Newmai News Network
Imphal | October 11
The Manipur new district creation issue tripartite talks involving the Central government, the United Naga Council (UNC) and the Government of Manipur resumed today in New Delhi after a long hiatus. During the talks today, it was decided that the next round of talks will be held on November 15, 2024, in Senapati district.
The previous Government of Manipur had created seven new districts on December 8, 2016. In protest against that act of the Manipur Government, the UNC had imposed 139 days of economic blockade along the national highways which pass through Manipur. After the lifting of the blockade, the first round of talk was held on March 19, 2017 followed by several rounds of talk.
According to the UNC sources, today's talk was held in a "cordial atmosphere and it was mutually agreed that further progress will be made by engaging in a sustained manner in order to resolve the issue in a time bound manner keeping in view of the previous commitments".
The seven-member UNC team was led by its president Ng. Lorho. The Central government side was represented by AK Mishra who is Advisor, North East, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), while the Manipur Government was represented by Vineet Joshi, Chief Secretary and N Ashok Kumar, Commissioner cum Secretary, the UNC sources further informed.
It can be recalled here that, on March 19, 2017, the UNC lifted the 139-day economic blockade imposed on national highways after the Manipur Government “recognised the grievances” of the UNC. The terms of agreement of the March 19 talks on the issue says that “the grievances of the UNC 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.”