state and helped in restoring peace and stability in Mizoram.
The Mizoram Accord which was signed by the then Prime Minister (late) Indira Gandhi and Laldenga on behalf of the Mizo National Front (MNF) had two primary conditions, namely, cessation of violence by MNF and clearing the decks for talks between the Centre and the MNF within the framework of the Constitution.
Laldenga was later sworn in as interim Chief Minister in 1986 and went on to become the first Chief Minister of Mizoram after it was awarded statehood in 1987.