Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 17 2008:
NGO partners of MACS in implementation of Targeted Intervention (TI) programmes have decided to launch a series of agitation including non-cooperation movement in protest against the failure of MACS authorities to release fund.
A decision to this effect was arrived at during a joint meeting of the NGO partners at the office of USER Manipur here today.
Decrying the failure of MACS authorities to reply to the ultimatum served in this connection, the joint meeting decided to launch various democratic movements including noncooperation to all the drugs and HIV/AIDS related programmes of the Government and MACS with effect from tomorrow.
The meeting also decided not to take part in the World AIDS Day observance to be organised by the State Government.
NGO partners of MACS served the ultimatum giving November 15 as the deadline.
It is said that subsequent to submission of the utilisation certificate of the Phase-II of the National AIDS Control Programme by MACS authorities, National AIDS Control Organisation (NACP) had released the fund for NACP Phase-III.
But the same has not yet been provided to the NGO partners thereby paralysing the functioning of the NGOs and their activities.
Meanwhile, North East Drug Users' Forum expressed surprise on learning that MACS has not released any fund to its partner NGOs since April this year.
The Forum said that Targeted Intervention programmes under NACP phase III would be paralysed if MACS does not release funds in time.
Nagaland Users Network (NUN) expressed dissatisfaction in not releasing of funds to NGOs of Manipur by MACS for the past seven months.
Conveying that NUN will extend its full support to USER Manipur in any agitation, NUN also urged the Manipur Government and MACS to resolve the issue at the earliest.