NSCN disinclined to talk to State Government: Ibobi

Imphal, March 26: An all political party meeting held today has discussed the situation arising out of the abduction of Chandel DC Y Thamkishwor and agreed to appeal to the NSCN (IM) to release the officer unharmed at the earliest. Chief Minister O Ibobi told reporters later at the Chief Minister's Secretariat conference hall that as reports from the NSCN monitoring cell in Dimapur had indicated their (NSCN) disinclination to hold talks with the State Government, negotiations for the release of^ the DC is going on at the Home Minister's level. He said till date there has been no direct negotiation between the State Government and the militant group on the matter. However, the Government is waiting a move from the militants as it has received information that the NSCN has asked the UKLF to release the officer safely without taking ransom. Ibobi said though his Government is fully aware of the whereabouts of the abducted DC, the time and situation is not appropriate to launch a crackdown. Food and other items are being supplied adequately for the officer who is a diabetic. The Chief Minister appealed to all voluntary organizations not to give a communal hue to the abduction and exercise self restraint at this critical juncture. Affirming that there is no question of the, NSCN (IM) cease fire being enforced in Manipur, the Congress Chief Minister said saving the territorial integrity of the State is the top priority of his Government and it has been included in the Common Minimum Programme of the SPF Ministry. There will be no compromise on the territorial integrity of the State, he assured. He further said the State Cabinet will decide whether the weapons seized from NSCN (IM) cadres by IRB would be returned to the militant group or not in the event of the Centre giving a written directive on the matter. The State Government has requested Union Home Minister LK Advani to intervene into the matter. Advani has verbally approved handing over of the seized weapons to the NSCN. However the Union Home Minister has been told that the State Government has not taken a decision on handing over the arms to the rebel group as a police FIR has already been registered in connection with the incident, he said. Ibobi said the Centre has not till now given any direct instructions indicating the dos and don'ts to the State Government in connection with the matter. He said his Government is in a delicate situation over the issue as handing over of the weapons would mean the Government is surrendering to the NSCN while on the other hand no rescue operation could be conducted due to the request of the officer's family against it. Meanwhile, DPP MLA N Biren has accused the Centre of continuing its divide and rule policy in Manipur. Questioning whether the announcement of the Centre after the June 18 incident that the words "without territorial limit" has been struck off from the Bangkok Agreement was a white lie committed to the people of Manipur, he said demand of the NSCN to hand over the seized arms in exchange for the safe release of the abducted official is not justified. Maintaining that the people should not fall into the trap being laid by the BJP led NDA Government, Biren appealed to the captors to release the DC safely. If anything untoward happens as an aftermath of the abduction, the NSCN and the Centre should be solely responsible for it, the MLA added.