No breakthrough as talk on district creation begins
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, October 11 2024: The tripartite talks between the Central government, the government of Manipur, and the United Naga Council (UNC) on Friday in New Delhi regarding the rollback of seven districts created in December 2016, ended without any agreement.

However, all parties have agreed to continue engaging in further discussions to "resolve the issue in a time-bound manner" .

Following the meeting, a joint statement informed that the tripartite talks between the Ministry of Home Affairs (Gol), the Government of Manipur, and the UNC focused on the creation of seven new districts by the then government of Manipur as per Notification No 16/20/2016-R dated December 8, 2016, and UNC's demand for rollback of the creation of new districts.

The meeting was held in cordial atmosphere and it was mutually agreed that further progress will be made by engaging in a sustained manner in order to resolve the issue in a time-bound manner keeping in view the previous commitments, the statement continued.

All sides agreed to hold the next round of tripartite talks on November 15, 2024 in Senapati district.

Representing the government of India was AK Mishra, advisor (North East) Ministry of Home Affairs, while the government of Manipur was represented by chief secretary Vineet Joshi, and commissioner-cum-secretary (home) N Ashok Kumar.

On the other hand, the UNC team was represented by its president Ng Lorho, general secretary Vareiyo Shatsang, working committee convenor Samson Riamei, secretary AC Thotso, former president KS Paul Leo, Naga Women's Union president Priscilla Thiumai, and All Naga Students' Association Manipur president Luikang Luckson.

According to a report published by NorthEast Live citing official sources said focus of the discussions was the creation of the seven new districts by the state government on December 8, 2016, and the UNC's demand for rollback of the said decision.

The NE Live report cited sources familiar with the matter that aim of the parleys is to resolve the issue while considering previous commitments.

Friday's discussion was the 11th round of tripartite talks regarding the district creation issue, with the last meeting held on March 9, 2019, at Senapati district headquarters.

The 10 previous rounds of talks also took place in Senapati.

The seven new districts were created on December 8, 2016, under the then Congress-led government, raising the total number of districts in the state from nine to 16 .

The newly created districts include Tengnoupal, carved out of Chandel; Kamjong from Ukhrul; Pherzawl from Churachandpur; Kangpokpi from Senapati; and Jiribam from Imphal East district.

The creation of these districts was strongly opposed by the Naga tribes, who, through the UNC, launched intense protest against the move, arguing that the new districts would encroach on the ancestral lands of Nagas.

UNC has been pushing for the rollback of this decision since creation of the new districts.

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