Tahamzam, February 12 (MExN): The United Naga Council (UNC) has flayed the Manipur Government’s recommendation to label the former as “unlawful”. “If the UNC is unlawful, why did the Government of Manipur (GoM) run by the CLP have a tripartite talk with the UNC and the Government of India on the 7th February, 2017 at Delhi and therein schedule the 25th March, 2017 for the next round of talk,” the UNC asked in a statement which was made available to the media. The statement from the Council made it clear that the UNC is the apex tribe based organization of the Nagas in Manipur. Insisting that every Naga in Manipur is a member through the tribes, villages, clans and families, the Council argued, “If the UNC is unlawful so then is the entire Naga population.” The UNC accused the Congress Legislature Party under the leadership of Ibobi of creating havoc in the land and the lives of the people. The UNC also accused Ibobi of violating the constitution of India and alleged that he violated the tribal ownership of land. “Ibobi has transferred tribal hill areas which are under the district councils to the Panchayati Raj,” it alleged. “Ibobi and the CLP decides to draw lines across the tribal lands on the pretext of administrative convenience, dividing people, alienating people from their lands, affecting relationships, affecting situations and opportunities of the land owners,” the Council stated and added that Ibobi did not even consult the Hill Area Committee as enjoined by the constitution. “He defines what is lawful and unlawful and has done whatever he wants. He is really powerful,” the Council stated before questioning, “But where and how do people live with dignity and honour in such a lawless situation.” “It is for the entire people in the state of Manipur, the Government of India and the world to decide the lawfulness of Ibobi and the CLP and the unlawfulness of the people whose rights are being trampled through brute force, domineering majority, legalities and declarations,” the UNC statement concluded.
