Date with interlocutor to the Naga peace talk RN Ravi on January 20. Delhi and Imphal still not actively pursuing the possibility of holding a tripartite talk to end the ongoing economic blockade, enforced by the United Naga Council since midnight of October 31. So what is the State heading towards ? Today it is no longer a question of essential commodities not reaching the common people in the valley area, but is more about how certain section of the people have been deprived of the basic essentials of life. Is this what the UNC wants ? What however gives some hope in the sanity of mankind are the initiatives taken up by some civil society organisations of the State to address the issue and see what may be done to restore a semblance of normalcy. This is where the January 20 date between the interlocutor to the Naga peace talk and some civil society organisations christened the Joint Forum for Peace (JFP), gains credence. Whether the January 20 date makes significant impact on the ongoing economic blockade or not, it has to be admitted that some civil society organisations are indeed living up to the task of addressing the present issue. And this is where the stand of Goodwill Mission for Peaceful Coexistence (GMPC) gains significance. There is certainly a reason why the GMPC is peeved with the silence of Imphal and Delhi to the initiatives it has taken up to address the issue. Why has no proposal come from the Centre to hold a tripartite talk among the UNC, State Government and the Centre ?
This is where the assertion of the convenor of GMPC, Ningthouja Lancha becomes significant. According to him, written intimations have been sent to the Centre to arrange a tripartite dialogue between the State Government, Centre and the UNC to resolve the issue but so far, no response has come from Delhi. Significantly, it was not just once that the Centre has been approached to arrange something to address the issue, but at least thrice, one by Chief Secretary O Nabakishore on January 2, a reminder from the GMPC to the Centre on January 6, again with no response, and earlier, a similar intimation to the Centre. The question is why is Delhi sleeping over the matter ? Is it a case of looking at the present issue through the prism of the upcoming Assembly election ? Does not bode well for the people as well as for the BJP. Not the time for blame game but to take stock of the present situation and understand that today it is not just a question of essential items not reaching the common people, but is more a question of depriving a particular group of people the basic daily essentials. This is what is dangerous and all the more reason for the people to maintain their sanity.
Source: The Sangai Express
