Manipur tripartite talks to resume Friday

Newmai News Network Senapati | May 18   The United Naga Council (UNC), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the State Government of Manipur are all set to resume the ‘tripartite talks’ on the district creation issue on Friday, May 19, at Senapati town, some 70 km north of Imphal.   According to sources, an 11-member UNC team will be led by its President Gaidon Kamei while Satyendra Garg, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in charge of North East will lead the Government of India team. It is not clear who is going to lead the Manipur Government team.   The talks will be held at the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Senapati from 10:30 am. Meanwhile, security measures have been enhanced in the district headquarters of Senapati since Thursday evening ahead of the ‘tripartite talks’.   UNC president, Gaidon Kamei reiterated today that the position from their side is clear on the issue. He also asserted that “whatever may be the reason there is no question of compromising our stand and position”.   In the March 19 tripartite talk the “grievances of UNC that led to the imposition of economic blockade were recognised as non-adherence to the four Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and the Government of India’s assurance on the matter”. In that talk the Manipur government agreed to “start consultation with all stakeholders to redress the same”. Following this, the UNC lifted the four and a half months old economic blockade on the National Highways linking Manipur from the midnight of March 19.   In the last tripartite talk on March 19 in Senapati, it was agreed that the “next round of tripartite talks will be resumed within a month’s time at political level”. The one month’s time had lapsed on April 19.   UNC reaffirms severance of political ties Meanwhile, the ‘presidential council’ meeting of the UNC has re-affirmed the July 1, 2010 Naga People’s Convention (NPC) declaration on “severance of political ties" with the Government of Manipur.   According to the publicity wing of the UNC, the ‘presidential council’ meeting which was held on May 17 at Senapati town, deliberated on issues “confronting the Nagas in the south.” At the end of the day-long meeting the July 1, 2010, NPC declaration was re-affirmed.   The UNC publicity wing stated that yesterday’s meeting resolved to urge all “Naga people in the south” not to indulge in activities or engage in speeches or policies which may infringe or affect the declaration made on July 1, 2010. “We urge all the Naga organizations and individuals in the south to maintain the ‘severance of ties with the Manipur Government’ declaration,” said the UNC publicity wing. “At this crucial stage any kind of activities that may affect the Naga future should be avoided by the people,” the UNC added.