Imphal, Aug 14: The United Naga Council (UNC) and the All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM) have said that there have been campaigns launched to give wrong information to the general public by certain elements based in the Manipur valley with regard to the affiliation process to the Nagaland Board of School Education in the four hill districts of Manipur namely Tamenglong, Senapati, Ukhrul and Chandel.

The UNC and ANSAM dismissed the campaigns by saying, "We categorically reject the systematic disinformation campaigns launched to discredit the peoples' non-violent democratic movement for affiliation of private schools in the four hill districts of Manipur to the Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE)." The UNC and ANSAM statement issued to Newmai News Network last night further said that their movement had been accused by their adversaries as a movement forced upon by Naga NGO's terrorizing guardians to force them to accept Nagaland textbooks.

"The most recent being the utterance of L Nandakumar Singh, Education Minister after his return from the incisive lobbying with power centers at New Delhi.

These derogatory remarks of terming peoples organisation as "NGO's" and utterance of concocted comments are nothing new to a peoples democratic struggle as the dominant forces try to systematically issue threats and as a justification to any prelude to the use of force to suppress such peaceful peoples movement," stated UNC and ANSAM and added "the ministerial delegations from Manipur that spearheaded this misleading and parochial campaign against the affiliation of private schools to NBSE reflects the pre-disposed motive of the valley community rule Government of Manipur to undermine and suppress the rights of the Nagas.

"Does not this reflect the hidden prejudices and motives of the valley community of Manipur who fear to part away with the spring well by which they quench their thirst for survival?" countered the two Naga bodies.

These disparaging acts are nothing but total intolerance towards promoting the interest of the other linguistic and religious minorities in the state.

The question of providing options for students to learn Meitei language using Roman script is a crafty ploy to deceive the common mind especially to others not understanding the intricate pattern of systematic control and assimilation policy wrought by the valley community against the so call 'tribals' which they derogatorily refer to the hill people and on whose created identity lies the ocean of development resources which has been leech for their comfort," further added the statement.

It then said that the minister who had not seen and had never even visited the hill districts was wrongly furnishing non existent 'Imphal chronicled' information to the HRD Ministry to safe his position for the moment.

The UNC and ANSAM termed the development as a crime against humanity and even against accountability norms of the state to falsely deceive the distant New Delhi policy makers.

"The July 10, 2006 event wherein public bonfire of the prescribed text books of Board of School Education Manipur in the four hill district headquarters by the students supported by the masses proved beyond doubt the determination of the people and their _expression of democratic dissent against the unjust imposition and ruthless domination.

Chief Minister of Manipur, O.Ibobi Singh was himself a witness to the popular demonstration while in Inriangluang (Tamenglong) district headquarter.

The fact is that teaching and learning of NBSE texts are in full swing in the four hill districts of Manipur," claimed the UNC and ANSAM joint statement.

It alleged that the policy of the State Government of Manipur to derecognize the certificate issued by NBSE is a desperate attempt to terrorize the students and to openly come out with their professed monoculturist psyche, which may eventually prove to be the fatal flaw towards disintegration.

"This psychological threat is unbecoming at all which limits the free access to learning and the legitimate right to hold and communicate ones belief," said the statement, adding, "the rights to choice lie with the people and not with the dominant chauvinistic power wielders who utilize the power structure to impose their interest astutely against the will of the less dominant communities", it added.

"The UNC & ANSAM would welcome the central team or any impartial observers to come and verify the veracity of the facts for themselves.

We once again reiterate that the struggle for this just cause will continue with strengthened determination until justice is delivered.

This is the moment of truth," concluded the statement.