Ban/Bandh/Abstention by United Naga Council
Tahamzam (Senapati H.Q.), August 06, 2013
Office of the
United Naga Council, Tahamzam (Senapati H.Q.)
Date: 06th August, 2013
The non receipt of response from the Government of India(GoI) to the submission of the UNC dated 15th July, 2013 for indicating the date for the next round (6th) of tripartite talk of the GoI, Government of Manipur and the Nagas on the demand for an alternative arrangement outside the GoM was taken up among other agenda in the meeting of the Presidential Council of the UNC held at Tahamzam on the 5th August, 2013.
The Council meeting which was also attended by all the Regional and Naga frontal organisations took strong exception to the lack of respect for the democratic process of dialogue by the GoI and the GoM which had been put in place at the instance of the GoI. While it has been placed on record by the UNC team in the tripartite talks that the GoI and the GoM must be respectful of the democratic process of dialogue and avoid delays in taking it forward, the delay in convening the 6th round of talk even after lapse of more than 5 months since the last talk, which concluded with assurance for convening the next round at an early date and the non receipt of any communication from the GoI to the request for indicating the date for the next round of talk even after lapse of 20 days reflects insincerity and lack of seriousness of the GoI in taking forward the dialogue process that it has initiated, to its logical conclusion.
The dialogue process initiated by the GoI because of the social divide on communal lines created by years of suppression, exploitation and discrimination on the Nagas has not resulted in toning down on the communal policies and activities of the GoM and the communal forces which informs its decision. These relentless onslaught have been continuously highlighted in our public statements. The GoI of India refuses to intervene even in the face of such situation.
Therefore in protest against the lack of respect and seriousness in upholding the democratic process of dialogue and to urge the GoI for immediate intervention pending settlement of the Indo-Naga issue, the Presidential Council decided on the followings -
(1) A 48 hours total bandh would be observed in Naga areas from the midnight of 11th August, 2013 to midnight of 13th August, 2013. Medical services, fire-brigade, media, power and telecommunication departments and observation of Bolbum ritual will be exempted from the purview of the total bandh.
(2) The Naga people will abstain from participation in the 66th Indian Independence Day celebration.
(3) A ban on all construction works of Central Projects such as the Trans-Asian Railway line and Power Grid line would be observed indefinitely till otherwise decided.
(4) All concerned tribe should be vigilant and disallow the arbitrary boundary fencing being taken up on the Indo-Burma borders which seeks to disintegrate or barter away Naga areas.
(5) The issue on census/delimitation and denial of representation being spearheaded by the NPO will be supported by all tribes/organisations.
(6) All tribe/organisation should refrain from diluting the political position of the people with regard to severance of ties with the GoM and to uphold the people’s decision in letter and spirit. The Council also decided that the peoples’ movement for their democratic rights will be intensified in consonance with the intervention of the GoI. We solicit the cooperation and goodwill of the general public towards making the protest programme peaceful and violence free. Anybody violating the above strictures would be doing so at their own risk.
Publicity Wing
United Naga Council
* This info was sent by United Naga Council who can be contacted at uncnagalim(at)gmail(doT)com
This Press Release was posted on August 06, 2013
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