UNC alleges third degree torture
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 12 2017:
The United Naga Council (UNC) has strongly condemned the alleged electric shock and other third degree methods of torture meted out to their president Gaidon Kamei when he was taken out at the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC) on November 28 last year.
A statement issued by the UNC asserted that the Government of Manipur shall entirely bear all the responsibility for any consequences that happened to Gaidon Kamei and UNC information and publicity secretary SK Stephen while being kept in police custody.
There have been countless instances where many vehicles belonging to the Nagas were burnt down or destroyed including their properties worth crores of rupees and also many Nagas were seriously beaten, alleged UNC.
It may be mentioned that without any warning, vehicles belonging to Nagas heading for Ukhrul district were either burnt down or completely destroyed and hundreds of the stranded innocent passengers were detained the whole night without letting them go in the Meitei community hall under the very nose of Manipur security forces, on December 18, at Lamlong area of Imphal East district along Imphal-Ukhrul Road, it alleged.
The UNC went on to ask if the State Government ever lodged any FIRs against those gangs and mobsters who had committed those heinous crimes.
Saying that they have taken note of the appeals to lift the economic blockade and the ban on Trans-Asian Railways and National projects in Naga areas, the UNC maintained that the appeals should not be made to the UNC but to O Ibobi and his Government because he is the policy maker and decision maker of the State.
It is he who had created the situation by favouring a 'community' and isolating the other.
O Ibobi Singh had failed to respect and uphold the letter and spirit of the four MoUs signed between the Government of Manipur and the Naga people and also the written assurance given by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
It further questioned what was the policy behind creating seven new districts late night in the night of December 8, 2016 without consulting the stake holders.
To resolve the on-going agitation, the Ministry of Home Affairs, through its Joint Secretary, North East on November 13, 2016 had invited for a talk to be held on November 15, 2016 at North Block, New Delhi between the Government of India, Government of Manipur and the UNC.
However, the Government of Manipur did not send its representative to resolve the on-going agitation.
This proved that he is anti-peace and anti -social harmony.
What is happening in the present State of Manipur is his own creation to divide the valley and the hills and also to divide the tribals etc for his electoral benefits.
UNC is not responsible for creating the present situation but it is O Ibobi and his Government.
He is answerable for dishonouring the letter and spirit of the MoUs and written assurance.
The ball is very much in his court, added UNC.
"The position of the Nagas on its ancestral homeland is well established since time immemorial and so, we will not allow anyone to decide upon our land without consulting us", it asserted.
The Naga people will not accept anything less than the already signed MoUs between the Government of Manipur and the Naga people and the written assurance given to the Naga people by the Ministry of Home Affairs, it added.