Abduction cases dominate SoO talks

The meeting of the Joint Monitoring Group with UPF and KNO/KNA was held separately but at the same venue. The meeting chaired by Principal Secretary (Home) DS Poonia was also attended by State Police IG (Intelligence), officials of Assam Rifles, CRPF and BSF. The UPF was represented by 12 functionaries.

Five leaders of KNO/KNA participated in the other meeting. Although it is said that the SoO pact is tripartite and that the peace talk is between State and Central Governments and the Kuki militant groups, no official of the Union Ministry attended today’s twin meeting.

According to sources, Director (North East) RR Jha of the Union Home Ministry was supposed to join the peace talk but failed to turn up. The recent spree of abduction of Government offi- cials by UG groups including those under SoO pact figured prominently in both the meetings.
State Government officials and AR officials issued stringent instructions to leaders of both UPF and KNO/KNA to desist from any activity that goes against the mutually accepted ground rules.
To this, UPF and KNO/KNA leaders clarified their positions.

Nevertheless, it is repor-ted that the twin peace talk went on smoothly without any hitch.
Even as the matter regarding issuance of identity cards to cadres of the two conglomerates of Kuki UG groups was discussed threadbare during the meetings, the matter was post- poned to the next round of talk as both the KNO/KNA and UPF leaders could not furnish exact list and details of their cadres.

The meeting also failed to bring a mutual understanding between the ne- gotiating sides on the location of designated camps. Yet, it is reported that the twin issue of identity cards and designated camps will be resolved in the next round of meeting.

Although, identity cards of party cadres could not be issued yet, some top leaders of both UPF and KNO/KNA have already been issued identity cards by the Government.

The twin meeting with the SoO signatories came after a meeting of the Unified Command (Command Headquarters) was held yesterday with Chief Minister Okram Ibobi in the chair.

The meeting attended by representatives of Army, Assam Rifles, CRPF, BSF, Police and Intelligence deliberated on the recent spate of abduction of Government officials by different UG groups for ransom. The meeting also studied possible involvement of UG groups which are under SoO pact in the abduction cases.

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State police chief talks tough

IMPHAL, Dec 19: Necessary punitive actions will be taken up against any UG group under SoO pact with the Government if they are found involved in extortion and other criminal activities in violation of the SoO ground rules, warned DGP Y Joykumar.

Speaking at the inaugural function of Sugnu police station as functional president today, Joykumar observed that criminal activities perpetrated by UG groups under SoO pact has reduced the peace initiative of the Government to nought. He also warned all concerned to stop all criminal activities immediately.

In case any activist of those UG groups under SoO pact is found involved in extortion and other criminal activities, police will take up abortive action then and there. In addition to launching immediate assault, nec- essary actions will be taken up against the UG groups to which the activists belong, the DGP cautioned.

Asserting that Police De-partment should be strong for proper protection of people, he noted that lack of police strength in Sugnu and surrounding outposts caused much hardships to people of the area in the past.

Exuding confidence that people’s hardships can be reduced to a certain extent from today, the DGP said that four commando teams of Manipur Police well trained in counter insurgency operations, 60 IRB personnel and 68 police personnel will be stationed at Sugnu police station.

In addition, modern vehicles including motor bikes will be provided to the police station.

One commando team will also be attached to Wai-khong police outpost, Joykumar said.

Claiming that the Police Department has been able to build up people’s confidence to some extent in the last few years, ge disclosed that preparations have been made to set up strong police outposts in interior areas, located far away from district headquarters.

Saying that plans are also afoot to recruit more police personnel for these outposts, the DGP sought public support to Police Department in its effort to maintain law and order.

He also called upon the people to submit reports in the event of any excesses by police personnel.- TSE

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Third SoO talks makes further progress on peace efforts with Kuki militants

IMPHAL, Dec 19: The third round of trilateral talks on the Suspension of Operations, SoO, between the Kuki militants, government of India and the state government held this morning at the 1st Manipur Rifles banquet hall has agreed upon recognition to six more designated camps of the Kuki militant groups as submitted by the apex bodies of the Kuki militants spearheaded by the KNo and UPF.

According to a highly placed official source, the third meeting of the SoO between representatives of Kuki militant groups under the KNo and UPF was held today around 10.30 am at 1st MR under the chairmanship of state principal secretary home, DS Poonia, representing the state government, Binoy Nanda Jha, deputy director of the SIB, from the ministry of home affairs as an representative of the government of India, Col. Sanjoy Gupta representing the Indian army and other officials of the Central paramilitary forces.

The officials of the security establishments and the government discussed the proposal to recognise six more designated camps of the militants under the SoO. The camps which are mainly operating in Churachandpur district have already been inspected by the deputy director of SIB, Binoy Nanda Jha who arrived in the state yesterday.

The official source said the agenda over the proposed financial package for the militant groups who are covered under the SoO and finalisation of the issuance of identity cards to Kuki militants could not be discussed during the talks today due to the failure of the militants to provide the technical documents on the matter, the source added.

On the other hand, the third round meeting of the SoO which was supposed to be attended by the state IGP, intelligence and DGP, Manipur could not be attended by them due to their respective official tour programmes today.

However, the proceedings of the talks were made available to the DGP, Manipur later in the afternoon and the DGP convened a security meeting at his office chamber at the Manipur police headquarter in the evening on the matter.

The DGP’s meeting was attended by all concerned SPs of the districts and the recommendations made during the trilateral talks held in the morning were discussed by them.

- IFP