Joint secretary home takes stock of KNF designated camp

From Our Correspondent

KANGPOKPI |Oct 7

Joint secretary, ministry of home affairs (Northeast in-charge), Satyendra Garg visited the designated camp of Kuki National Front, Ebenezer Peace Camp at Natheljang in Kangpokpi district today.

People accorded a symbolic traditional welcome when the Satyendra landed in a chopper at around 9:45 am at Kholjang TAYA Playground with trumpets blow and gong beating while the Kuki chiefs presented him a traditional shawl ‘Saipikhup’ apart from the Kuki women garlanding the senior IPS officer. 

Satyendra, who is also the first person to chair the Kuki political dialogue with the Centre was accompanied by J. Suresh Babu, additional chief secretary (Home), government of Manipur, who is also the chairman of Joint Monitoring Groups of the SoO groups along with other department concerned officials.

The Kuki leaders of various civil voluntary organisations under the aegis of Kuki Inpi including leaders of Kuki National Front greeted the visiting team at Ebenezer Peace Camp Satyendra signed on a monolith erected by the KNF in memory of his historic visit before having a brief interaction and visiting the camp to take stock of the situation.

Satyendra said that his idea to come here is to take stock of the camp, how it looks like, how it runs and how people live here.

He continued that it is right that political talks has been initiated after eight years of signing SoO but the government has appointed separate interlocutor talks without much delay. He said he is working on it while visiting the state and studying the issues interacting with the Kuki leaders.

“Whatever issues about the Kukis, the government is very much aware about it that is why we started the political dialogue and the Centre will do whatever is just from every section of society including the Kukis”, maintained Satyendra.

He also said that Centre wants solution as it is the key to prevail peace and the ultimate key to development and everything is for peace.

KNF general secretary, Aaron Kipgen, who is also the spokesperson of UPF said that the reason why they took up arms and fight for statehood is because they have a political issue. “We feel our custom, culture and tradition would be preserved within the framework of Indian Constitution in free India”, he added.

He continued that over the years the government considered the issue of Kuki arms movement, the signing of SoO and confining at the designated Camp as law and order issue which is why the problem have not been resolved on time.

“I want to reiterate today that the issue of Kuki arms movement, the signing of SoO and confining at designated camp is not a law and order problem but a political issue”, asserted Aaron Kipgen.

He also recalled that when Suspension of Operation was signed eight years back in 2008 and the designated camp inaugurated in 2010, the aspiration of SoO cadres as well as the Kuki people in general was to start political talks by initiating a peace process.

“But, things were not going that fast as expected and we have been waiting for more than 8 years for the political dialogue to be initiated”, he added.

The Kuki Inpi Manipur also submitted a memorandum to the joint secretary apprising him to bring an honorable solution to the Kuki political issue while appreciating and conveying gratitude of the Kuki people to the government of India for initiating the much awaited political dialogue with UPF and KNO.