Northeast Platform

By Oken Jeet Sandham Kohima, May 23 (NEPS): Senior Congress leader and MLA Chingwang Konyak dismissed the statement of state home minister Imkong L Imchen that state political leaders had never ventured in a “realistic way” to help solve the Naga issue along with the Naga underground leaders. Talking to NEPS here today, the veteran Congressman expressed wonder as to how Imchen could state that state political leaders irrespective of their party affiliations were responsible for present state of affairs in the state. Chinwang said such utterance by state home minister on the Naga issue was reflective of his ignorance on the genesis of Naga political issue. He should rather spell out who were those state politicians responsible for the present state of affairs in the state, instead of trying to shift blame to others for their failure to maintain law and order in the state, the Congress MLA added. The Congress MLA reminded that right from NNO time; Naga political leaders had been working

Northeast Platform: 40 trucks damaged in stoning, oil pumps run dry as blockade begins

Northeast Platform: Imchen plea to parties

Kohima, May 22 (NPN): State government is reported to have issued guidelines to all DCs and SPs to flush out armed underground activists from civilian-populated areas before June 10. According to highly-placed sources in government, the guidelines were announced during a joint meeting convened by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Thursday with the DCs and the SPs at Civil Secretariat here. The meeting was also attended by Home Minister Imkong L. Imchen and senior government officials. During the meeting, the DCs and the SPs were asked to strictly implement and enforce the Standard Operation Procedure (SOP), a guideline issued by Union Ministry Home Affairs (MHA) earlier. The meeting revolved round two main issues – maintenance of law and order situation and tackling the rise in prices of essential commodities. In the second session, representatives from Kohima Municipal Council (KMC), Kohima Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI), Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC), Dimapur Chamber of Com

IMPHAL, May 22: State chief minister O Ibobi Singh who arrived at Imphal today from the national capital has called a Cabinet meeting tomorrow to discuss the law and order situation in the state.The discussion will focus on the Suspension of Operation, SoO, disturbed area status, modalities of the Special Police Officers and monitoring of functioning of the civil organisations operating in the state, according to a reliable source.Mention may be made that the state chief minister, O Ibobi Singh had been camping at New Delhi in connection with the tripartite talks between the Manipur government, India government and Kuki militants, UPF on the ground rules for the SoO.In the talks which were held on May 19 at a hotel in New Delhi, state chief secretary Jarnail Singh, DGP Y Joykumar and IGP (Intelligence) LM Khoute represented the state government.The outcome of the talks will be discussed in the Cabinet meeting scheduled tomorrow.IGP (Intelligence) Khoute who was nominated to particpat

IMPHAL, May 22: Windshields of more than 40 goods trucks including oil tankers were broken in stoning by economic blockade supporters along the Imphal-Mao section of the NH-39 even as most of the oil pumps closed down today due to non-availability of stocks at the oil depots.A truck transporting sand from Dimapur was also set ablaze by blockade supporters last night at around 8.30 pm at Tadubi.The indefinite economic blockade along the NH-39 imposed by the Naga People’s Organisation, NPO, Senapati district commenced yesterday in protest against the state government’s failure to take up positive action in matters of PDS items and water supply even after its 24-hour district-wide bandh on May 20.Reports said that truckers leaving Mao gate late yesterday afternoon with security escorts were caught in heavy stoning from the blockade supporters on their way from Tadubi to Senapati.Windshields of more than 40 loaded trucks were shattered, reports said. There were no reports of human casual