Imphal, April 11: Reiterating its stand to boycott the upcoming Lok Sabha election in Manipur, the Central Committee of the UNLF today issued a statement giving a point by point explanation for their decision to boycott the election.

Mincing no words, the statement said that Manipur was once an independent entity with its own State Assembly and the UNLF does not recognise the State machinery installed by the Indian Government in Manipur.

The people ought to also not recognise the Indian Government machi- neries.

For long UNLF has been pointing out the ill effects of the Indian election on the youth of Manipur, said the statement maintaining that during canvassing and campaigning all the youths are lured either by liquor or drugs and money.

Since India annexed Manipur in 1949, it has been employing all the tactics to keep the people enslaved, said the statement and added that all successive Governments have been reduced to the status of a puppet of New Delhi.

In 1949 Manipur was placed under a Chief Commissioner followed by a territorial council and territorial assembly to be finally replaced by the State Assembly.

The differences in the different stages of the administration are all ornamental for in effect it meant the subjugation of the people, it said.

During the last 55 years, the Indian Government has reduced Manipur to the status of a beggar making the people economically dependent on the largesse doled out by Delhi from time to time.

This is nothing but a policy of India to make the people of Manipur economically dependent on India.

The democracy of India is just an eye wash, said UNLF and added that this democracy has done nothing except drive a wedge between the different communities living in Manipur for ages.

The Indian rule has also eroded the National identity of the people and this is something the people should be aware of.

Whether it is the Congress or the BJP, the process of Indianising the Manipuri people is still on and the stage has come to such a pass that the Manipuri people are today reduced to the status of a dead society.

This is a point that all the sons and daughters of the soil should ponder over.

In such a circumstance it would be wrong to be dragged into the vortex of Indian election, said the statement.

What can two MPs representing about 20 lakh people (including about 7 lakh non local people) do in a House which has over 500 Indian MPs, countered UNLF.

Moreover no Government which has been formed under the Indian election has ever done anything good for the people.

On the other hand successive Governments have been trying to drive wedge and sow the seeds of distrust and animosity amongst the different communities living in Manipur.

All politicians, save for one or two, whether they belong to an Indian political party or a regional party based in Manipur, always plunge into corruption, nepotism as the Indian system encourages such practices.

This is because all the politicians have also become part of the Indian system.

As such the politicians can never do anything good for the people, said the statement.

This is not to say that the people should turn their ire against them said the statement but added that one reason why the people's ire can be targeted against them is because they have also joined the colonial rule of India.

The June 18 2001 uprising against the political leaders is an apt example, said the outfit.

Asking all the politicians to ponder over the points raised, UNLF countered how long they hope the thrive through corruption when the people are struggling to get two square meals a day.

Instead of being a partner of India it would be much better for them to join the movement to attain freedom and usher the true essence of democracy in Manipur.

UNLF also made it clear that they are not after autonomy or anything of that sort but complete sovereignty from Indian rule.

The statement further reminded the people of the rampant abuse of human rights (Heirangoithong, RIMS, Oinam village, Tonsen Lamkhai, Malom, CCpur), the fake encounters, enforced disappearance, custodial killings and the recent killing spree during the Holi festival.

In such a condition, how can the people take part in an election conducted under the Indian Government, it asked.

The outfit also appealed to the IRB personnel and State police commandos to think over their conduct for one day they too will want to fight for the motherland.

On the forthcoming Lok Sabha election, UNLF said that the Indian security force would out in full strength and they would resort to proxy voting to show to the world that the election was a success.

However this should not dishearten the people for in the ultimate analysis, the victory will belong to the people.

The boycott call is a stepping stone towards achieving the greater goal of the people, said UNLF.

The outfit has also appealed to all the local clubs, organisations and meira paibis to ensure that the boycott call is a success.