The memorandum sent by nine Naga bodies led by the United Naga Council (UNC) said if the Centre failed to hold negotiation within this month, the Nagas would no longer take part in the talks.
“Should the tripartite talks fail to take place within the month of June, we wish to submit in all humility that the Nagas in Manipur will no longer participate in the exercise on tripartite talks,” the memorandum warned.
The third round of the talks was convened by the home ministry at Senapati district headquarters on May 30. It was, however, deferred indefinitely following a request from the Okram Ibobi Singh government.
Chief minister Ibobi Singh sought the postponement after Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio opened the Manipur unit of the Naga People’s Front on May 28 during a function at Senapati district headquarters. Ibobi Singh cited law and order situation as the reason for seeking the postponement.
The Naga bodies announced severance of all political ties with the Manipur government and raised the demand for an alternative arrangement for the Nagas in Manipur after the Ibobi Singh government prevented NSCN (I-M) leader Th. Muivah from visiting Manipur and the death of two students in police firing at Mao Gate last year.
The Naga organisations submitted the ultimatum after a memorandum submitted to the home ministry on May 29 seeking to “save” the talks from “derailment” failed to evoke any response from the ministry till today.
The memorandum accused the Centre of siding with the Manipur government in what it termed as “irresponsibility” and “arrogance” of the state government in postponing the third round of talks.
Stating that Nagas should not be blamed if the talks failed, the ultimatum said the Nagas would take forward the struggle to “free ourselves from hegemony and colonial rule” of the Manipur government.
Last year, the All Naga Students Association, Manipur, had imposed an indefinite economic blockade on it and the Imphal-Dimapur highway (NH39) on April 11.