New Delhi, December 11 (MExN): The Committee for Joint Naga Civil Societies, Delhi (CJNCSD) has issued a 48-uour ultimatum – with effect from midnight of December 12 – demanding the “unconditional release” of the two UNC leaders and also the “immediate withdrawal” of the Manipur government’s decision to form seven new districts. Strongly condemning the forceful creation of seven new districts – Jiribam, Kangpokpi, Tengnoupal, Pherzawl, Kakching, Noney and Kamjong, despite staunch protest and opposition from the Nagas, the CJNCSD issued the ultimatum warning the Manipur State Government of facing “compelling consequences and eventuality” in case the demands are not fulfilled. Claiming that Naga areas are being “rapidly militarised to terrorise and suppress” the legitimate demands of the Nagas, the Committee, in a statement released to the media, alleged that the State Government has been championing broad daylight robbery, lawless violence and anarchy by instigating the counter-blockaders to vandalise, harass, torture and loot the innocent Naga civilian passengers. Also hitting out at the Government of India (GOI), the CJNCSD questioned if this is the solution promised to the Nagas in the historic Framework Agreement. “The Indo-Naga conflict is a political conflict between two high contracting parties and the fate of the Nagas is to be dealt with the GOI’s prerogative alone,” the Committee stated. “However, the shocking silence of the GOI on the issue till date speaks volume about its political insincerity,” it added. Insisting that Nagas have been “compelled to defend their ancestral land, identity and nationhood against the aggressive anti-Naga politics being ruthlessly pursued by Ibobi Government,” the Committee warned that Nagas “will not hesitate to resort to force again if compelled”. “GOI alone shall be responsible for instigating such volatile ethnic situation within the Naga ancestral territory,” it added. Alleging that the political intent of the drastic decision to create seven new districts is simply to dissect the Nagas into pieces, the CJNCSD argued that the creation of new districts would result in Nagas losing ownership over their own ancestral land. “The nature of the ethno-demographic distribution is also a deliberate design to reduce the Nagas to a mere minority group in all these districts,” it maintained. Stating that no District Re-organisation Commission was constituted to submit a detailed research report on the issue, the Committee pointed out that the State Government did not even consult the Nagas. CJNCSD reiterated the stand of UNC, ANSAM and NSF that “not even an inch of the Naga ancestral territory shall be touched upon, parted with, dissected, carved out, bartered, usurped or included in any of the new district formation”. In this regard, the CJNCSD appealed the Nagas to stand firm with UNC and be prepared to meet any eventuality “in defending their land, identity and culture tooth and nail.”
