State urges to postpone talks with UNC
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, May 28, 2011: The visit of Nagaland's CM has raised tension and the already volatile and sensitive law and order situation, Manipur government stated in a communiqu� sent to the Union Ministry of Home urging for the postponement of the proposed tripartite talks with the UNC today.

In the communiqu� sent by the state Home Department to the MHA through Shambu Singh, Jt Secretary (NE), Union Ministry of Home Affairs, the state government asserted that as per advice of the MHA, state government sent a letter to UNC addressed to its president Samson Remei on May 19. As per the directive of the MHA to communicate with the UNC, the state government had asked for furnishing the points of agenda which the UNC wants to discuss.

The state Home Department had also requested to know the demands/issues to be intimated in advance to enable a meaningful discussion.

The UNC refused to accept the invitation extended by the state government and has so far not furnished the issues/points to be discussed.

The state government had earlier requested the Nagaland CM to postpone his visit, but Rio insisted on visiting Senapati.

The state government had to deploy central and state forces to prevent any untoward incident, and it has made this aware to the HMA in the communiqu�.

Given the absence of any response from the UNC about the agenda, and the palpable delicate situation at Senapati, the state cabinet has considered the issue of proposals of talks with the UNC on 30-05-2011. The cabinet has assessed that the delicate law and order situation in Senapati may not be conducive to holding any meeting at this stage.

In fact, the UNC does not appear to be willing to communicate with the state government.

Under these circumstances, the state cabinet wanted to defer/postpone talks with the UNC till the UNC furnishes the agenda for discussion and the law and order situation is normalized, the communiqu� of the state Home Department to the MHA stated.

In the communiqu�, the state government also requested the MHA to ask the UNC to clearly spell-out their demands/issues at least one week in advance to enable a meaningful discussion.

The Non-Paper sent by MHA on devolution of powers to the district councils is under consideration of the state government, the communiqu� further mentioned.

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