Centre’s interlocutor RN Ravi has invited United Committee Manipur (UCM), All Manipur United Clubs Organisation (AMUCO) and Committee of Civil Societies Kangleipak (CCSK) for the third round of consultations to arrive at an agreement among stakeholders before making an agreement with NSCN (IM).
AMUCO president Ph Deban confirmed the invitation and said the issue of the ongoing economic blockade will be raised during the consultation.
Ravi sent the invitations on January 3, requesting the three civil society organisations to take part in the consultation proposed to be held on January 20 in the conference hall of National Security Council secretariat.
Ravi, who is also the chairman of Joint Intelligence Committee of National Security Council, wrote “It is proposed to hold the next round of consultation meeting with civil society organisations. You are requested to participate.”
The interlocutor had already held two rounds of consultations with citizen organisations, intellectuals and professionals including political parties in 2015 in Imphal to take their opinions on finalising the agreement with the Naga rebel group.
During the earlier two rounds of talks the UCM, AMUCO and CCSK submitted a charter of demands serializing 6 points to interlocutor RN Ravi.
The organisations had submitted that they would not accept any cultural or administrative arrangement based on ethnicity.
They had also demanded a white paper on the ongoing talks between the Centre and NSCN (IM) besides revealing details of the Framework agreement signed on August 3, 2015 between the Centre and NSCN (IM).
Another demand is that the Centre should respect the “distinctive historical identity and political status” of Manipur while making a deal between the NSCN (IM) and the Centre.
Before the meeting with Ravi, Joint Forum for Peace will try to meet the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home minister Rajnath Singh on the issue of the ongoing economic blockade.
Deban said the forum will seek an appointment of the Prime Minister and the home minister in the next few days.
Manipur is currently reeling under the impact of the ongoing economic blockade imposed by United Naga Council since November 1.
Source: Imphal Free Press
