CM holds talk with UNC leaders for close to 3 hours Hand over hostages, dead or alive : UNC to CM

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, May 23 : Expressing deep disappointment over the failure of the Government’s Constitutional duty to protect citizens in the State, UNC urged immediate action to resolve the hostages crisis including booking the culprits; chief of KNF-P and its personnel involved and villagers of Leilon Vaiphei
Establish the status of 6 Nagas abducted by the Kukis, KNF-P and villagers of Leilon Vaiphei and hand over the 6 Nagas hostages to the families and Naga People, Dead or Alive.
These demands were laid before the Chief Minister during a meeting today.
A UNC team met Chief Minister Yumnam Khem-chand on the abduction of the six Naga men from Leilon Vaiphei Kuki village on May 13 and the Government’s failure to trace them till date.
The six-member UNC delegation led by its president reached the CM's bungalow at around 12.30 pm today and they talked with the Chief Minister for around three hours.
The UNC team consisted of NG Lorho, president, N Poujan Golmei, vice president, L Adani Mao, Samson Remmei, KS Paul Leo, former president of UNC and AC Thotso, member secretary, working committee, UNC.
Sources said that Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho, Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam and some MLAs were also present at the meeting.
Speaking to media persons at the gate of the CM's bungalow after the meeting, UNC vice president N Golmei said they urged the Government to rescue the six Naga hostages alive, if they are still alive or bring out their dead bodies if they have been already eliminated.
Rescuing citizens abducted and held hostage by militants is the responsibility of the Government, he asserted.
The UNC also made it clear that the ongoing economic blockade will go on until the fate of the six missing Naga civilians are known.
The Chief Minister reportedly told the UNC team that the Government has been working to find out the whereabouts of the missing men at the earliest.
On being asked about the ongoing economic blockade against the Government’s failure to trace the whereabouts of the six hostages, N Golmei said that the economic blockade will be called off automatically if the Government succeeds in rescuing the hostages alive.
However, there is no question of lifting the economic blockade at the moment as the fates of the missing men are still unknown, he said.
On being asked about the UNC’s next course of action in case the Government fails to trace the whereabouts of the hostages, N Golmei said that the next course of agitation will be determined by the unfolding situation.
On being asked if the UNC still has faith in the steps taken up by the Government after 10 days have passed since the six men were captured and taken hostage, the UNC vice president said that the talk held today gave a hint of some positive developments in the coming days.
With the Government claiming that it has been carrying out search operations, there was no point of contention or impasse during the talk, he said.
The UNC team only asked the Government to rescue the six Naga men captured and held hostage by Kuki militants, N Golmei added.
According to a press release issued by the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, Khemchand told the UNC delegation that the case of six abducted Nagas will be handed over to the NIA.
He said that the killing of three Church leaders on May 13 in Kangpokpi district had also been handed over to the NIA.
The Chief Minister said that search and rescue operations have been launched since May 14 last to trace the whereabouts of the six Naga villagers.
Khemchand further appealed to the UNC to help in securing the release of 14 Kuki civilians who have been held captive since the beginning of the incident.
He also appealed to the Kuki communities to help in tracing the six Naga villagers. The Chief Minister urged all the communities to extend support to the Govern- ment in normalizing the situation and restore peace in the State, which has been on the boil for over 3 years.