Newmai News Network
DIMAPUR, JULY 19
A day after Government of India’s Cease Fire Monitoring Group (CFMG) chairman Lieut. Gen. (Rtd) NK Singh had commented that Manipur’s Ukhrul does not come under his jurisdiction, NSCN-IM Cease Fire Monitoring Cell (CFMC) convenor Kraibo Chawang clarified today that the cease fire agreement was signed between two entities, i.e. the NSCN-IM and the Government of India. Kraibo Chawang said that the bilateral agreement cannot be deleted by just one party unilaterally.
The NSCN-IM leader then explained that when one signs a cease fire pact with another party both the parties cease to confront each other.
“According to the June 14, 2001 cease fire agreement, the cease fire is between the Government of India and the NSCN as two entities without territorial limits. Since it is a bilateral agreement one party has no right to unilaterally change the contain in the agreement,” the convenor of NSCN-IM Cease Fire Monitoring Group stated.
Citing a case to prove that the cease fire agreement of June 14, 2001 was without territorial limits, Kraibo Chawang said in the year 2003 when 13 NSCN-IM leaders including himself were arrested near Kangpokpi, Sadar Hills in Manipur by the state security force personnel the then Union Home minister L.K. Advani intervened and the NSCN-IM leaders were released the following day. The seized weapons of the NSCN-IM leaders were also returned by the Manipur government to the NSCN-IM, Kraibo Chawang added.
Some 13 NSCN-IM leaders including the outfit’s Home minister A.K. Lungalang were heading for Tamenglon for a meeting from Dimapur via I.T. Road but the Manipur security force personnel waylaid them just after crossing Kangpokpi. These 13 NSCN-IM leaders were brought to Imphal. But the following day they were handed over to Government of India’s CFMG chairman Kurkani by the Manipur government.
“In the spirit of the existence of cease fire the bilateral agreement should be respected,” asserted the NSCN-IM CFMC convenor.
