ATSUM ready for talk with Govt
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Kanggui, February 16 2014:
Emboi Serto-led All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM), which is all set to launch an Indefinite economic blockade along the National Highways in Manipur from midnight today is finally in a position for holding talk with the State Govt at Imphal tomorrow.
Emboi Serto led ATSUM decided to launch indefinite economic blockade to push for a number of demands related to the welfare of the tribal people in State.
The students' body has earlier turned down two invitations from the side of the Govt insisting that at least some of its demands should be first implemented before any talks or negotiation.
Interestingly, after receiving the third invitation for dialogue from the Chief Minister's Secretariat through N.Ashok Kumar, Secretary to the Chief Minister, the Emboi Serto-led ATSUM, after a meeting of its executive members today, said that it is ready for talk with the Government at 2 pm tomorrow.
"We have got written invitation officially from the CM's Secretariat today from N.Ashok Kumar, Secretary to CM", ATSUM Finance Secretary, Hemang Haokip announced, while adding that after deliberating on the issue, they have finally accepted the invitation for talk with Govt tomorrow.
However, Haokip said that economic blockade will continue as usual and they would decide whether to call off or continue the agitation after considering the outcome of tomorrow's talk.
He reiterated that every decision taken by ATSUM will be in the interest of the tribal people and no agreements will be signed against the interest of the tribal people, whose rights and privileges have been denied for a long period.
In the meantime, ATSUM has appealed for continued cooperation and support from all sections of the society for the success of the cause it has taken up.