UNC calls 48 hours bandh on demand for Alternative Arrangement for Nagas
Delhi, Imphal accused of insincerity, bandh to cover rail work
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 10 2012: The United Naga Council (UNC), as decided in its presidential council meeting held on June 8, has called a 48 hour total bandh including railway construction works in Naga areas from the midnight of June 16 till midnight of June 18 to protest against lack of sincerity on the part of Government of India and Government of Manipur in taking forward the democratic process of dialogue for an alternative arrangement for the Nagas in Manipur.

The democratic process of dialogue on the demand for an alternative arrangement for the Nagas in Manipur through the tripartite talk of the Government of India (GoI), the Government of Manipur (GoM) and the United Naga Council (UNC), which was initiated by the Home Minister of India was a registration and recognition of the sharp "social divide" on communal lines due to the marginalization, discrimination and domination, which has led to systematic degradation and obliteration of Naga and tribal history, culture, identity and rights to land and resources, the UNC asserted in a press statement.

The last tripartite talk was held on June 30, 2011 at Tahamzam (Senapati).

Subsequently, submissions were made to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), urging for expeditious resumption of the tripartite talk.

A rally staged to demand alternative arrangement for the Nagas of Manipur-File photo

The Union Home Minister at Tahamzam (Senapati) and the Prime Minister, at Raj Bhavan, Imphal had urged the UNC on November 2, 2011 and December 3, 2011 respectively to continue with the dialogue process.

After the last submission made to the MHA on April 13 this year, the UNC has held a series of consultations with Naga frontal organisations and Tribes leaders on the movement for an alternative arrangement outside the Government of Manipur, it conveyed.

The consultative meeting for the All Naga Students' Association Manipur (ANSAM) and its constituent units was held on April 27 at Katomei, Tahamzam (Senapati).

It was followed by the consultation with the Naga Women Union and its constituent units on April 28, at Senapati village, Tahamzam.

On May 6, at Martyrs' Park, Mao Gate, during the observation of the 2nd death anniversary of Loshou & Chakho, the Nagas reaffirmed the commitment for an immediate alternative arrangement outside the Government of Manipur, pending settlement of the Indo-Naga issue.

On May 8, the demand for an alternative arrangement for the Nagas in Manipur was re-endorsed in the Naga Hoho consultative meeting held at Kohima.

A capacity building programme for executives of the constituent units of the UNC, Naga regional organisations and Naga frontal organizations was conducted at Ukhrul from the May 22 to May 25 in which the Naga people's movement for alternative arrangement was put in perspective and strategies for pursuing the people's movement was extensively explored .

It claimed that the total bandh was felt necessary because the GoM has wilfully evaded continuation of the democratic process of dialogue brought into place through the tripartite talk at the instance of the GoI and also because both the GoI and the GoM have amply demonstrated that they would not respond to the civil submissions made time and again.

It was also decided that the 48 hours total bandh would be followed by series of other agitation activities if no response is forthcoming from the GoI and the GoM.

Medical services, fire-brigade, media, power and telecommunication departments would be exempted from the purview of the total bandh.

While appealing for cooperation from the public, it cautioned that anybody violating the total bandh would be doing so at their own risk.