Tripartite talks today

Newmai News Network

SENAPATI | Aug 10

The tripartite talks involving the United Naga Council (UNC), the Central Government and the State Government of Manipur on the district creation issue are all set to be held on Friday, August 11, at Senapati headquarters.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Joint Secretary in-charge of Northeast, Satyendra Garg while speaking to Newmai News Network over phone has expressed his hope for a positive outcome. Satyendra Garg also said that the Government of India is very much concerned with the issue. “The engaging parties must resolve the problem the way it can be,” stated the Joint Secretary of MHA while adding, “Let us hope for the best outcome of the talks.”

 Satyendra Garg will be chairing the tripartite talks on Friday.

Meanwhile, UNC president Gaidon Kamei told NNN this evening that “Nagas believe in finding solutions to all problems through dialogues”. He also said that “Nagas do not exhaust in finding logical conclusions” to any issue. “However, if the Government of Manipur takes advantage of our patience and decency, and start working to victimise us then we will know about such dealings in advance,” Gaidon Kamei added. He also said that the Nagas know the “strength” of the Manipur Government. “We have been asking our people to remain prepared to face any eventuality in the event of the break-down of the tripartite talks,” he asserted. Nevertheless, the UNC president expressed optimistic about the Friday’s talks.

Gaidon Kamei then said that “anything that may hurt the future of the Nagas” will be thwarted with all out efforts by the Nagas.

Earlier, the tripartite were scheduled for July 22 at the ‘political level’ but the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had “fervently requested” the UNC leaders to have the talks in the early part of August.

It can be noted here that the tripartite talks on district creation issue which were also 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 had earlier expressed its frustration.

Last month, UNC President Gaidon Kamei had stated 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. However, it has been more than two months now that the talks on the issue could not be held for various reasons.

It may also be recalled here that the UNC had stated two months ago 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 further 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”.