The claim of Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga of negotiating peace with five insurgent outfits operating in India’s northeast makes good news headlines. The tag of ‘unofficial facilitator of talks’ seems to have stuck well on the former rebel leader. Zoramthanga appears to be in possession of remarkable skills in convincing the militants when the political efforts for peace in many of the Northeastern States have hit rock bottom. There are, however, enough reasons to term the claim as highly ambitious, as insurgency in the northeast derives its nourishment from deeply divided approaches towards counter-insurgency, often guided by political one-up-manship.

Zoramthanga was reported to have said: “Top leaders of five underground groups active in the northeastern states of Assam, Manipur, Tripura and Meghalaya are engaged in either formal or informal talks with the government of India.â€Â