Imphal, May 07 2009: Highlighting achievements of its diplomatic efforts, the proscribed RPF has claimed that it has been receiving support from international communities.

This was stated by the outfit's vice-president Manoharmayum Ngouba while addressing an exclusive press conference at a location in Ukhrul district on May 5 .

However, the People's Republic of China which once provided political and logistic support to the party under the leadership of late N Bisheshwar has changed its policy.

Since then, the country has stopped supporting the outfit, the vice-president disclosed.

"Yet we hope our immediate neighbour, Myanmar which has much similarity in terms of cultural and traditional values, historical perspectives etc with Manipur will certainly lend support to our cause", Ngouba confided.

He also recalled about former Bangladesh Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia's admission in the Parliament that the armed struggle of Manipur was a liberation struggle.

While noting that political dialogue was the only option to bring a solution to the decades' old liberation movement, the vice-president categorically ruled out any political dialogue with New Delhi unless sovereignty of Manipur was made the primary agenda.

"The RPF has a very clear understanding on when such a dialogue should take place.

It will be done only on the agenda of Manipur's sovereignty.

The party has not proposed to the New Delhi for any dialogue nor New Delhi has made any such proposal", Ngouba said.

Speaking about the outfit's ties with CPI (Maoists) for close cooperation and coordination against the common enemy (New Delhi), the vice-president said that the relationship between the two groups has been considerably strengthened after the two signed a joint declaration in October last year.

"Since then we have been helping each other" Ngouba said.

The joint declaration of the RPF and the CPI (Maoists) was signed at the former's council headquarters after a two day conference between leaders of the two outfits.

Among other points, the two sides agreed to honour and endorse the sovereignty of the two countries (India and Manipur) .

The two sides further declared that they would extend all possible moral and political support towards each other in the revolutionary movement "to overthrow the common enemy, the Indian reactionary and oppressive regime", the vice-president conveyed.

He also reminded that the PLA has already signed certain protocols of the Geneva Convention.

Responding to a query, Ngouba clarified that the RPF has not withdrawn from the Manipur People's Liberation Front (MPLF).

However, due to certain operational constraints, the outfit has not been actively engaged in the MPLF's activities, he disclosed.

The MPLF is constituted by the UNLF, RPF and PREPAK.

Noting the crucial importance of waging the liberation struggle collectively, the RPF has already put forward its proposal to bring other insurgent groups within the fold of MPLF.

On recruitment of under-aged children as militant cadres, the RPF vice-president stated that no youth below the age of 16 were ever recruited to the outfit.

Nor did the RPF ever encourage other parties to recruit child soldiers, he added.

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