KNO reviews stand on SoO, says KSDC can lift stir now
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Dimapur/Imphal, November 21 2012:
On the eve of the expiry of its deadline for the abrogation of the Suspension of Operation (SoO), the Kuki National Organisation (KNO), one of the two umbrella organisations of the Kuki militant outfits, has reviewed its decision of abrogating the ongoing Suspension of Operation with the government.
The deadline given by the KNO to abrogate was November 22.The KNO then said the Kuki State Demand Committee (KSDC)'s stand of continuing the agitation "can be suspended now" as the government of India had assured to start the dialogue after the ensuing Winter Session of the Parliament.
The KNO's reviewed decision came a day after United Peoples' Front (UPF), another umbrella body of the Kuki militant outfits, had pronounced that the KSDC sponsored blockade should not be imposed under the UPF's jurisdiction.
In an exclusive interview with Newmai News Network this afternoon in an undisclosed location, KNO spokesman Seilen Haokip said, "We have waited for seven long years to begin the dialogue and now the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had conveyed its position through the government of Manipur that the process to work out for dialogue modalities, which is a pre-requisite to hold the formal dialogue, should begin any day after the Parliament Session.
I think this is quite enough and that the KSDC should suspend their agitation by now" .
Seilen Haokip further stated that the KNO had reviewed its decision of abrogating the Suspension of Operation following Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde's assurance conveyed through Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam few days ago to start the dialogue with the Kuki militant outfits.
"We are satisfied with the assurance from none other than the Union Home Minister to begin the dialogue after the ensuing Parliament Session," said buoyed Seilen Haokip.
On November 2, the KNO leader had said in New Delhi that the outfit had taken the decision to abrogate SoO if the dialogue was not held by November 22 .
"We would like to be reasonable.
We are not anti-nationals.
We are asserting our democratic rights under the Constitution of India.
You know, when (an) assurance has come from not other than the Union Home minister, I think that should be quite enough," stated Seilen Haokip when Newmai News Network asked today on the ongoing KSDC sponsored 'public blockade' .
"One should also consider the tremendous suffering being experienced by the general public due to such blockade," added the KNO leader while saying,"Anyway, we are finding out what prompted the KSDC to carry on the agitation in spite of the assurance from the Ministry of Home Affairs" .
On being asked about the United People's Front (UPF)'s reported position not to allow the ongoing KSDC sponsored 'public blockade' under its (UPF) jurisdiction, the KNO leader said, "Yes, that is because we (both KNO and UPF) share the same line of thinking" .
Seilen Haokip then asked, "When the assurance was given by the government what is the need to be negative about it?" "Peaceful protest is fine but when it turns violent then I think we do not subscribe to such line", he added.
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