Announcing this development on Saturday night, the United Naga Council (UNC) said that it has begun to hold talks with New Delhi on its demands. The Naga body has suspended the economic blockade temporarily on the National Highway 39 and NH-53 with immediate effect.
The demands of the UNC are to institute a judicial inquiry into the Mao Gate firing incident, to quash the 'wanted tag' labeled on the two Naga leaders, to declare the ADCs as null and void and to create an 'alternative arrangement' for the Nagas living in Manipur as it had already announced to sever political ties with the government of Manipur.
The UNC said on Saturday evening that in order to create a congenial atmosphere for the talks, it has decided to temporarily suspend the economic blockade being enforced on the national highways in the state of Manipur. The resumption of agitation programme would depend on the progress made in the process underway, the UNC added.
The United Naga Council expresses its gratitude to the general public for the cooperation and support given towards the enforcement of the economic blockade. "The hardships and great inconveniences arising out of the economic blockade were not wished for, but were unavoidable, as a symbolic statement of the people that the Nagas and the tribals in Manipur cannot continue to be under the administration of the communal government of Manipur," the United Naga Council alleged.
