UNC to continue ongoing indefinite economic blockage

‘Govt of Manipur has failed to honor the MoUs and written assurances given by MHA, GoI’   DIMAPUR, DECEMBER 5 (MExN): The United Naga Council (UNC) on Monday said the ongoing indefinite economic blockade including banning of the construction of Trans Asian Railways and National Projects would continue. It stated that the Government of Manipur had miserably failed to honor the letter and spirit of the Memorandum of Understandings (MoU) and the written assurance given by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India.   The UNC, through its publicity wing reminded that the Naga people had protested five (5) times against the decision of the Manipur State to upgrade the so-called Sadar Hills into full-fledged district and the Jiribam sub-division.   However, all these related agitations were concluded by signing MoU between the Government of Manipur and the Naga people in which it always mentioned that, “all the stakeholders would be consulted.” Also, the last written assurance given by the MHA, Government of India stated, “all section of the people and stakeholders including the bodies representing the Nagas would be consulted,” the UNC press release pointed out.   The UNC also stated that to resolve the issue amicably, the Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) through Joint Secretary North East had invited the UNC to have a joint meeting with the Government of Manipur on November 15, 2016 at New Delhi.   The proposed meeting failed as the Government of Manipur did not send its representative to resolve the issue, it stated.   Taking these actions or inactions into instance, the UNC said the message is enough loud and clear to all the people of Manipur that the Government of Manipur do not want peace but to actively  incites communal disharmony amongst all ethnic communities living in the present state by deliberately creating  a situation to divide  ethnic communities. The UNC also stated that deployment of thousands of security forces and imposition of 144 CrPC just to “grab our ancestral land will never deter the Naga people in any way.”   It therefore asked the people of Manipur to ask the Government of Manipur why it did not send its representative (s) for the meeting of November 15, 2016 in New Delhi. And why the government does not clarify and speak out the position of the so called Sadar Hills and Jiribam till today which was also demanded by the Naga Peoples’ Organisation(NPO) Senapati  through its press statement, dated the 27th October 2016.   It also stated that the situation in the present State of Manipur has become volatile and from bad to worst due to peoples unrest and by the silence of the Government of Manipur.   Further, the UNC also warned the Government of India that if it failed to intervene immediately on the ongoing crisis, the Naga people will response befittingly without any hesitation and in case of any damages or unwanted consequences that may occur; the Government of India would be responsible.  

Protest rally held in Delhi

  NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 5 (MExN): The Joint Naga Civil Societies, Delhi (CJNCSD) under the aegis of the Naga Students Union, Delhi (NSUD) on Monday took to the streets condemning what it alleged was Ibobi’s “avowed anti-Naga politics” and slammed the Manipur Government for attempting to “criminalise the Naga political issue.”   The Naga civil societies in Delhi have been observing indefinite sit-in protest since the political arrest of the UNC President, Gaidon Kamai and Information Secretary, S.K. Stephen. The top two UNC leaders were arrested by the Manipur police on the charge of causing disturbances and damaging public properties following the peaceful total shut down called by the UNC along the National Highway in protest against the creation of Sadar Hills District. A press statement issued by the CJNCSD censured the Government of India’s political insincerity in allowing a free hand to the Government of Manipur to intermeddle into the ongoing Indo-Naga Political Dialogue. “The Naga political issue, including the sensitive question of Naga ancestral land, territorial integration, culture and identity, is a matter of political negotiation with the Government of India at the highest political level and the interference from the State Government into the process is absolutely unwarranted and uncalled for,” it stated.   The CJNCSD also condemned the political persecution of Naga leaders and warned against “unleashing of avoidable ethnic violence, which is likely to follow in case the arrested UNC leaders are not released immediately.”   The CJNCSD also took exception to the double standard of the State Government (Manipur) in targeting the UNC leaders while “leaving the valley-based organisations scot-free who have been championing violent counter blockade in the valley and warned against any further provocation by militarising the Naga areas.”   “The issue of Naga ancestral land and territory is always political in nature and no attempt of the State Government can reduce the issue to a legal nature. The imposition of Section 144 CrPC along the National Highway instead of initiating genuine political dialogue in order to resolve the issue is absolutely uncalled for,” NSDU general secretary Chawangbo Chalunmai stated at the protest rally.   A large number of the Nagas in Delhi marched through the streets of Jantar Mantar, chanting in unison, “Release UNC Leaders without Any Condition”, “Communal Manipur, Down Down Down”, “Ibobi, Stop Persecuting Naga Leaders”, “Stop Criminalising Naga Political Issue,” the press statement informed.