All-Party team visit: PM assures 'appropriate actions'
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Manipur Information Centre

New Delhi, January 17 2013: Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde today assured the delegation of all political parties from Manipur for taking appropriate actions on handing over of Livingstone, self-styled Lt.Col.of NSCN (IM), who alleged molested film actress Momoco and opened fire at two other male artistes during a musical concert at Chandel district headquarters on December 18 last, to the Government of Manipur as well as for removal of NSCN (IM) camps from Manipur.

The 15-member delegation led by Manipur Chief Minister Ibobi today met Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh at 6.10 pm and Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde at 1 pm and submitted a memorandum demanding handing over of Livingstone, self-styled Lt.Col.of NSCN(IM) to the Government of Manipur and removal of NSCN(IM) camps from Manipur.

Union Secretary of Home R..KSingh and Joint Secretary of Home (North East) Sambhu Singh also attended in the meeting with the Union Home Minister.

The delegation include Okram Ibobi Singh, Chief Minister of Manipur; Gaikhangam, Deputy Chief Minister of Manipur and President of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee; Dr..MNara Singh of CPI; Y.Mani Singh of MSCP; M.Tombi Singh of JD/U; N.Sovakiran of MPP; Manihar Goswami of JD/S; L.Ibomcha Singh of NCP; N.Kavita Devi of BSP; S.Samungou Singh of Siva Sena; Kh.

Gyaneswar of AIFB; R.K.Shivachandra of AITC; Sarat Salam of CPM; Karam Shyam of LJSP) and Prof..STikendra of BJP.

After the meeting, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh said here that both the meeting was very cordial, and the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister gave patient hearing to the Manipur delegation.

He said, "The Prime Minister told the delegation that the act of molestation of a woman was highly condemnable and he would inform the Union Home Minister to take appropriate action in the matter." The Chief Minister also informed, "The Prime Minister reiterated that the Centre would not compromise on Manipur's territorial integrity while working out a peace package with the NSCN (IM)" .

All political party delegation from Manipur arrived here yesterday to appraise the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister of India on the prevailing situation in Manipur aftermath of the incident of molestation and assault to the artistes at Chandel District in Manipur by NSCN)IM) cadre Livingstone during a musical concert.

In the memorandum, it was stated that Mahamani Women Society of Chandel invited Momoko, a renowned Manipuri film artiste, H.Guna Sharma, film artiste and S.Prakash Singh, singer to participate in a musical concert organized by them at Chandel on December 18, 2012.While Momoko was compeering the concert, R..TLivingstone Anal, a self-styled Lt.Colonel of NSCN (IM) molested and assaulted her physically in presence of the public and fired upon artiste H.Guna Sharma and S.Prakash Singh who rushed to help Momoco.

Since the cease fire between the Government of India and NSCN (IM) is not enforced in Manipur, the said incident incited the general public of Manipur instantly.

They attributed the incident due to the existence of NSCN (IM) camps inside Manipur which was much against the will of the people of Manipur.

The memorandum also recalled that a massive general uprising incident had taken place in Imphal when the news of attempt to enforce the cease fire agreement between the Centre and the NSCN (IM) was contemplated on June 18, 2001 .

Consequently, the general public spear-headed by Film Forum Manipur, Manipur State Shumang Leela Council, All Manipur Matam Eshei Kanglup and All Manipur United Club Organisation launched intense agitation demanding immediate arrest of R.T.Livingstone Anal and his accomplices and punish them in accordance with the law of the land as well as for immediate removal of all purported camps of NSCN(IM) in Manipur, the memorandum stated.

In order to solve the increasing intensity of their agitation, a meeting of all political parties of Manipur was held at the Chief Minister's Secretariat on December 25, 2012 and adopted to request the Government of India to hand over Livingstone to the Government of Manipur at the earliest for taking necessary action for his crime under law.

And it was also resolved to appeal to the JAC of Artistes, Film Forum Manipur and Manipur Shumang Leela Council to withdraw the General Strike called by them and to the United Naga Council to call off their threat of counter blockade from mid-night of December 26, 2012 to avoid the hardships to be faced by the general public; and to send a delegation of all political parties to Delhi to meet the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister to appraise the grave situation arising out of the Chandel incident in Manipur and seek initiation of appropriate action in the matter, the memorandum said, adding that the agitators agreed to call off their agitation on the appeal with assurance that their demands would be placed before the Government of India.

It was also mentioned in the memorandum that despite repeated assurances given by the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister on protecting the territorial integrity of the State of Manipur, there was a lot of apprehension in the minds of the people of Manipur regarding the intention of the talks with NSCN and its long term implications on the territorial integrity of Manipur in both letter and spirit.

In the context, the delegation also requested the Government of India that before any solution to the Naga issue was finalized, the assurances given by the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister be translated into a clear long term commitment by way of amending the Constitution and adding a proviso to Article 3 of the Constitution clarifying that the provisions of Article 3 would not be applicable to the North Eastern States including Manipur and that their territorial boundaries would never be altered without the consent of the concerned State legislatures.

Comment