CorCom, ULFA-I call general strike on Aug 15
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 10 2019:
Apart from boycotting the 73rd Indian Independence Day celebrations, the CorCom and ULFA-I have called general strike from 1.30 am to 6.30 pm of August 15 in the entire WESEA region.
A joint statement issued by CorCom and ULFA-I informed that essential services such as flood relief works, medical, electricity, water supply, fire services, press, and religious ceremonies and practices shall remain outside the purview of the general strike.
The militant groups appealed to all the peoples of the region to boycott India's Independence Day and observe general strike on August 15.For the peoples undertaking the struggle for self-determination, celebration of the Indian Independence Day on August 15 has no meaning.
Just as India became independent after more than 100 years of British colonial rule on the 15th August 1947, the WESEA region secured their freedom on the night of August 14 and early 15th August, 1947.As soon as the British left the region, India rapidly utilized force and treachery to integrate many regions which became free on August 15.Some of these regions were taken over through sheer military manoeuvres.
After forcibly integrating these regions, all the democratic institutions were abolished and the indigenous people were made to become dependent on India.
All the indigenous customary laws for self-governance were torn into shreds and the Indian central will was enforced on the people of this region, it alleged.
By controlling the indigenous economies of the indigenous peoples, the WESEA region became a captive market.
All the precious economic resources have been looted by the capitalist forces for their profit.
In order to perpetuate this organised loot, more military personnel have been sent to suppress the people of this region.
At the same time, they are also developing a comprador class of indigenous bourgeoisie to enhance these activities, asserted the joint statement.
It said that after taking over the virgin lands of WESEA, the Indian State has been sending in hordes and hordes of non-indigenous over-populous communities to swarm over the fragile indigenous population.
The indigenous population of Tripura had long been outstripped by migrants.
Similar conditions are now visible all over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland.
In order to transform the indigenous cultures of WESEA through the imposition of Hindu ways of life, and the popularization of Hindi language, the population invasion of Hindi speaking Indians is still in process today.
India is waging a major war of racial discrimination over the indigenous populations of WESEA.
The RSS-BJP's ideology of "one nation, one religion and one language" should be fought tooth and nail by the indigenous peoples, it exhorted.
The right to life of the indigenous peoples had been denied for long.
The draconian AFSPA is still there.
All the new laws hurriedly passed in the Parliament are meant to strengthen the power hungry State of 'Modi India'.
Recent outrageous events about scrapping of Article 370 of the Indian constitution and bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir without the consent of the people of the State show India's arrogance and blatant disregard of democratic principles, it alleged.
It further said that underhand dealings of shutting down the State machinery and house arrest of prominent leaders clearly portend the kind of dirty policies that would be applied to the people of the Northeast as well, it continued.
"Freedom from India's alleged colonial yoke is the only way to save ourselves from being swallowed by Hindustan", it added.