Tripartite talks postponed, again

Newmai News Network

SENAPATI | July 21

Much to the disappointment of the United Naga Council (UNC), the tripartite talks on the district creation have been postponed, again. The talks involving the United Naga Council (UNC), the Central Government and the State Government of Manipur were scheduled to be held on July 22 (Saturday) in Senapati district headquarters at the ‘political level’ but the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has “fervently requested” the UNC leaders to have the talks early next month.

Speaking to Newmai News Network this evening over phone, Satyendra Garg, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA),Government of India said that the State Government of Manipur had “requested” the former if the date of the talks could be scheduled for July 23 (Sunday) instead of July 22.

According to Satyendra Garg, the State Government of Manipur had expressed that its cabinet ministers who are assigned to take part in the tripartite talks would not be able to skip the ongoing session of the Manipur Legislative Assembly on Saturday. To this, the UNC had agreed even to hold the talks even on Sunday but the proposal of the State Government of Manipur gives inconveniences to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) officials participating in the tripartite talks. According to the MHA Joint Secretary, the Union Home Minister is taking part in the Question Hour of the ongoing Parliament Session on July 24, Monday, for which it has become a matter of compulsion that all the MHA officials are stationed from Sunday.

Now, things have come to such a situation that the next tripartite talks have been tentatively scheduled either on August 5 or August 11, according to Satyendra Garg.  He also said that the Government of India “takes seriously” on the tripartite talks, and “I hope things should be alright for everyone in the early part of next month.”

It can be noted here that the tripartite talks on district creation issue which were scheduled earlier for July 10 at Ukhrul district headquarters were postponed, and the talks were latter fixed for July 22 with Senapati district headquarters as the venue. Apparently reacting to the prolonging of the tripartite talks the UNC has expressed its frustration today again.

UNC president Gaidon Kamei reiterated that Naga people in Manipur “to remain alert to face any eventuality”. Earlier, the UNC had alleged  that a party engaging in the tripartite talks was intentionally trying to sabotage the ongoing dialogue on district creation issue.

On May 19, the representatives of the Manipur Government, the Central Government and the UNC had agreed upon to hold tripartite talks on the district creation issue at the political level within a month’s time. The one month’s time frame to hold tripartite talks on the district creation issue had lapsed on June 19.

UNC had also stated earlier that “since the new government of Manipur under the leadership of N Biren Singh and the Narendra Modi government at the Centre had assured us to redress the problems created by the communal Ibobi Singh government we are fervently waiting for the justice.”

Things may be recalled here that, in the last tripartite talks held on May 19 in Senapati headquarters, it was reaffirmed the “focal point No 1 of agreement arrived at in the tripartite talks on March 19, 2017” which states that “the grievances of the United Naga Council which led to the imposition of the economic blockade by them was recognized as there was non-adherence to the four Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the Government of India’s assurance on the matter. The Government of Manipur agrees to start consultation with all stakeholders to redress the same”.