UNC chief released unconditionally

The tripartite talk held with the advent of BJP government has brought to an end to the economic blockade and released the United Naga Council chief Gaidon Kamei and his associate today.

He was produced at the court of chief judicial magistrate Imphal East today and released unconditionally as par the agreement brought by the tripartite talk held yesterday.

Gaidon and his publicity secretary Stephen Sangkhil had been in jail on the charge of creating violence along the national highways and disturbing the right to life of the people by imposing indefinite economic blockade for the cause of Naga integration.

Answering to a media query if UNC would continue demanding to roll back the newly created districts Gaidon said, “Only when we have political talk that matter will come up”.

He said his release from the jail was an unconditional release as par the agreement arrived at yesterday’s talk. We appreciated the initiative and positive response of the newly formed BJP government, added Gaidon.

The Tripartite talk which was attended by the representatives of the government of India, Govt. of Manipur and the representatives of the United Naga Council was held at DRDA hall of Senapati district head quarter.

Govt. of Manipur was represented by Addl. Chief Secretary, Suresh Babu and Commissioner (Home) Radha Kumar while the government of India was represented by Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs North East in-charge, Satyender Garg. UNC was represented by former presidents Paul Leo, Samson Remei, Lohrii Adani, general secretary of UNC S. Milan. ANSAM president Seth Shatsang and NWU president LM Tabitha also attended the talk.

The government of Manipur agreed to start consultation with the stakeholders to redress non- adherence to four points of memorandum of understanding and the government of India’s assurance on the grievances of the UNC which led to the imposition of the economic blockade.
The UNC decided to lift the blockade to create conducive environment for the democratic process of consultation and dialogue.

The government also agreed to release the UNC chief Gaidon Kamei and its publicity secretary form jail without condition and also agreed to close all the cases related to economic blockade against the Naga tribes and students’ leaders.

The next round of the tripartite talk will be held within a month time at the political level.

Former chief minister Okram Ibobi yesterday expressed of bias on the agreement that has brought about an end to the 139 days long economic blockade which ended last midnight.

The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) welcome the lifting of economic blockade imposed by the United Naga Council (UNC), but warned that it would fight tooth and nail if the BJP government rolls back the creation of seven new districts in Manipur.

Ibobi Singh questioned the sincerity of BJP asking if the blockade would have been lifted if the party failed to come to power in Manipur.

He said the manner the economic blockade was lifted was suspicious and act of hunger for power. The BJP has used all its might to just to form the next government in Manipur to the extent of making the mockery of the democracy, he added.

According to Ibobi, the lifting of blockade is a welcome relief to the Congress and to the people of Manipur.

Ibobi appreciated the Prime Minister Modi for materializing his commitment given to the people of Manipur in lifting the blockade and said it would be very unfortunate and tantamount to “murder of democracy” if all the initiative taken up by the BJP was only to come to power.

It would be most unfortunate if the blockade was planned between the BJP and the UNC which is a frontal organization of NSNC-IM, just to bring itself in to power at the cost of the suffering of the people, Ibobi said.

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