Apunba Lup, JACs talk with CM
Govt assures of granting some demands, some to be considered
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, October 31 2009: Three months after the Apunba Lup and two JACs of a young pregnant woman and a former underground activist, who were killed in a "fake encounter" at Khwairamband market on July 23 last, launched agitation against Chief Minister O Ibobi, the agitating bodies and the Government of Manipur today sat together face to face at the negotiating table for the first round of talks.

Fourteen representatives of Apunba Lup, two JACs, AMSU, MSF and KSA took part in the talks that started at about 1.15 pm and continued till about 3.50 pm.

From the side of the state government, fourteen representatives led by Chief Minister O Ibobi, some cabinet Ministers, Chief Secretary and Commissioner (Home) took part in the talks.

Media persons surround Advocate Khaidem Mani

Four leaders of the Senior Citizens for Society (SCS), who were taking a major role in bring the agitating bodies to the negotiating table, were also present at the talks.

After the talks, one of the leaders of SCS, Advocate Khaidem Mani told media persons who were waiting near the gate of the Chief Minister's official bungalow that today's talks between the two sides went off smoothly.

Advocate Mani expressed confidence that since the two sides have started talking after a long period of confrontation, a conclusion will certainly come about.

The talks are positive, he said.

Coordinator of Apunba Lup, Phunindro Konsam told mediapersons at about 6.30 pm at the Manipur Press Club that the Apunba Lup initially had made three demands.

They are punishment of those police commandos involved in the Khwairamband market incident, punishment of police officers who were covering up the truth regarding the incident and protecting those guilty personnel and resignation of Chief Minister O Ibobi.

However, as the agitation went on intensively, the government adopted repressive measures to quell the agitation and arrested volunteers of the Lup and booked them under NSA.

Therefore, the Lup had to add another three demands to have those arrested released before the talks begin.

Fourteen representatives were selected from all the sister organisations of the Apunba Lup and a steering committee was formed.

Phunindro further said that nine demands were placed before the government by the steering committee of the Lup.

The demands are resignation of Chief Minister O Ibobi on moral ground; assurance by the government that no fake encounter will recur in future; appropriate punishment of those police personnel involved in the July 23 incident; punishment or appropriate action against police officers who supervised such incidents; release of all persons arrested and booked under NSA during the course of the agitation; handing over of all things and documents seized by police to the respective organisations; giving financial assistance or compensations to those persons injured; stop state terrorism and repeal Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 .

Phunindro narrated that the government has assured of granting some of the nine demands put forward by the Apunba Lup and some demands would be considered.

The Apunba Lup will discuss the outcome of the talks with the people and will again talk with the government.

He said, it is too early to say which points are resolved and which are not since the talk has just begun.

However, the agitation including the class boycott will continue.

A different source said that some Cabinet Ministers asked the representatives of the Apunba Lup not to insist on the demand of Chief Minister Ibobi's resignation.

It is not yet known whether the Apunba Lup will stick to its gun as regards resignation of Chief Minister Ibobi.

Some of the demands which the government has assured of granting are: release of all those arrested volunteers of Apunba Lup, stopping state terrorism, handing over of all materials seized by police to the organisations concerned, financial assistance or compensation to those injured and assurance of not to recur fake encounter in future.

However, regarding punishment those police personnel involved in the incident, the government said that since judicial inquiry is going on at present, it will be done once the inquiry is over.

Some other demands will be considered.