Naga rebel leader Isak Chishi Swu passes away in New Delhi

The Naga movement suffered a great loss as Isak Chishi Swu, the chairman of the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak Muivah), passed away in New Delhi today.

Isak Chishi Swu had signed the Naga Peace Accord in August last year which the Narendra Modi government had described as historic.

Swu, 87, was undergoing treatment for almost a year at a private hospital in South Delhi where he breathed his last around noon, Nagaland government spokesperson Kuolie Mere said.

The Nage leader belonged to the Sumi tribe, hailing from the Zunheboto district of Nagaland. His body will be taken to his native place tomorrow for last rites.

Swu along with NSCN-IM general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah formed the group in 1980 opposing the Shillong Accord signed by the then Naga National Council (NNC) with the central government for bringing peace in Nagaland.

Over the years, NSCN-IM has been accused of indulging in killings, extortion and other subversive activities. Its persistent demand for separation from the country, led to military clamp down on the group.

In 1997, NSCN-IM entered into a truce with the central government for peace and since then has been continuing dialogue with centre's emissaries.

In August last year, the NSCN-IM signed a framework agreement with the government in the presence of the Prime Minister, Home Minister, and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval by Muivah and government's interlocutor R N Ravi at the PM's residence here.

The signing of the pact came after over 80 rounds of negotiations that spanned 16 years with first breakthrough in 1997 when the ceasefire agreement was sealed.

Swu joined the Naga National Council (NNC) in the 1950s and served it in different capacities till its split in 1980.

--PTI