Peace dialogue between Delhi and NSCN (IM) : UCM hails initiatives, cautions people
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 24 2014: While lauding the recent initiative of the incumbent NDA Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to expedite the Indo-Naga peace process, the United Committee Manipur (UCM) has called upon all the people to keep a close tab on the developments of the peace talk.

UCM welcomes the recent initiative of the Prime Minister to bring a positive result to the Indo-Naga peace process within a period of six months but one pertinent question being asked by all the people of Manipur is on what basis/points would the two sides thrash out a solution.

Nonetheless, the UCM is hopeful that neither the Government of India nor NSCN-IM would insist on anything which may disturb the political boundaries of the neighbouring States, conveyed a press release issued by information and public relation secretary Ng Deba Meetei.

O Ibobi, PM Narendra Modi and TR Zeliang

The negotiators should take into consideration whether the people of Manipur and UCM would be agreeable to any sort of arrangement if people of Manipur are divided between different administrative powers.

It was the sustained, spontaneous mass movement of June 2001 which compelled the Government of India to remove the controversial phrase 'without territorial limits' from the Bangkok Agreement.

The UCM took its birth out of the historic movement, it reminded.

Even though Cease-Fire Monitoring Group Chairman Lt Gen (retd) NK Singh categorically stated that the ceasefire agreement was restricted within the territory of Nagaland State, Cease-Fire Monitoring Cell convenor Kraibo Chawang questioned how could the Government of India modify the bilateral agreement unilaterally and insisted that the agreement was without territorial limits.

This time, Lt Gen (retd) NK Singh and the Government of India could not give any reply.

As such, the ceasefire agreement still remains highly ambiguous, UCM noted.

The report that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would discuss the peace process with the Chief Ministers of Nagaland and Manipur is highly commendable.

But the Chief Minister of Manipur need to act very tactfully in accordance with the collective wish and aspirations of the people of Manipur.

At the same time, all the people need to be highly vigilant, it added.