Zoramthanga leaves for Thailand to broker peace

Aizawl: In an effort to broker a peace deal between the ethnic-based insurgent groups of Myanmar and the Myanmar government, former Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga on Monday left for Bangkok to meet representatives of 16 such militant groups.
Zoramthanga, a former Mizo National Front (MNF) underground leader, told PTI, “The militant groups are in the process of formulating their demands to the Myanmar government for continuation of parleys and wanted to learn about the Mizo Peace Accord signed between the Indian government and the erstwhile underground MNF in 1986.”
He said his meeting with the representatives of the 16 militant groups would mainly be held in Chiangmai and Bangkok in Thailand.
The former Mizoram chief minister said that the Myanmar insurgent groups have more faith in the new civilian government than the military junta and were optimistic on the outcome of the negotiations.
The ethnic-based militant groups including Kachins, Karens, Chins, Was, Arakanese and Shans have been fighting for regional autonomy for years and a few groups recently signed a ceasefire agreement with the government in the presence of Zoramthanga and India’s National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit K. Doval.
The MNF chief had been involved in the Myanmar peace process at the invitation of the ethnic-based militant groups and the Myanmar government. (PTI)