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Manipur : Efforts on to bring rebels to talks table |
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Army set to don peace broker hat
The Army in Manipur is preparing to broker peace between the Government and the militant groups with which it has signed a pact to suspend hostilities.
“The Army’s effort is to bring the armed groups to the negotiating table,” GOC of 57 Mountain Division, Maj. Gen. E.J. Kochekkan, told a group of newspersons at its Leimakhong army headquarters in Imphal on Sept. 19.
According to the Army, there are about 30 militant groups in Manipur, of which 13 signed the agreement in August last year. Most of these belong to the Kuki and Zomi ethnic groups.
The GOC said Manipur’s insurgency was the most complex in the country, though the intensity was not like that of Kashmir. Hence, a multi-pronged approach was required to resolve the problem.
“The Army’s role is to bring down the militant activity to a level necessary for the state administration to function. At the same time, the endeavour for a political solution should also continue. The Army is always ready to work towards achieving the desired result,” he added.
The GOC claimed that barring a small patch called Somtal in the southeastern corner of Chandel district, the army had cleared all the organised militant camps in the state since it launched the offensive in October 2004. The army is yet to move into the Somtal area because of its inaccessibility. He, however, hinted that the army could go there in the near future.
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