New Delhi, December 15 (MExN): With the lapse of the 48 hour ultimatum served by the Joint Naga Civil Societies, Delhi (CJNCSD) to the Manipur Government, the committee today vowed to intensify its agitation asserting that “nothing short of total separation from the State of Manipur would resolve the Naga issue henceforth”.
The CJNCSD also censured the Government of India (GoI) maintaining that the latter has “deliberately failed to intervene at this critical juncture in dishonour of the 3rd August, 2015 Framework Agreement.”
The CJNCSD in a statement further decried the forcible inauguration of Kangpokpi, Jiribam and Tengnoupal as new districts despite the staunch opposition from the Nagas and consequently appealed UNC to convene Naga people’s convention to declare the Naga areas in Manipur as a separate state and run the existing institutions as per Naga customary law and practices.
It called upon all Tribal Hohos to burn down every Manipuri textbook and appealed them to notify every educational institution for immediate termination of Manipuri/meiteilon as the medium of instruction in schools. CJNCSD further implored all the Tribal Hohos to henceforth boycott any posting or deputation of any valley-based Government employees to any Government institutions in the Naga areas.
Taking a jibe at, what it termed, “deliberate silence” of GoI in the creation of the seven new districts in Manipur, the Joint Naga bodies based in Delhi maintained that the act “amounts to redrawing of Naga boundaries without any constitutional mandate and jurisdiction” and thus questioned if GoI’s sole intention is to retract on the August 3, 2015 Framework Agreement “by deploying additional armed forces in aid of the unconstitutional and anti-Naga policies of Ibobi Government.”
Questioning the wisdom of Manipur Government as to how it expects UNC to call off the ongoing agitation if it does not release the two UNC leaders and recall the formation of the new seven districts, the CJNCSD insisted that Ibobi’s project not only disrespects the aspiration of the Nagas, but also insults the Naga people. “The Nagas will resort to any democratic means of protest available in defending their land, identity and culture as land and the Nagas are inseparable,” the committee maintained.
It expressed regret at the stance taken by valley-based civil organisations by resorting to violent counter-blockade targeting the Naga community and reiterated that the Nagas have nothing to do with any particular individual or community. “The issue is between and only between the State and the Nagas alone,” the CJNCSD stated.
In this regard, CJNCSD sought the immediate intervention of the government of India before the situation escalates into a full-blown ethnic confrontation. It also appealed to the valley-based civil organisations to stand with the Nagas in their fight for common justice.
