Imphal: Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in violence-hit Manipur have called for a 48-hour general strike starting Thursday midnight, condemning the detention of three members of the UNLF (Pambei) Group by the NIA. The thirteen valley Civil bodies includes FOCS, MMWO, IPOM, UMO, MWF, and WMO, among others. FOCS President Th. Manihar told the media that the general strike was called since the government has failed to release the three detained members within the given deadline. It may be mentioned that three functionaries of the outfit, including Army Chief Thokchom Thoiba alias Sidabamapu from Leipham Mayang Imphal Konchak in Imphal West District, Chief Intelligence in Charge Ingba, and another cadre, were picked up by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and flown to New Delhi in a special flight on Wednesday. Reasons for their detention remain unknown.
Meanwhile, the Board of Secondary Education Manipur (BOSEM) is all prepared to conduct the High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) Examination 2024 starting March 15 until April 8. Altogether, 37,715 students are appearing for the exam. The call for a general strike is a big blow to the student community. This afternoon, the State Cabinet called an emergency meeting. Details of the meeting will be disclosed later this evening.
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister N Biren Singh said that the State Government has no knowledge of why the three members of the UNLF (Pambei) group had been taken away, adding that the Government has already urged the Centre to release the three detained members if they were found not guilty. He said this to media persons on the sidelines of the inauguration of the State Institute of Hotel Management (SIHM) constructed at Nongmaiching in Imphal East under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
It may be mentioned that the UNLF, led by Pambei, a faction of the over 50-year-old valley-based proscribed outfit of Manipur, UNLF, signed a historic peace pact with the Government of India in November last year, becoming the first among valley-based Underground outfits of Manipur.