Consent of Manipur people needed : UCM

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Aug 7: Even as the Government of India is holding what appears to be the 'last leg of talk' with the NSCN-IM and NNPG today, the United Committee Manipur (UCM) is closely moni-toring the talk and following the develop-ments. Any solution arrived without the consent the people of the State will not be accepted, said the committee.
While the talk to bring about a lasting accord is welcomed, the talk and the possible accord in any way should not compromise with the interests of Manipur and her people. The final solution should not contain any area and condition that may divide the people of the State and moreover, the Government of India should not take any decision and give away the demands of the groups concerned without the knowledge and consent of the people of the State, said UCM.
Stating that the committee does not take the talk lightly considering the assumption that a final solution may be reached by August 15, UCM reminded Government of India that it should respect and uphold the agreement it had reached with the COCOMI (Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity) on November 25, 2019 in New Delhi.
It reminded that members of COCOMI along with Chief Minister N Biren Singh and Education Minister Th Radheshyam had met Home Minister Amit Shah and Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy and reached an agreement. The final solution on the issue and talk should not violate the agreement, said UCM.
While asking people to remain vigilant about the developments regarding the talk, UCM advised and appealed that the people refrain from posting communal comments about the talk on social media which may cause enmity and hurt any community. All should remain vigilant to save the unity and integrity of the State, it said.
The Naga issue has not been concluded till today despite decades of talks with the Government. Moreover, the groups are believed to be pushing their own agendas, said UCM asserting that the groups have fallen into the trap of the Government of India which is now acting as the 'owner' and the authority to decide on the issue. Instead of solving the issues internally among the communities and stakeholders involved, the groups concerned had given away the authority to the Government of India to solve the issue. This is the reason for the stalemate and an amicable solution will not arrive if all stakeholders are not consulted, said UCM adding it is not too late to hold talks internally among all communities of the State and bring amicable and lasting solutions to the issues.
Hinting that the groups involved in the talk should not put their complete trust on the Government of India to solve the issue, UCM cautioned that they should understand and study the changing attitude and the governance of the Government of India and RN Ravi, the Interlocutor.
UCM further reiterated that the few groups involved do not represent the people of the State and hence the Government of India should not arrive at a conclusion that might hurt the sentiments and integrity of the State. In order to bring a lasting solution, the Government of India must involve and inform the people of the State. The talk in Delhi without the representation of the people cannot decide the fate of Manipur and her people, said UCM.