Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has once more given befitting reply to the NSCN-IM clarifying doubt on whether the ongoing cease fire between the Government of India and the outfit has extended to Manipur or not, by writing the Union Home Minister for more Para military troopers to tackle them. The message is clear enough to show that the existing cease fire between the GOI and the NSCN-IM is not applicable in the state of Manipur. In July last week, Chairman of the Cease fire Monitoring Group, Lieutenant General (Rtd) NK Singh has stated that the cease fire with the NSCN-IM does not extend outside Nagaland. The statement was a total contrast to the position affirmed by the NSCN-IM earlier.
The outfit had claimed that the June 14, 2001 cease fire pact between the Government of India and the NSCN-IM (Bangkok Declaration) was ‘without territorial limit’.
People in Manipur were also in the state of ambiguity on whether the cease fire agreement has been applied to the state of Manipur or not in view of the numerous free hand crime committed by the outfit in the region. It was an open secret that almost all people of the state including the machineries of the government knew that there were many undesignated camps of the outfit at various places like Ukhrul, Chandel, Senapati and Tamenglong. The levying of illegal taxes to transporters along the national highways even in the presence of security forces is one reason for believing that the cease fire did extend in the state of Manipur.
But all doubts have been cleared now. The bold action of the Chief Minister asking additional security force to the center for tackling the NSCN-IM in the state is a clear indication of a boy becoming a man.
The killing of Ngalangzar by suspected cadre of the NSCN-IM at Finch Corner on July 12 this year was perhaps the mush awaited crime to make the government stand up with its own cause. As stated by the Chief Minister himself, the NSCN-IM has committed as many as 424 crimes and in all the cases government had lodged FIR. Points need to be pondering here is what was the government doing in all the cases and what made them stand up to the crime committed on July 12 at Finch Corner in Ukhrul district. There may be many unseen reason to the stand of the government but the people have reason to appreciate the initiative of the Chief Minister.