Slow NSCN (IM) talks 'notable setback': MHA
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Guwahati, December 03 2011:
A ministry of home affairs (MHA) report has listed the slow progress in talks with the NSCN(IM), and persistence of violence in Manipur and the Bodo issue as 'notable setbacks' in the last three years from December 2008 .
The MHA report released by home secretary R K Singh on Thursday enumerates the following points as 'notable setbacks': "Manipur remains affected by violence and blockades; the Bodo issue remains alive despite establishment of the Bodoland Territorial Council and talks with the NDFB(Progressive) are yet to start; and talks with the NSCN(IM) are making slow progress" .
The MHA listing the slow progress of talks with the NSCN(IM) as a 'notable setback' comes weeks after reports of the NSCN(IM) talks coming to an end and an agreement to be signed granting Nagaland a special status that would give the state the right to set up administrative units in Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
The three states raised protests against this reported move by the Centre.
On the other hand, the 'notable pending matters' listed by the ministry include amendments to the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (Afspa); revised action plan to deal with emerging challenges from Left wing extremists; action plan for Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh; policy on dealing with insurgent groups taking shelter in Myanmar.
A bill to redefine 'rape' and 'sexual assault' has also been listed as one of the notable pending matters.
On the northeast section, the report says there has been "significant decline in violence in the northeastern states" and this has been possible due to the arrest of top leaders of Ulfa, NDFB(Ranjan Daimary), DHD(J), UNLF and NLFT.
The other reasons for the decline of violence pointed out by the report include: "surrender of 412 cadres of the KLNLF and 114 cadres of the Kandleipak Communist Party (KCP) (MC) of Manipur; tripartite agreement of understanding signed with the KCP (MC) (Lalumba faction) on August 6, 2010; first suspension of operation (SoO) agreement signed with Ulfa in September, 2011; memorandum of settlement signed with the UPDS on November 25, 2011" .
The report adds that besides NSCN(IM), NDFB(Pro-talk), DHD(J), DHD(Nunisa), ANVC and KLNLF, talks are also underway with NDFB(Ranjan Daimary) while "agreements likely to be reached with the DHD(J) and DHD(N) soon" .
The report applauds the Centre's interlocutor for Assam and Meghalaya and former IB chief PC Haldar for "successfully concluding the talks with ANVC in Meghalaya, UPDS, DHD(J) and DHD(N) in Assam" .
The report states that 785 Bru families have returned from Tripura to Mizoram and efforts are on to repatriate the remaining displaced refugees.