Final pact likely soon : Stand of CSOs, pol parties
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: May 10 2018 -

From civil society organisations to now political parties.

Tough to say how Delhi has viewed the stand of the CSOs and the political parties, that is apart from the BJP and its allies which are part of the Government here in Manipur, but this should be more than clear that if not handled right then Manipur may see stormy days once the final pact with the NSCN (IM) is inked.

The trigger point is obviously the news story carried by the Indian Express some days back, wherein Interlocutor to the peace talk, RN Ravi was quoted as having said that some sort of a mechanism will be worked out for the areas which are identified as Naga dominated.

Some sort of autonomy for Naga inhabited areas is how RN Ravi has been quoted as saying in the report and it is this which has obviously not gone down well with the Congress and the civil society organisations.

So far the BJP led Government has maintained a studied silence, but it will be interesting to see where they stand in the face of such a proposal.

Is some degree of autonomy to the Naga inhabited areas acceptable to the State Government or has the Congress misread and misunderstood what RN Ravi had to say in his interactions with the Indian Express ?

Whatever the case, the State Government obviously cannot and will not remain silent for long and will have to speak out its mind sooner than later, that is if the prognosis that a final pact may soon see the light of day is true.

Interesting and stormy days can certainly be witnessed in Manipur once the final pact is announced.

On the other hand, something has to be given to the NSCN (IM) after all these years of negotiation, but the big question is what is it that will be acceptable to all sections of the people ?

No one has spelt out what will be acceptable. Rather it has been a case of what will not be acceptable.

There must be something which can be acceptable to Manipur and if such a model has been thought out then it may be submitted to New Delhi for consideration.

On the other hand, it is also important for all not to forget that apart from the Meiteis and the Nagas, there are the Kukis too whose stand cannot be ignored.

The Kuki Inpi, Manipur has already spelt out that any pact with the NSCN (IM) will not be acceptable until and unless the genocide of the Kukis in the early part of the 1990s in the last century is addressed to satisfactorily.

This is not a new stand, but it is significant that this has been again reminded to the Centre.

Tough to say how Delhi has been responding to the stand of the Kukis under KIM and other Kuki organisations, but surely this is a matter which cannot be simply swept under the carpet.

The final pact may be at hand, but there is nothing much to suggest that efforts have been made to take the other communities along. This is what is disturbing to note.

Apart from the Congress, the Shiv Sena, which is a partner in the BJP led NDA Government at New Delhi has also made its stand clear that the interests of Manipur can never be compromised while inking a final pact with the NSCN (IM).

Only the coming days will reveal what is in store, but it is important for all to keep their sanity and not get blinded by emotions for what is at stake here is Manipur.