UPF running out of patience
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, June 30 2013: The United Peoples Front (UPF), one of the two umbrella organizations of Kuki underground outfits under Suspension of Operation (SoO), has resolved to boycott the Congress (I) Party in Kuki inhabited areas in the coming Lok Sabha election if the political dialogues with the Government of India are not initiated at the earliest.

A statement in this regard, Secretary of Information and Publicity of UPF C Robinson Thadou said that the organization is peeved at the apathy of the Union and State Governments which have failed to address several issues of the outfits under SoO despite repeated assurances.

Like an obedient citizen of India and also believing in the democracy and Constitution, UPF entered into the tripartite SoO agreement with the Centre and the State Governments on August 22, 2008 and continue to remain steadfastly adhering to the agreement till today.

However, since the Government is not keeping its words, UPF now holds the view that it is free to choose any course of action in future, Robinson stated.

He lamented that the political talks have not been initiated and no interlocutor has been appointed so far even if Joint Secretary of Ministry of Home Affairs (Northeast in-charge) Shambu Singh and State officials led by Principal Secretary (Home) Dr Suresh Babu made a firm assurance on starting the political talks during a meeting held on January 3 this year.

In another meeting with Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) members of UPF on February 23 early this year, Shambu Singh again assured that the appointment of interlocutor would be completed after the winter session of the Indian Parliament or by February 29 this year, Robinson recalled, adding that all these assurances have, however, vanished into the thin air.

The statement further said that the UPF had signed the agreement for extension of SoO in December 2012 with the hope that the Government would deal with them sincerely and honestly.

However, stipends for the cadres have not paid since December last year and infrastructures and other requirements at the designated camps have not been fulfilled by the Government.

So, taking serious note over the development, a meeting of UPF held on June 26, 2013 has expressed its happiness over the inordinate delay in starting the political dialogues.

The meeting also expressed displeasure over the conduct of the Government in making a hue and cry whenever some small incidences of SoO ground rules violation is committed by the cadres while totally ignoring all the violations committed by the Government, the statement alleged.

Pointing out some of the alleged violations committed by the Government, the UPF statement mentioned that the meeting of JMG which is supposed to be held regularly at least once a month has been stopped for the last 7 months, payment of the meagre to the cadres is not regular and the same has been stopped since December last year, although time and gain, the Government uses the issue stipend as a propaganda to tarnish the image of UGs in the eyes of the public.

The UPF further resolved that it would be compelled to review the SoO agreement in case nothing is done before the next SoO extension meeting on August 22 this year.

It has also resolved that no more camp inspection and verification of the cadres in the designated camps would be permitted until all the pending stipend amounts are cleared.

Furthermore, the organization has warned the Government of dire consequences if no concrete step is taken up till August this year.

The meeting also appointed C-in-C of KRA (U) C Robinson Thadou as the Secretary of Information and Publicity, UPF, the statement added.

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