IM adamant on setting up camp at Ukl dist Cabinet discusses issue

Jan 28 : Refusing to budge from its stand, the NSCN (IM) has today made it clear that their objective is to open a camp at Ukhrul district and not as suggested by the Assam Rifles that the cadres holed up at Siroy be shifted to any of the three camps located at Bunning in Tamenglong district, Oklong in Senapati district and Phungchong in Chandel district.These camps have been there for a long time, much before the ceasefire agreement came into force, AR had earlier maintained. On the other hand, the State Cabinet which met today, discussed the Siroy crisis, said a reliable source.To have a detailed discussion on the matter a meeting of the Unified Command has been convened tomorrow which will be chaired by the Chief Minister. Representatives from the Army, Assam Rifles, BSF, CRPF and State police will attend the meeting. Some days back, the IG AR (S) had also highlighted the matter during a meeting of the Strategic Operations Group chaired by the Chief Secretary. The State Government has also verbally communicated the Siroy situation to the Union Home Ministry.For the moment, the State Cabinet has decided to adopt the wait and watch policy, said a source and added that as per reports received, out of the 40 cadres who were intially holed up in the camp, there are now only 10 left. Interacting with The Sangai Express at Ukhrul district headquarters, Chief Administrative Officer of the Wung region of NSCN (IM), V Horam said that on January 23 it was agreed that both the Assam Rifles and the NSCN (IM) cadres would withdraw from Siroy simultaneously within 72 hours.Once the cadres are shifted out from Siroy, they can be moved to a temporary camp while the NSCN (IM) looks for a suitable site to set up an official camp, said Horam. Once the site is selected then it would be notified by the NSCN (IM), maintained the CAO.However the Assam Rifles has been insisting that the cadres at Siroy should be shifted to any of the three camps in Manipur, either at Bunning in Tamenglong, Oklong in Senapati or Phunchong in Chandel.
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