Konyak CSOs meet NSCN (K-YA) leaders in Myanmar; urge the group to sign ceasefire agreement

Dimapur, May 20 (EMN): The Konyak civil society organisations (SCOs) have urged the NSCN/GPRN (K-YA) or Yung Aung-led NSCN (K), Konyak region to take the initiative of signing a ceasefire agreement with both India and Myanmar to pave the way for peace in the region.

The Konyak Union (KU) updated in a press statement that it, along with Konyak Students’ Union (KSU), Konyak Nyupuh Sheko Khong (KNSK), Konyak Village Chairman Union (KVCU) and Mon District GB Association (MDGBA) had a consultative meeting with the NSCN (K-YA) and all the Konyak village council representative in Throilo, Myanmar on Thursday, May 19.

Citing difficult situation faced by the people of the region after the abrogation of ceasefire, the KU had asked the NSCN (K-YA) Konyak region to sign ceasefire agreement again, to which the latter had agreed to take up the matter with the higher authority for further action, said the update.

Maintaining that the Konyaks in Myanmar face problems daily, including dependence on Mon district for health issues and basic necessities, the KU has urged the governments of India and Nagaland “to take up the matter in extending the existing 16 km belt Free Movement Regime (FMR) to whole of Mon district to facilitate the movement (of people) on humanitarian ground”.

It may be mentioned that the NSCN (K) had signed ceasefire agreement with the government of India (GoI) in 2001 but unilaterally abrogated it in 2015. Then the group split into three – one led by Yung Aung (NSCN K-YA), the other by Khango Konyak (NSCN K-Khango) and the third by Niki Sumi (NSCN-NK) – in the subsequent years.

While NSCN K-Khango and NSCN-NK had joined the peace process by signing the ceasefire agreement with GoI, the NSCN (K-YA) is yet to initiate such a step.