Tripartite talks on district issue likely this week

Newmai News Network Senapati | October 2   Tripartite talks involving the Central Government, the State Government of Manipur and United Naga Council (UNC) on district creation issue are likely to be held within this week.   UNC sources said today that there has been communication among the three involving parties since last Saturday in this regard after the Naga body had given the 48-hour deadline to the Central Government and the State Government of Manipur to make their position “clear-cut” on the district creation issue/tripartite talks. The deadline had already lapsed on Sunday.   According to sources, formal invitation for talks from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India, is likely to be extended to UNC and the Manipur Government on Tuesday, October 3. Following this development, UNC has decided not to go ahead with its plan of taking up its “own course of action."   Meanwhile, UNC President Gaidon Kamei said that the Naga body will "wait and see" for few more days. Talking to Newmai News Network this evening, Gaidon Kamei said that they are “extremely serious” with the next tripartite talks on the district creation issue. However, he did not elaborate further on his comment.   According to UNC, on September 15 it had asked the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India, regarding the latter's position on the next tripartite talks.   It can be noted here that tripartite talks on district creation issue was first held at Senapati on August 11 this year wherein the UNC, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the State Government of Manipur representatives had participated. The three parties had agreed to hold “next round of talks” in the month of September.   The August 11 talks were brought up to the 'political level' with the participation of three cabinet ministers of Manipur, which included Agriculture & Veterinary Minister V. Hangkhanlian, Tribal Affairs & Hills Minister N Kayisii and Education & Labour and Employment Minister Th. Radheshyam. Apart from the three cabinet ministers, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Dr. J. Suresh Babu and Commissioner (Works & IPR) K. Radhakumar Singh had also participated in the talks. A large number of UNC team members had participated in the August 11 talks chaired by Satyendra Garg, the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India.