This story is from December 8, 2015

Ex-Mizoram CM plays peacekeeper

Former Mizoram chief minister and Mizo National Front (MNF) leader Zoramthanga is helping broker a peace deal between the Centre and Bodo rebel outfit National Democratic Front of Boroland-Progressive (NDFB-P).
Ex-Mizoram CM plays peacekeeper

Guwahati: Former Mizoram chief minister and Mizo National Front (MNF) leader Zoramthanga is helping broker a peace deal between the Centre and Bodo rebel outfit National Democratic Front of Boroland-Progressive (NDFB-P).
Zoramthanga told TOI that he met NDFB-P president Dhiren Boro at the outfit's designated camp in Udalguri under BTAD on Sunday and discussed their charter of demands.
He also talked to NDFB-P cadres on how to take the peace process forward.
"I feel talks between NDFB-P and the Centre should now be upgraded to the political level, otherwise they will linger and it will be difficult to find a solution," the leader said.
Zoramthanga left Guwahati for New Delhi on Monday to brief Union home ministry officials on the peace talks. He, however, said he is not an official interlocutor, but is helping Bodos find an amicable solution. He added that NDFB-P leaders had come to Mizoram to meet him and he had promised to help them. The NDFB-P, currently in truce with the government, has been demanding a separate Bodoland state. The ceasefire agreement between NDFB-P and the government was signed in 2005. Since then, many rounds of talks have been held, but a solution remains out of reach.

"There has been a delay in finding an amicable solution as the talks were held at the officer-level. Bureaucrats usually test the patience of rebel leaders. I think the talks should be immediately raised to the political level so that an honourable solution can be found," he said.
The MNF chief said the current NDA government at the Centre is more sincere in its approach towards the northeast than the earlier government. "The central leadership is serious about finding a solution to insurgency in the region. I am working on an understanding with the Union home ministry," he said.
The 71-yar-old Zoramthanga is a former rebel leader-turned-politician. He was the second-in-command to the legendary Laldenga during the Mizo insurgency. After the signing of the Mizo accord in 1986, MNF became a political party. Zoramthanga was chief minister of Mizoram for two consecutive terms from 1998 to 2008.
Zoramthanga, who has also helped National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) rebels meet central leaders, said he is hopeful of a solution. "The Manik Sarkar government should be taken into confidence for any solution to happen," he cautioned.
Early this year, Zoramthanga had brokered a ceasefire agreement between the Myanmar government and eight Myanmarese ethnic rebel outfits. The truce between the two sides in Myanmar came after years of unsuccessful negotiations.
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