Insisting on dialogue, KNO refuses to pact extension, UPF for extension till Aug Govt keeps date with SoO signatories, mixed results

DELHI/IMPHAL, Dec 5, 2012 [TSE] : Even as the United People's Front has agreed to the proposal of the Government to extend the Suspension of Operation pact till August next year, the Kuki National Organisation has refused to any extension proposal, insisting that written assurance be given by the Centre that a political dialogue would soon start. As notified earlier, officials from the Union Home Minister, officials from the State Government and representatives from the KNO and the UPA, the two conglomerate organisations of Kuki armed groups met at Hotel Ashok, New Delhi today. Significantly the Government officials met the repre- sentatives of KNO and UPA separately. The meeting was first held with the KNO representatives at 2 pm, while the meeting with UPF was held later at 4 pm. Talking to our Delhi correspondent, KNO spokesperson Seilen Haokip said, "Today we sat down for the talk for only 10 minutes, wherein representatives from the Centre and the State Government were present. When the Joint Secretary of the Union Home Ministry (North East), Shambu Singh asked for extending the SoO pact for another year, we demanded a written statement/assurance from the Union Home Ministry that the political dialogue would start. We also made it clear that even if we sign the SoO pact, it would be for three months and not one year. "We also reminded the Government that we have waited for 7 years to start a political dialogue," said Seilen Haokip. "On November 22 we verbally agreed with the Government of Manipur to wait till the Parliament session gets over to start the dialogue, but that was only in principal," said Haokip The Government representatives, both from the Centre and the State however could not give any assurance and hence we asked them to convey our stand to the Union Home Minister, added Seilen. On being contacted, PRO in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Kuldeep Singh in- formed our Delhi Correspondent that "The SoO pact with UPF is signed and has been extended till August". Since the proposal mooted by the KNO to review the SoO pact within a period of two months and start a political dialogue was too short, it was decided to discuss the matter later, he explained. Speaking to The Sangai Express a Government official who took part in the talk said that nothing is as yet clear on the question of extending the pact, as far as the KNO, is concerned. Everything may become clear by tomorrow, he said. However the UPF has agreed to the proposal to extend the pact till August 21 next year, he said and added that the Centre, the State Government and the UPF have signed the extension pact. Talking to The Sangai Express, convenor of the UPF, Aaron Kipgen said that after the ongoing session of Parliament gets over, Joint Secretary (Home, NE in charge), Shambu Singh and other officials will arrive at Imphal on December 30 or 31 to chalk out the ground modalities for the political dialogue to start. The Zomi Re-unification Front, which recently switched side from the KNO to the UPF was also a signatory to the SoO extension. It was also agreed that the stipend for the cadres of KRA (U), which is with the UPF, will be deposited in the account of the UPF, said Kipgen further. Other than Shambu Singh, Joint Director of Intelligence Bureau and an official from the Military Intelligence represented the Centre. Chief Secretary DS Poonia led the State officials which also included Additional DGP LM Khaute. On the other hand, the earlier plan that the KNO and the UPF would sit down together and talk things over before today's talk did not materialise. The proposed meeting was supposed to discuss the central idea of the demand put up by the Kuki State Demand Committee and other points.