Centre to hold talks to end Manipur crisis
Source: IT News

New Delhi, January 31 2017: The Centre has decided to hold tripartite talks with the United Naga Council (UNC) and the Manipur government to end the ongoing blockade of two national highways in Manipur, which has disrupted normal life and led to a shortage of essential commodities in the State.

The economic blockade imposed by the UNC, an umbrella body of Naga groups under the patronage of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah), against the Manipur government's decision to carve out seven new districts, has continued for over four months now.

The UNC sees the move as an attempt to truncate the concept of a greater Nagalim.

The Centre has been accused of turning a blind eye to the activities of the UNC, with which the Union government had signed a framework agreement in 2015 to resolve the decades-old Naga issue.

"We will soon send a notice for holding talks with the UNC and the Manipur government.

Let's see, if they respond to the notice.

Last time, on 15 November, 2016, when such meeting was held, no representative of the Manipur government showed up," said a senior government official.

The official added that the meeting has been proposed to be held in Delhi on February 5 .

Last week, the Centre pressed into service two C-17 Globemaster cargo aircrafts to airlift six fuel tankers to Imphal.

An official said that 96 kilolitres of petrol was airlifted to ease oil shortage in the State.

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