Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, Nov. 4: The NSCN/GPRN president ‘Lt. Gen (Retired)’ Khango Konyak has invited the president of Eastern Nagaland Peoples' Organisation (ENPO) and his colleagues for a 'consultation meeting for peace process with the Government of India' on Nov. 6.
The letter appended by the NSCN/GPRN president termed the meeting 'most urgent' and the ENPO leaders were asked to reach Yongkhao village on Nov. 6 'without fail'.’
On Oct. 17, Eastern Mirror reported that Konyak arrived at Yongkhao village under Tobu sub-division in Mon district where he was welcomed by leaders and representatives of civil societies from Eastern Nagaland.
When contacted, the ENPO president Kekongchem Yimchunger on Sunday confirmed to Eastern Mirror of having received the invite and that they will attend the meeting along with other leaders of Eastern Nagaland tribe organisations.
He maintained that the intention behind the meeting could not be determined yet. Yimchunger said the ENPO wanted to meet Khango earlier but ‘time constraint’ prevented them from doing so.
"ENPO is for peace and if Khango and his group are for peace we will definitely have a sitting with them and also appeal the GoI to remove the 'terrorist' tag from them as appealed earlier this year," Yimchunger said when queried if the organisation will allow Khango and his group to operate from the region.
It was in July this year that the ENPO had appealed the GOI to remove the tag of terrorist labelled on the NSCN (K), and to ‘initiate peace talks at the earliest’ with the group. Yimchunger iterated that the ENPO will appeal to the GoI to remove the tag if Konyak is for peace.
On the probability of another armed Naga group coming out of this situation, Yimchunger said it cannot be ruled out ‘and will be a burden for the Naga society if another group is formed.’
However, the ENPO leader stated 'we cannot dictate someone from forming a group or an organisation and if some is for peace, we cannot stop them.’
