Indo-NSCN (IM) peace talk: Centre to offer 'something special'
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, December 27 2012: With the over 15 years long Indo-NSCN(IM) peace talk appearing finally resolving, the Central Government is likely to offer 'something special' to the Naga outfit.

According to a highly placed source, Union Home Minister Sushil kumar Shinde has made his desire to meet Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh again very soon and Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh is said to be well aware of that 'something special' the Central Government is planning to offer to NSCN-IM.

As summoned, Chief Minister O Ibobi went to Delhi on December 22 and met Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde.

However, as the situation at home was chaotic while Ibobi was in Delhi, issues concerning the unsettling situation in Manipur were only discussed during the meeting with the Union Home Minister.

Centre to offer 'something special'

On the other hand, as the Union Home Minister was also preoccupied and did not have enough time for thorough discussion on the issue of Indo-NSCN (IM) peace settlement, the former asked the latter to meet the interlocutor RS Pandey.

Accordingly, Pandey came along with an official of Information Bureau and met Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh Manipur Bhawan, Delhi where he was staying.

Disclosing about what transpired during the meeting with RS Pandey and the official of Information Bureau, Chief Minister O Ibobi told Hueiyen Lanpao that RS Pandey conveyed that the Central Government wanted to offer 'something special' to NSCN-IM to bring about a settlement to the over 15 years long peace parleys between the NSCN-IM and the India Government.

On his part, Chief Minister O Ibobi told Pandey that the issue being brought up for discussion was not the right time as Manipur is burning in the wake of molestation and assault of film actress Momoco by an NSCN-IM cadre namely Livingstone and urged to arrest him and hand him over to the State Government.

While trying to divert the topic, RS Pandey again told Ibobi that he had been waiting for quite sometime to meet him (O Ibobi) and further urged him (O Ibobi) to provide his opinion on the proposed offer of the Centre to the NSCN (IM), Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh recalled.

The Chief Minister further informed that he had categorically made it clear to Pandey that there would be no compromise as far as the territorial integrity of Manipur is concerned.

Nor can there be any discussion over granting Sixth Schedule.

However, more power can be given to the Autonomous District Councils.

"There is no problem in providing more power to the ADCs which may be even more that the powers given to Bodoland Council in Assam under the Sixth Schedule", the Chief Minister observed.

RS Pandey then assured Ibobi that there is no question of disturbing the territorial integrity of Manipur.

However, there are lots of complaints from the Nagas that the funds meant for development of the hills have been misused by the MLAs of the plain areas.

As such, there need some changes in the allotment of funds.

Reacting to that, Chief Minister O Ibobi pointed out to Pandey that there is no misuse of funds meant for the hills and no funds sanctioned by the Finance Commission for the hills have been diverted.

The allegations made by the Nagas were baseless.

Ibobi also pointed out that the Planning Commission has sanctioned Rs 10 crore each for construction of 140 Development offices in the hills and the construction process has already been started.

There is no room for the State Government to go against the directions of the Planning Commission as far as sanctioning and utilization of the funds is concerned.

During the meeting with Pandey and the official of Information Bureau, Ibobi also showed a map of Manipur and explained to them the areas of Chandel, Senapati, Tamenglong and Ukhrul where the population is divided among Nagas, Kukis and other ethnic groups.

Ibobi explained to them that 10% of the whole area of the State is valley and the total population living in it is 70% of the whole population of the State.

The people of the hills can live, settle and buy lands in the plains.

However, the people of the plains are not allowed to buy lands and settle in the hills.

Under such a condition, what more special arrangement does the Centre favours for them? Enlighten by the explanation of Ibobi, RS Pandey and the official of the Information Bureau admitted that they have never seen the map before and wanted to know more about the different ethnic communities settling in the State and also took a copy of the map.

The Chief Minister also made it clear to RS Pandey that if at all the wishes of the Centre are to be fulfilled, all the people of the plains should be made to lie down on the ground and bull dozed all of them to death apart from beheading him.

With no option left with him, RS Pandey then asked him (O Ibobi) when he would be visiting Delhi again, to which Ibobi replied that he might be coming to attend the meeting of the Development Council.

However, taking into consideration of the present chaotic condition in Manipur, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh did not go to attend the meeting.