IT News
Imphal, March 12:
Advisor to the Ministry of Home Affairs (North East), AK Mishra, has assured that a roadmap to restore peace in Manipur has been prepared and is being implemented. This assurance was given to a delegation of the Federation of Civil Society (FOCS) Manipur during a meeting with Mishra.
Speaking to the media, FOCS spokesperson Ngangbam Chamcham Singh stated that their delegation met the MHA Advisor following an invitation. During the discussion, Mishra confirmed that the peace initiative has entered its first phase with the roadmap’s implementation.
Regarding the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement, Mishra clarified that while the agreement has lapsed, it has not been abrogated. He further informed that the agreement will be revisited and revised in due course.
The roadmap’s first phase includes the surrender of weapons, reopening of roads, and curbing the activities of armed groups. In line with this, the Governor of Manipur had issued an appeal on February 20, urging the surrender of weapons within seven days, which was later extended for another week. This initiative followed the directives of Union Home Minister Amit Shah during a security meeting on March 1.
As part of these measures, the Manipur government attempted to reopen National Highway-2 for free movement; however, obstructions hindered progress. Mishra reportedly stated that the partial reopening was a symbolic attempt and that the government would take more stringent measures to ensure unrestricted movement on highways.
Meanwhile, FOCS had organized a peace rally on the same day, but due to security concerns, the rally could not reach its intended destination.
