Disappointed, says Centre after talks to end Manipur blockade

Tripartite talks to end the over three-month-long economic blockade of a crucial highway in Manipur failed to make any headway today with the Naga group spearheading it refusing to relent from its position of allowing seven districts to be carved out.
Official sources said the Centre is disappointed with the outcome of today's meeting that took place in Imphal where representative from the Union Home Ministry, state government and United Naga Council (UNC) participated.
All the three had earlier met in the national capital on February 4 and the Centre had expressed hope that the blockade would end soon.
The sources said that earlier the "Manipur government was not cooperating and now the UNC is taking a different stand".

However, they said efforts will be on to end the blockade of poll-bound state at the earliest.
Polling for the 60-member Manipur Assembly is scheduled to be held in two phases next month -- March 4 and 8.

After the latest development, the next round of talks are scheduled to be held on March 25.
The National Highway number 2 (NH 2) is blocked since November 1 by the UNC cadres leading to normal life being severely affected there. The Council is protesting against creation of seven new districts in the state.
In a statement, the Council said it has been concluded after thorough deliberation that the code of conduct cannot limit the Union of India nor the Governor of the state of Manipur from intervening and fulfilling their Constitutional obligation to safeguard and protect land of the tribal as enshrined in the Constitution.

The Council said it has been further resolved that Nagas
would also reject and fight against any other move that would affect their land and identity.
The statement from the Naga body comes after it convened an emergency Presidential Council to consider the outcome of the tripartite meeting.
"The issue of declaration of seven new districts by the government of Manipur... Without consulting the stake holders in utter disrespect of the four MoUs signed with Naga organisations and assurance given by the Ministry of Home Affairs, GoI was the core issue to be discussed in the tripartite talk.
"The GoM only pleaded its helplessness on taking up the core issue in the talk as the election code of conduct, which has come into effect from January 4, 2017, prohibits any political decision for roll back or otherwise either by the GoM or the GoI. The next tripartite talk for taking up the core issue was then scheduled for the March 25, 2017," the statement said.

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In a statement, the Manipur government said an agreement was signed today by the three stake holders wherein it was agreed upon to discuss the issue relating to new districts in the next tripartite meeting.
The UNC agreed to consider lifting of the economic blockade after due discussion in the meeting today and the state government also agreed to facilitate release of the leaders of UNC who are arrested, it said.
"Unfortunately the United Naga Council in its press statement dated February 7, 2017 has mentioned that they have decided to continue the economic blockade without respecting the agreement signed in the tripartite meeting held on February 3, 2017.

"Keeping in view of the sufferings of the people living both in valley and hills, the state government again appeals to the United Naga Council to reconsider their decision and withdraw the economic blockade immediately," the statement said.
Manipur government said it has taken initiative to address the demands of UNC and lifting of the blockade and requested the central government to organise tripartite talks.
Accordingly, the state government participated in the tripartite talks convened and chaired by the Ministry of Home Affairs at New Delhi on Friday in which the UNC also participated, it said.
During the course of talks, the UNC presented the demands including the issue relating to creation of new districts in Manipur. After due deliberations, the representatives of state government and the central government suggested taking up the issue of new districts in the next tripartite meeting for administrative reasons, which was accepted by UNC.

"The issue of lifting of economic blockade was discussed at length and the state government appealed to the UNC to lift the blockade in the interest of public and to ease out the suffering of all sections and communities of people in the state. The UNC proposed for unconditional release of their leaders who are arrested," said the statement citing details of the talks so far.