Kohima, Dec. 5: A delegation of the Naga Mothers Association (NMA) has left for Myanmar to meet the leaders of the Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN).

A delegation led by the president of the association, Abieu Meru and its adviser, Rosemary Dzivichu, left for Myanmar yesterday via Tuensang.

Sources said the delegation halted at Tuensang town last night and left for Myanmar this morning, passing through Pangsha International Trade Centre.

There were unconfirmed reports of a Naga MLA being part of the delegation.

A source close to the association remained tightlipped over the peace mission to Myanmar.

However, a source said the wife of the commander-in-chief of the NSCN (K), Khunchuk Pangmei, was leading the delegation as guide.

Last year, during their first mission to Myanmar, a combined force of paratroopers and Assam Rifles allegedly ambushed suspected NSCN (K) cadres at Pangsha on June 28 and killed seven cadres and injured a few.

The cadres had reportedly come to Noklak town to buy rations for the delegation, which was supposed to reach the designated camp of the cadres across the international border on June 29.

This time, the delegation will reach Lahe in Myanmar and later travel to Hkamti to meet the NSCN (K) leaders and request them to join the peace process with the Centre.

A source said the chairman of the group, S.S. Khaplang, and other senior leaders, including Niki Sumi, the second-in-command who is from Nagaland, will attend the meeting. The main purpose of the association's mission to Myanmar was to convince the outfit to join the peace process.

After the outfit unilaterally abrogated the truce with the Centre in March, efforts are being made by several organisations and state government to bring the outfit onboard the peace process. The organisations have also strongly questioned the sincerity of the Centre to resolve the issue with the outfit.

Last month, chief minister T.R. Zeliang who was in Myanmar, also asked the NSCN (K) to join the peace process. He asked the Naga organisations in Myanmar to persuade Khaplang to shun violence.

He asked the Naga organisations and Church to try their best to persuade Khaplang to enter into a ceasefire with the Centre.

"If there is peace here in Myanmar between the Nagas and the government, I shall personally take up the matter with the Prime Minister. I am confident that he will work with the Myanmar government to resolve the Naga problem here in Myanmar as well as in India," Zeliang said.