Affirms support to NPF Dimapur, February 27 (MExN): The United Naga Council (UNC) today stated that the Chief Minister Okram Idobi Singh and the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) will be opposed and “confronted headlong” by the Nagas during the forthcoming 11th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election. Stating that the “communal” Government of Manipur under MPCC lead by CM Ibobi Singh has “pushed the Nagas to the wall,” the UNC in a press release said that the Nagas in Manipur will participate to give “greater effect to the severance of political ties with the communal GoM.” In this connection, UNC said that it will be supporting the Naga People’s Front (NPF) because of the “commonality in principle and political ideology” and the Party's stance “without reservation for the Naga people.” A peaceful solution of the Indo-Naga political issue and for integration of all contiguous Naga areas under one administrative roof, which the NPF seeks to work and assist in any possible manner will the bandwagon on which the Nagas in Manipur will face the election, it said. This is per the decision adopted by the UNC Council Assembly on January 2, 2012, which was reaffirmed at the 1st conference of the Naga Village Authority on October 19, 2016, it added Further augmenting the position it adopted, the UNC highlighted polices over the years carried out by the present government over the years which were detrimental for the Nagas. Among others, the Council maintained that the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council (3rd Amendment) Act, 2008 had curtailed the customary practices and rights on Nagas The GoM also “sabotaged” the delimitation exercise in Manipur and prevented the increase of 5 tribal seats in the State Assembly, it alleged. The government also stated that “there are no Nagas in Manipur” and denies the land ownership of tribals which is constitutionally protected as well as objecting Naga integration, the UNC said. Consquently, GoM and MPCC objected Indo-Naga Ceasefire of 1997 and its extension of cease-fire without territorial limits in 2001 as well as signing of the “3rd August, 2015 Framework Agreement for finalising and honourable and acceptable settlement of the Indo-Naga issue,” it added Most recently, the UNC said that the government passed the “infamous three anti-tribal bills on 31 August, 2015” leading to loss of nine lives. It also refused to respond to Naga demand for clarification on “covert moves” to declare Sadar Hills and Jiribam as full fledged districts leading to the ongoing economic from November, 1 2016, it said. The GoM also “surreptitiously” declared creation of 7 new districts on December 8, 2016 “in utter disregard” to the 4 MoUs it had signed with Naga Organisations and also written assurance given by the Government of India that such decisions would not be taken without consulting the stakeholders, the UNC added. The Council also stated that the GoM has time and again refused to dialogue and resolve the “issue of arbitrary declaration” and wilfully absented from November 15, 2016 Tripartite talk at Delhi convened by the Government of India “When GoM was cornered into attending the 3rd February, 2017 tripartite talk at Delhi, they declined from discussing the core issue of arbitrary declaration of new districts on the plea that no political decision was possible with the election Model code of conduct already in force.” The UNC further accused that CM Ibobi Singh of giving blatant lie to the media on February 21 that the GoM tried to resolve the issue through dialogue but that UNC did not respond and further maintaining that he was willing to talk to the Nagas. It also pointed out the GoM also made recommendation to the GoI to declared UNC, the apex tribe based organisation of the Nagas in Manipur, as an unlawful Organization “for leading the people’s movement for protection of their land, identity and future while avoiding engagement for resolution, troubling the water to fish with communal ideology.” The UNC in this regard argued that the forthcoming election “cannot be about individual village or tribe interest” but for securing the Nagas’ legitimate rights. “The legitimate and democratic rights of the Nagas and tribals are being taken away through acts, legislations and legal measures against natural justice,” the UNC said adding that the general Naga populace are “harassed and insulted,” leaders arrested and frontal organisations are “sought to be banned by the GoM as outlaws” for protesting the GoM’s suppressive policies “In this endeavour, the Naga people are against any use of money, force and violence in the election campaign and request all concern to refrain from resorting to any undemocratic means.”
