
Newmai News Network Senapati | January 13 The United Naga Council (UNC) has accused the Manipur state security forces of resorting to “indiscriminate firing” at Khumji village, near Noney, on January 12. Condemning the incident, the UNC, in a press statement, stated that the state security forces were escorting the trucks carrying different commodities from Jiribam to Imphal "defying the democratic agitation" launched by the UNC in protest against the declaration of 7 new districts. One Dikhuan Gonmei, s/o Tajinang Gonmei of Changdai village died on the spot while three others were seriously injured. All four were civilians. Accusing the State security forces as being responsible for the death and the injuries, the UNC in its statement insisted that the Naga people have seen enough bitter experiences of the past activities of "state sponsored terrorism". To drive home its points, the UNC cited the May 6, 2010 Mao Gate incident in which 2 Naga students were killed; the August 31, 2014 incident of Ukhrul where 2 civilians; the August 31, 2015 incident at Churachandpur headquarters where 9 were killed while protesting against the passing of three "anti tribal bills" passed by the Manipur Legislative Assembly. It further cited an incident which occurred on November 28, 2016 at Longmai bazaar where one Thuanguanglu Kamei was allegedly hit on the chest after security forces opened fire. "We urged upon one and all not to repeat such and anti people activities in Indo-Naga Ceasefire coverage areas," the Naga body appealed. In this, the UNC flayed the Government of India for its continued display of indifference. On the prevailing situation in Manipur, the UNC maintained that all unwanted incidents could have been avoided had the Manipur government “upheld and honored the letter and spirit” of the 4 Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) signed between the Government of Manipur and the Naga people and also, the written assurance given by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India on the district creation issue. The Naga body further argued that the issue may have been resolved had the Government of Manipur sent its representative to Delhi on November 15, 2016 for a tripartite talk between the Government of India, Government of Manipur and the UNC. “And all such undesirable consequences would have been avoided,” it claimed.