Koijam hopes positive response from militants

IMPHAL, March 18: Manipur Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam today said he was expecting a 'positive response' from insurgent outfits during the one-month long unilateral ceasefire declared by his government from March 1, even as a second underground organisation rejected it. Renewing his appeal to insurgents for a political dialogue, Koijam told PTI in an interview that barring a few sporadic extremist-related incidents, violence had come down comparatively during the ceasefire period in the State. "We all love Manipur. Why cannot we sit together to solve any problem? Violence will not solve any problem," he said. Koijam sought the cooperation of organisations, local clubs and associations and women's groups in the Government's efforts to bring peace. "Any issue can be settled through dialogue or negotiation," he said. Meanwhile, the underground Revolutionary People's Front, the political wing of the banned People's Liberation Army, in a statement yesterday rejected the ceasefire declared by the Koijam Government. The statement claimed that PLA cadres attacked BSF personnel at Kangvai and Sugunu areas in interior Manipur on March 12 and 13 to demonstrate its rejection to the truce. The RPF was the second among the 17 insurgent groups operating in the State to reject the ceasefire after People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak did so earlier. Koijam said the Government was concerned about the recent torching of 13 oil tankers along the Imphal-Dimapur NH-39 and was considering ways to prevent recurrence of such incidents. Welcoming the ongoing talks between the Centre and NSCN(IM), he said the state government and people were strongly opposed to any move to extend the truce to Naga inhabited areas in the state. He had made this stand clear, he said, during his meeting with Union Home Minister, LK Advani some weeks ago in New Delhi. Koijam also said his Government would give top priority to maintaining law and order and restoring financial discipline in Government departments. Meanwhile, Our Staff Reporter adds that a group of visiting Japanese and British nationals called on the Chief Minister. Radhabinod expressed his desire to maintain peace and said that love and harmony are what the world needs. The foreign nationals visited the 2nd World War Memorial at Maibam Lokpa Hills at Nambol yesterday and offered homage to their ancestors.