Imphal, April 05 2010: While denouncing the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council (Third Amendment Act, 2008), the Naga frontal organisations led by All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM) volunteers set on fire the copies of the District Council (Third Amendment Act, 2008) documents in the district headquarters of Chandel, Senapati, Ukhrul and Tamenglong today.

Speaking to Newmai News Network this afternoon, United Naga Council (UNC) chief Samson Remmei said that it will be wise from the part of the government of Manipur to consider the wishes of the people by not imposing its move of conducting the autonomous district council elections under the present status.

"We have conducted series of consultation meetings in the hill districts and we are fully convinced that the people do not want the present Act (Third Amendment Act, 2008 of the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council," said Samson Remmei.

Meanwhile, in a communique, the UNC alleged, "The Naga people has been suppressed and exploited by imposition of Legislation Acts without free, prior and informed consent for a long time.

The Forest Act of 1927, the Manipur Hill Area Village Authority Act, 1956, Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reform Act, 1960, etc, and now the Government of Manipur is trying to take away rights of the Hill people by the latest Act i.e.The Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council (Third Amendment Act, 2008).This Act has been rejected by in its present form and content as the said Act doses not protect and safeguard the Rights of the People.

Therefore, in solidarity with the people burnt this Act".

Samson Remmei then stated that the Naga frontal organisations are all set to impose the 12-hour 'chakka bandh' in the hill areas on April 6 which begins at 6 am.

"After this phase of agitation we will sit down and chalk out further course of agitation by consulting with the people," cautions the UNC president.

Our Tamenglong correspondent, Daniel Kamei reports that the Naga civil societies under the aegis of United Naga Council (UNC) today burnt the so called Autonomous District Council, ADC Act 2008 amendment at two different places of Tamenglong district saying that the Act has no legislative power, no financial power and no judicial power.

The ADC Act 2008 was burnt at Longmai (Noney) bazaar around 10 am today, and then the Naga civil societies burnt the act the heart of Tamenglong Town.

The present ADC Act which the state government is going to hold the Members of District Council, MDC election which has no legislative power, no financial power and no judicial power.

This act is a suicide act in which all the tribal people will be suicide, the spokesman said just before the burning the act.

After burning the act at the heart of Tamenglong town, the spokesman also brief the reporters here today at tea hotel that the same act has been boycotted and MDC has been defunct for 20 years ago, why the state government announce MDC election to the hill areas of Manipur with the same act.

Earlier Naga civil bodies had held a consultative meeting at hill districts of Manipur and rejects the act and also urged the state government to defer the MDC election until the present act is revive and give full democratic powers.

But the state government is continued hectic preparation to hold the MDC election with the same act, the spokesman said.

He also questioned all the intending candidates who have been killed so many pigs and cows and coven so many meeting that are they not read the ADC Act 2008 thoroughly.

To the query of this reporter that after holding the MDC election the members of District Council MDC could demand the same powers, the spokesman said that there was no legislative power in the ADC Act 2008 the members cant' seek nor demand or make law, they if they so they will dissolve again, he said.

'What the tribal people want is remodel the present ADC Act 2008 and give more powers then conduct MDC election', the spokesman said.

He also mentioned that LK Advani, Deputy Prime Minister in the year 2003 had wrote a letter to Okram Ibobi Singh, Chief Minister of Manipur that the Autonomous District Councils did not enjoy any legislative or judicial powers and the council are not able to exercise the executive and administrative powers vested in them too many controls.

I request you to kindly look into the matter personally and ensure that recommendations of the state government on the subject are made available to the MHA without further delay, the letter read.

However, the state government is not sincere enough, imposing legislative law to bind and try to trap the tribal people rights, he said.

He went on to mentioned that the state government without the concern of the hills MLAs passed an order that creation of new district, sub-division, Tehsils, villages and alteration of the boundaries thereof are allocated to the Revenue department not the commissioner.

The state government altitude is totally against the tribal people, asserted the spokesman.