A Staff Reporter/NNN
DIMAPUR/IMPHAL, FEb 26
The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) on Friday announced its decision to call off the ban on movement of all “Meitei/Manipuri owned vehicles” in Naga inhabited areas with immediate effect. This was announced at a news conference here today at Dimapur.
According to NSF president, Subenthung Kithan, the decision was prompted by an official communication received from the Manipur government Friday afternoon which, among others, “apologized” for the February 14 incident, and also announced the suspension of 5 Manipur policemen involved in the same incident.
He said that the Manipur government has fulfilled all the three demands presented earlier by the NSF. “Accordingly we have called off the bandh,” Kithan said while informing that the Manipur government has also assured round-the-clock security to Nagas travelling in Naga inhabited areas of Manipur.
Another official of the NSF maintained that the student body was “satisfied” with the response from the Manipur government. When pointed out that the demand from the NSF was for termination, and not suspension, of the cops involved, a senior functionary of the NSF replied that it expects the Manipur government to “keep the gentlemen’s pact.”
In the official correspondence from the ADGP in-charge of IGP (Admin), Manipur, C Doungel, the Manipur government has described the February 14 incident as “unfortunate and regrettable”, stopping short of tendering an apology.
It also informed that a “departmental enquiry is contemplated” against five Manipur policemen (identified in the document) involved in the incident, and thus placing them under suspension with immediate effect.
Meanwhile, five personnel of Manipur Police were on Friday placed under suspension by the Home Department in connection with the February 14 Mantripukhri incident wherein a team of NSF members were reportedly assaulted.
Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) imposed an indefinite ban on movement of all “Meitei/Manipuri owned vehicles” in all Naga inhabited areas since February 24 after the Manipur government failed to give their demands for termination of the service of the duty officer-in-charge and suspension of all cops involved in the incident.
Additional DGP of Manipur Police Christopher Doungel in a statement informed that NSF has called off its stir from Friday noon in the larger interest of the people.
The Manipur government sent DIG Range-1 IK Muivah as its emissary to Nagaland where he met NSF leaders to resolve the crisis at the student body’s office in Kohima yesterday.
Earlier, NSF had submitted a memorandum to the Government of Manipur giving February 23 as the dateline to fulfill their demands. It enforced the stir following failure of the Manipur government to meet the demands.
The NSF leaders were heading towards Ukhrul district on February 14 to attend Lui-Ngai-Ni festival when the incident happened.
Naga Hoho appreciates NSF
The Naga Hoho has expressed its appreciation to the Naga Students Federation (NSF) for “enabling and waking up the Manipur Government and making it call and accept a crime as a crime,committed by its security forces upon the NSF officials who were enroute to Uhkrul to attend the Lu Ngai Ni festival on February 14, 2016.
According to the Naga Hoho, the erring jawans led by S.I. Md. Imtiyaz Rahaman were well aware of the dignitaries travelling in the entire state of Manipur enroute to ukhrul that fateful morning. “Just to try their luck in mishandling the NSF officials with the hope and aspiration for earning medals as it is exercised in Manipur with all the hills people and particularly against the Nagas,is condemned by all sane citizens,” it added.
The Naga Hoho then acknowledged the “sincere effort” of the Manipur Government and particularly IK Muivah, IPS, Deputy Inspector General of Police who was the Investigation Officer of the case and Subenthung, the president of the NSF for bringing the embroil between the two neighbors into normalcy.
“The Hoho strongly believes that language which is ones own pride should not be imposed upon innocent travellers, be it in Nagaland or in Manipur. And t the Naga Hoho look forward in future that security forces manning the check gates will honour and respect one another,” the statement of the Naga Hoho said.
