Senapati shut-down greets Ministerial team
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 07 2010: The ministerial team dispatched by the State Government to Senapati district headquarters on Saturday for negotiation with the agitating Naga leaders came back to Imphal 'empty handed".

Tribal Development Minister DD Thaisii, Youth Affairs and Sports Minister N Biren, and Tourism and Information Minister TN Haokip were sent by the State Government this morning to hold talk with leaders of United Naga Council (UNC) and All Naga Students" Association, Manipur (ANSAM) at Senapati headquarters, some 70 kilometres from Imphal but a 'lightning bandh" Senapati bazar welcomed them.

All the shops downed their shutters as soon as the Ministerial team arrived at Senapati district headquarters at around 10:30 am.

Police escort leading the Ministerial team enters Senapati district headquarters

The Ministerial team waited for Naga leaders at the office of the Senapati district Deputy Commissioner for two hours and went back to Imphal without achieving purpose of its mission.

The UNC leaders said they can only hold dialogue with the Central Government.

The UNC has been imposing 20-day economic blockade along the two National Highways leading to Manipur since August 4 demanding that the Government order Judicial Inquiry into the May 6 Mao Gate incident where two students got killed and several injured in crackdown by State security forces.

The protestors were demanding that NSCN-IM leader Thuingaleng Muivah be allowed to visit his native village Somdal in Ukhrul district but the State Government barred the Naga underground leader from going ahead.

The UNC is also demanding that the Autonomous District Councils formed recently should not be allowed to function as it was 'instituted undemocratically".

There are also other demands of the UNC besides these two.

The UNC stated that the Nagas in the present State of Manipur, having established their position based upon the 'unmistakable fact" that it is impossible to protect their right to life, land, time-honoured institutions, customary practice and values under the administration of the government of Manipur, and that their history with it, has clearly confirmed the harsh reality that the government of Manipur has never recognized and respected the identity and dignity of the Naga people, the Naga Peoples" Convention (NPC), the highest decision making platform of the Nagas in Manipur, held on July 1, 2010, have declared the severance of all political ties with the Govt of Manipur and to seek intervention of the government of India for an alternative arrangement for the Nagas in Manipur State.

�Since the Nagas have severed political ties with the government of Manipur, the intervention of the Government of India for an alternative arrangement is sought by the Nagas of Manipur.

Therefore, we will not welcome the Government of Manipur and their representatives into Naga areas," the UNC said.