Shutdown extended till 6 pm today
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 31 2019: With the atmosphere becoming more and more charged and edgy over the ongoing political dialogue and its possible solution, the period of keeping all normal activities under suspension and to stage different modes of protest agitation has been extended till 6 pm tomorrow.

Government of India's interlocutor RN Ravi and top leaders of NSCN-IM have been holding hectic parleys these days to find and seal a solution to the vexed Naga issue.

As such, the two parties may come to an agreement and announce a solution any time.

Taking serious note of the situation, the Coordination Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has decided to extend the period of mass protest and suspension of normal activities till 6 pm tomorrow.

Shutdown extended till 6 pm today

Speaking to media persons at UCM office this evening, COCOMI coordinator Sunil Karam said there is a report that the NSCN-IM and the Government of India may seal a final solution by 8 pm today.

The unfolding scenario has created a very restive and panicky situation among the masses.

Yet, the State Government has been maintaining that any solution to the Naga issue would not affect Manipur.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah too assured an all parties delegation of the State which included Chief Minister N Biren that all stake holders would be consulted before formulating a final solution to the Naga issue.

However, there is no indication from the side of the Central Government to consult any stake holder till date.

Instead, paramilitary forces have been stationed at DM Colleges, Maharaj Bodhchandra College, Modern College etc.

These developments have created a fear psychosis among the misses and no one should take developments lightly, said the COCOMI coordinator.

He said that people need to be alert and vigilant until and unless the unfolding situation has been brought to a conclusion.

People need to be vigilant until the additional paramilitary forces are withdrawn and the Prime Minister's office and the Union Home Minister's Office come out with written clarifications.

As the mass civil movements need to be continued given the possibility of signing a solution to the Naga issue any time, the period of suspending normal activities and staging mass protest movements has been extended till 6 pm tomorrow, Sunil Karam said.

Both the Government of India and the State Government have been asked repeatedly to ensure that no community of the State is affected by any solution to the Naga peace talks.

The outcome of the peace talk will decide how much concerned is Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the North East.

The ongoing mass civil movements are a very clear message to the Government of India that if whatever solution proposed by New Delhi contains anything inimical to Manipur, it should be removed before the solution is officially signed, Sunil Karam said.

Assistant coordinator Pheiroijam Nando Luwang highlighted the need to carry out the ongoing mass civil movement very carefully and thoughtfully so as to avoid any misunderstanding among different communities of the State.

The call to extend the suspension of normal activities till 6 pm tomorrow will not cover the Kut festival as well as all those people who come to attend the festival, Nando said.