Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma attended a meeting of leaders of two Myanmar-based rebel groups in the state capital Aizawl in an official capacity in sync with the central government, sources in the state government told NDTV today.
Some reports alluding to the meeting as unusual are misleading, the sources who are privy to the matter said, adding it is unfortunate they have cast aspersions on the chief minister without considering the larger context.
"The central government knows. The meeting was possible only because of them," one of the sources told NDTV on phone from Aizawl, requesting anonymity.
The leaders of two pro-democracy rebel groups from Myanmar, the Chinland Council and the Interim Chin National Consultative Council (ICNCC), met in Aizawl on February 27 and signed an agreement to merge to form the Chin National Council (CNC).
Lalduhoma, local leaders, and representatives from the Chinland Council's armed wing, the Chin National Army, and the ICNCC's Chin Brotherhood were present during the signing of the agreement.
"A well-publicised meeting of this level cannot be done without the Centre's permission. Those criticising the chief minister and taking potshots at him do not understand any of this," the Mizoram government source said.
Comments made by Lalduhoma at an event in the US in September 2024 - a visit cleared by the Ministry of External Affairs - were also deliberately taken out of context, and video clips of his address were shared without showing the full context of what he said, Mizoram government sources told NDTV then. Some sections with an agenda were trying hard to malign both the Centre and the state government, sources had said.
India has been carrying out work on the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP) that involves building port facilities at Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine province; a river transit system, and a road to Mizoram.
Sittwe Port was inaugurated in May 2023 amid the conflict between the junta and pro-democracy ethnic rebels.
Analysts say India may be trying to counter China, which brokered peace deals between the junta on one side, and the Ta'ang and Kokang on the other side in Myanmar's Shan State, by looking for leverage among the Chin.
Chin are, however, divided, unlike Ta'ang and Kokang.
Factions in Myanmar's Tedim range across the border from Mizoram are likely to be engaged in peace agreements.
People in Hakha and Falam hill ranges formed the Chin Brotherhood in which six Chin rebel factions are members. Reports say their ties with the Chinland Council are shaky.
The junta suffered significant territorial losses after the 2023 rebel offensive began, but its air power has been pivotal in arresting the rebels' advance.
