No designated camp will be allowed: CM

IMPHAL, Feb 4: The State Government being not a party to the truce pact signed between the Government of India and NSCN (IM), ceasefire between the two parties should not be enforced in Manipur and no designated camps of the rebel group would be allowed within the boundary of Manipur, stated Chief Minister Okram Ibobi.The Chief Minister was speaking to reporters during his inspection visit of the ongoing infrastructure deve- lopment work for the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences at Porompat this morning.He was accompanied by Health Minister Ph Parijat and Works Minister K Ranjit. Without specifically stating that the peace talk with the Union Government is with a rebel group based in Nagaland to which the State Government is not a party, the Chief Minister categorically stating that the State Government is not a party to the parleys between Government of India and NSCN (IM), the Chief Minister asserted that the State Government would not allow extension of the ceasefire within the boundary of Manipur nor permit establishment of any designated camp for the rebel group in the State.No UG group will be allowed to open their camps in Manipur, unless the group(s) strike an agreement with the State Government first, the Chief Minister said.However, demands for sovereignty from any UG group will not be considered as Manipur is a part of democratic, sovereign country of India, he asserted.On being asked about the recent siege laid by Assam Rifles around an NSCN (IM) camp at Siroy and subsequent safe passage given to the rebel cadres till a designated camp located in Senapati district which AR claimed to have been ‘approved’, Ibobi denied existence of any such camp. There was no ‘identified’ NSCN (IM) in Manipur, he asserted.Notably, proposals were made for NSCN (IM)’s designated camps at Tamenglong, Senapati and Chandel to the then incumbent Governments at both the State and Centre in 1998, 2000 and 2001. During the tense Siroy stand-off between AR and NSCN (IM), the State Government conveyed its stance explicitly to the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister that no designated camp for NSCN (IM) will be allowed in Manipur. Moreover, troops deployed in the State were also informed that there was no harm in performing their duties, he stated.Talking about the tripartite peace talk between KNO, UPF, the State Government and the Union Government, Ibobi said that cadres of these two conglomerates of Chin-Kuki-Mizo UG groups will be issued identity cards after physical verification.Both the groups claimed to have 1800 cadres each but the State Government thinks the figure is inflated. Yet, leaders of these groups have been already issued identity cards.