Manipur: UCM meet reaffirms to stand united on ‘territorial integrity’

Newmai News Network
Imphal | September 19


Possible outcome of the Naga peace process was deliberated on a “One-day public alert meeting on possible settlement of Naga peace accord” hosted by United Committee, Manipur (UCM) on September 19 in Imphal.


Initiating the discussion, UCM secretary general, Kh Athouba cautioned that if any point to "break" the territorial integrity of the Manipur or tantamount to "break Manipur" in future is included in the settlement of Naga political issue, the incumbent government must hold the sole responsibility.


The UCM leader said that a recent statement of Interlocutor of the Government of India for the Naga peace and Nagaland Governor RN Ravi showed that negotiation between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM) to arrive at a final accord is progressing.


Ravi had recently stated that "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed the need to conclude the Naga peace process within three months." Athouba observed that the Centre may take the advantage of unstable government in Manipur to impose President's Rule in the state before signing a peace accord with the NSCN (IM).


He was referring to the political crisis with the BJP-led coalition government in Manipur. Several BJP MLAs are pressing the national leaders of the BJP to remove N Biren Singh as chief minister. For the last more than three months, ministers and MLAs of the ruling parties are in power tussle.


"The Centre may take the advantage of the unrest in the government to impose President's Rule in the state with an intention to translate their long desire into action as they had done it in Jammu and Kashmir", the UCM leader said.


The BJP-led NDA government had scrapped the special status enjoyed by Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of Indian Constitution taking advantage of the President's Rule imposed in that state, he reminded. "The Centre applying similar strategy in Manipur cannot be ruled out", Athouba expressed.


"If the Centre signs the peace accord with the NSCN (IM) agreeing to redraw Manipur’s map after placing the state under President's Rule, the ministers and MLAs in the state government must hold the sole responsibility", the UCM leader warned.


The UCM secretary general then urged the Centre not to create a "bigger problem while settling one problem."
It may be mentioned here that the UCM organized the "public alert meeting" as a part of its ongoing “preparatory alert campaign” to be conducted across the state to make people aware on the possible outcome of the Naga peace talks.


The Thursday's public meeting, while deliberating on the "latest development" of the Naga peace talks, it was reaffirmed to stand united to object any settlement that infringe the interest of territorial integrity of Manipur and its unity.


The public meeting held at Lamyanba Shanglen in Imphal’s Palace Compound in Imphal was presided by UCM president Sunil Karam and moderated by RK Ranendrajit, a consultative member of the UCM.