LAMKA, July 14: As witnessed in the last few days, there has been strong resentment in Churachandpur district of Manipur against the government alleging its failure to honour the Suspension of Operation pact signed more than five years ago with two main UG umbrella groups namely the United People’ Front and the Kuki National Organizations.
This rise of resentment had been led by the Kuki State Demand Committee by recently enforcing a 48 hour state wide general strike followed by two days economic blockade along all highways passing through the state demanding the government to expedite political talks with the KNO and the UPF.
On the other hand, the ZSF had also organized a rally on the first week of this month where as many as 20000 people had come out to press the government not to break the SoO ground rule and to expedite the talks with the UPF and KNO as had been incorporated in the SoS agreement sign by the two parties.
In regard to this, a media team including this IFP correspondent interviewed the president of KNO PS Haokip.
Asked to comment regarding the status quo of the dialogue between the Government of India and the SoO groups, PS Haokip said that it is the responsibility of a responsible elected government to heed the political demands of its citizens.
“As citizens, the Kuki people are demanding recognition of their inherent right to govern their own affairs within the constitution of India, and it is bounden upon the government of India to respond positively unless they wish to project a different perception of India where the majority rule over the marginalized,” he said.
On the reluctance of the GOI over the dialogues, the KNO President said that the group has been responding to the PM, Dr Manmohan Singh’s call to abjure violence and begin political dialogue to resolve all issues. It has been 7 odd years and our patience is really waning thin.
Reiterating that the SoO was signed to facilitate political dialogue,
PS Haokip cautioned, “If the government of India backtracks on its promise, we will have to consider severing ties with India, and we will fight to protect our right over our land. That can take any direction, and the options are open to us. If we are forced to fight for our rights, we will go to any extent to protect our land and our rights. Our cadres are in fact getting impatient.We have resisted taking help of anti-Indian forces on offer so far in the hope of a negotiated settlement with India. That will no longer hold if the present government proved insincere.”