Ibobi yet to decide on ceasefire extension

Ibobi Singh: Wait and watch policy Imphal, July 16: The Okram Ibobi Singh government is yet to take a decision on extending the tripartite peace pact signed with 19 tribal militant groups and expiring next month. "We are closely monitoring the situation. We have not taken any decision on extension of the agreement. If necessary, we will extend it further," the chief minister told the Assembly today. The groups under two umbrella bodies — the United Peoples Front and the Kuki National Organisation — signed the Suspension of Operation agreement in Delhi on August 22 last year. The deal was for one year. The majority of the groups belong to the Kukis and a joint monitoring group is implementing the ground rules. The Ibobi Singh government identified 12 places in Senapati, Chandel and Churachandpur districts for construction of the designated camps. Work is in progress. The government provided Rs 10 lakh for each of the camps and the cadres are constructing the camps themselves. The government is also providing Rs 2,000 per cadre and is considering the demand from the groups to increase the amount to Rs 3,000. Replying to a question, Ibobi Singh said the government was planning to provide vocational training to the cadres who stayed in the designated camps. He reiterated his warning against violation of the ground rules that state that the groups will not indulge in extortion. The chief minister also cautioned that action would be taken if any member of the security forces violates the ground rules by targeting unarmed cadres of the groups. Independent MLA Morung Makunga alleged that a group, which had signed the suspension of agreement, extorted Rs 10 lakh from him after kidnapping one of his workers and also extorted Rs 30 lakh from another person. He demanded that the agreement be withdrawn as the groups continued to violate the ground rules. Ibobi Singh told the member that if there was any specific case of violation, the matter should be reported to the authorities so that action could be initiated against the violators. Another Independent member from Senapati district, K. Raina, charged that security forces gunned down an unarmed member of Kuki National Front (President), one of the signatories, at Kangpokpi recently. He demanded that such violation of ground rules by security forces should be checked so that the peace process could progress.(THE TELEGRAPH)