CM has assured legal action on NSCN (IM) camps: UCM
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 18 2020:
Chief Minister N Biren has reportedly assured that necessary legal action would be initiated against opening NSCN-IM camps within the territory of Manipur after the COVID-19 situation is brought under effective control.
At the invitation of the Chief Minister, a team of the United Committee Manipur (UCM) held a meeting with the State Government last evening which lasted for almost 90 minutes.
The UCM has been demanding the State Government to declare its stance on the presence of NSCN-IM camps inside Manipur where the ceasefire pact signed between the Government of India and NSCN-IM is not effective.
While the UCM team was led by its president and secretary, the State Government was represented by Chief Minister N Biren, Deputy Speaker K Robindro, MLAs Th Satyabrata and L Dingo.
A press release issued by UCM said they made it clear at the meeting that they would not remain silent if the NSCN-IM camps which are no longer a secret are not busted.
The UCM team urged the Chief Minister to take up befitting action in line with the Government's stated position that the ceasefire pact is not effective in Manipur and NSCN-IM would not be allowed to operate openly in the State.
As soon as information about presence of NSCN-IM camps was received, the Chief Secretary apprised the matter to the Union Home Secretary in very clear terms, the Chief Minister reportedly told the UCM team.
He further assured that necessary legal action would be initiated against opening NSCN-IM camps in Manipur soon after the COVID-19 issue is brought under effective control.
The UCM also submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister demanding clarification and immediate action on the recent disclosure of the presence of NSCN-IM camps in Senapati and Chandel districts.
With regard to the office memorandum issued by the Chief Secretary whereby CSOs/NGOs were asked to bring relief materials in the Government's 'food banks' instead of distributing them to the public directly, the UCM remarked that the same office memorandum totally undermined all the humanitarian services being done by CSOs and community leaders in the wake of the COVID-19 lockdown.
The UCM team then urged the Chief Minister to review the office memorandum at the earliest.
They further asked the Government to review the policy of the COVID-19 Consultative Committee and convene a meeting of CSO leaders towards addressing all the lapses and drawbacks.