ATSUM suspends blockade
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, June 30 2015 :
All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM) have temporarily suspended their agitations till July 11 after the government assured to unconditionally release its leaders and resume talks after the assembly session.
Speaking to the Hueiyen Lanpao Reporter over the phone, ATSUM Information Secretary Maica Kamei said that the Government of Manipur led by Chief Minister O Ibobi and the representatives of ATSUM led by Muan Tombing came to an understanding after a marathon meeting lasting nearly three hours on Tuesday.
Representing the ATSUM its President Muan Tombing, Ngachonmi Chamroi, Advisor of the students' union and Romeo Bungdon, Advisor and General Secretary of ATSUM met O Ibobi, Deputy CM Gaikhangam and Health Minister Phungzathang Tonsing.
Other top government officials also attended the meeting.
Maica Kamei said government is ready to withdraw the arrest warrant issued against six ATSUM members and the student's union will also temporarily suspend the ongoing economic blockade.
The next round of talks with the Government of Manipur will be held on July 11, 2015, where all the tribe leaders from all the hill districts are expected to participate.
ATSUM will continue their agitation until their demands are fulfilled, Maica asserted.
ATSUM imposed indefinite economic blockade on the national highways and closed all the national projects from June 22 midnight in furtherance of their demands code named "Reckoning of the Other" (ROTO) .
The student's union has been demanding regularization of 268 hill contractual teachers and 333 adhoc teachers; filling up ST reserved posts at JNIMS; Manipur Assembly Secretariat and other government offices.