Political parties endorse public resolution on integrity
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 01 2019: Many political parties active in the State have endorsed the people's collective resolution that any solution to the political dialogue going on between Government of India and NSCN-IM should not impinge upon the integrity of Manipur and the sanctity of its territorial boundary.

An all political parties alert meeting on the possible settlement of Naga peace process was held today at Lamyanba Shanglen, Konung Lampak under the aegis of the UCM.

The meeting reaffirmed all the resolutions adopted at the public convention held at the same venue on September 19 at the initiative of the UCM.

The public convention of September 19 resolved that any challenge to the integrity of Manipur and the sanctity of its territorial boundary would not be tolerated.

Political parties endorse public resolution on integrity

Any step subsequent to the Framework Agreement should not be taken up in Manipur without prior consent of the people and Government of Manipur, read the public convention's second resolution.

The third resolutions said that the people of Manipur will never accept any pan-Naga cultural/provincial/territorial council or financial autonomy or separate administrative arrangement or unification of Naga inhabited areas.

The people of Manipur would take a collective decision to determine their own future in case any solution worked out between GoI and NSCN-IM goes against the interest of Manipur, read the fourth resolution.

The meeting held today was presided by UCM president Sunil Karam, vice-president Ksh Somorendro and consultative committee member H Ibotombi Khuman and it was moderated by fellow consultative committee member RK Ranendrajit.

Representatives of MPP, Manipur People Council, CPI-M, LJP, BJP, NEIDP, JD-U, INC and CPI took part in the meeting.

Speaking at the meeting, LJP Manipur spokesman N Ibohal Meitei noted that the growing apprehension about disintegration of Manipur is the biggest issue of contemporary Manipur.

One key landmark of the 22 years old political dialogue between GoI and NSCN-IM is the Framework Agreement signed on August 3, 2015.The Central Government should take into account all the possible fallouts if the solution to the political dialogue impinges upon Manipur just because the leader of NSCN-IM is a native of Manipur, Ibobal said.

He then proposed a joint meeting of CSOs and political parties to adopt a firm resolution and submit the same to the Governor, without taking the trouble of going to Delhi.

He further proposed the gathering to determine what course of action should the people of Manipur adopt in case the Central Government commits the blunder of replicating what it did in Jammu & Kashmir recently.

BJP Manipur Pradesh chief spokesperson S Tiken said people have been misinformed about the Framework Agreement on the basis that it was signed in a secretive manner and its details have not been divulged yet.

On the next day of signing the Framework Agreement, one National daily carried a news report which said that GoI has recognised the history of Manipur and any solution to the political dialogue would be within the Constitution of India, Tiken said.

Nonetheless, people of Manipur still have a nagging suspicion and as such, all the people must remain alert, he said.

On the issue of Naga peace talk, not only BJP, all stake holders have urged GoI not to adopt any misplaced decision, Tiken said.

The BJP spokesman further asserted that any solution to the political dialogue is unlikely within the next three months.

MPCC general secretary Hareshore Goswami pointed out that the political dialogue has had three key landmarks, the first section being the ceasefire agreement signed on July 25, 1997 which confined the deal within the State of Nagaland.

The second landmark is the agreement signed in June, 2001 which extended the ceasefire agreement without territorial limits which literally put Manipur on flames.

The third landmark is the Framework Agreement signed on August 3, 2015, Hareshore said.

The 213th report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs stated that GoI has recognised the history of Nagas and a special arrangement must be done for them.

Now people have been asking what exactly is this special arrangement.

People are also worried that this special arrangement may disintegrate Manipur or pave a way towards this end, pointed out the MPCC general secretary.

After the merger of Manipur into the Indian Union on October 15, 1949, the then Government issued a Manipur Administrative Order.

The particular order defined Manipur's territory as the one that existed before its merger into the Indian Union, Hareshore said.

By virtue of this order and many other reasons, disintegration of Manipur is neither acceptable nor permissible, he asserted.

In case Manipur is somehow disintegrated, the Manipur Legislative Assembly may adopt a resolution declaring the Manipur Merger Agreement as null and void and all may work towards regaining Manipur's pre-merger political status, he added.