No solution should be sealed sans public consultation: UCM
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 20 2019: The United Committee Manipur (UCM) has categorically stated that any solution to the political dialogue going on between NSCN-IM and Government of India should not be sealed without consulting the people of Manipur.

Speaking to media persons at their office today, UCM president Sunil Karam cited Nagaland Governor and interlocutor RN Ravi's recent statement that the Centre is keen to conclude the Naga peace talk within three months.

He then reiterated UCM's unflinching position to safeguard the integrity of Manipur under any circumstances.

No solution should be sealed sans public consultation: UCM

The protracted political dialogue achieved a landmark when the negotiating parties signed a Framework Agreement on August 3, 2015 but it also created a strong apprehension among the masses as its contents have not been divulged till date, Sunil remarked.

In the aftermath of signing the Framework Agreement, several civil society organisations met Interlocutor RN Ravi twice.

The CSOs also talked with the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister.

Several memoranda which made it clear that the integrity of Manipur must not be disturbed, any kind of ethnic-based administrative division would not be tolerated and no final solution should be sealed by overstepping the stake holders of Manipur were submitted to the Government of India, said the UCM president.

In reply, the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister assured that the Government of Manipur and other stake holders would not be overlooked while working out a solution to the Naga issue.

While admitting that the Framework Agreement created some disturbing repercussions, the Prime Minister appealed to all stake holders not to believe in any speculations unless they are official statements.

Yet, the UCM has certain misgivings regarding the recent statement of RN Ravi that the Prime Minister is keen to conclude the Naga peace talk within three months.

As such, UCM would soon launch an extensive consultation campaign with all sections of the society so as to adopt a common decision in case the Government of India commits the fait accompli of not listening to the people's repeated assertion that the integrity of Manipur is non-negotiable, Sunil Karam said.

UCM secretary Khuraijam Thouba said that they have not yet received any official communication from the Government of India with regard to concluding the Naga peace talk.

Even though the Government of India has set a tentative time period to work out a final solution to the protracted political dialogue, all the stake holders are being kept in complete darkness regarding a possible picture of the solution, Thouba said.

In case the final solution impinges upon the collective interest of Manipur in any manner, the Government of India and the State Government must be held accountable for any untoward incident resulting thereof, he warned.

There is still time to consult all stake holders.

The final solution should be sealed officially only after obtaining a consensus of all stake holders and this is the foremost demand of UCM, Thouba added.