UNC calls 48-hr NH-37 bandh from Dec 12 midnight
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network

Imphal, December 10 2013: United Naga Council (UNC) today announced to impose 48 hours National Highway 37 (Imphal-Silchar road) bandh from midnight of December 12 .

In that case, the State level Orange Festival which is slated to be held on December 14 at Noney (NH-37) is bound to be affected.

The bandh is being called in protest against the alleged lethargic attitude of the government of India on the UNC's demand of Alternative Arrangement (AA) for the Manipur Nagas.

"In continuation of our press statement of December 6 to ban the construction works on all National projects in Naga areas should no positive response be received from the Government of India(GoI) within one week's time of that date, it has since felt necessary to register our strong resentment to the statement of Shambhu Singh, Joint Secretary(North East), Ministry of Home Affairs, GoI that the demand for an Alternative Arrangement is "quite hazy" and that the matter of upgrading the Alternative Arrangement talk to the political level has been left to the State Government to resolve with the UNC," the Naga body said today.

"While the dialogue process is kept "quite hazy" by such officials, the policies of the communal Government of Manipur (GoM) to usurp the land of the Nagas and tribal continues unabated.

The assertion of the Zeliangrong Youth Front to protect the land of Nagas and opposition to slicing of huge chunk of our land to create Jiribam district has the support and endorsement of the Naga people," it added.

According to UNC, after the submission of the postulates of the demand for an alternative arrangement on August 31, 2012 tripartite talk at New Delhi and also after having attended all the 6 rounds of talks, Shri Singh still disrespectfully maintains that it is "quite hazy".

Instead of facilitating a sense of direction in the democratic process of dialogue, Mr Singh, who represents GoI, is creating confusion for reasons best known to himself.

It was the general agreement in the 6th round of talk held at Delhi on the August 30, 2013 that the talk process would be upgraded to the political level and Shambhu himself requested for a two month period for convening the next round of talk, the UNC further stated.

The Nagas in Manipur did not request for a tripartite talk.

We wanted Government of India to intervene with an Alternative Arrangement outside the Government of Manipur.

Government of India initiated the tripartite talk process on the alternative arrangement demand.

The Government of India representative, the facilitator in the dialogue has now asked the Government of Manipur, the respondent, to resolve the matter of political upgradation of the talk process with the Nagas, the petitioner.

"This is absurd and a great disrespect for the democratic process and an insult to the Nagas, who in this talk process have at stake whatever is important for the human person and as a people � our identity, our history, our land & resources, our traditional institution & practices and our political aspiration as a people," UNC said.

Holding the talk process with respect and in good faith, we had kept on hold the series of agitation and democratic actions planned in the entire Naga areas for securing our political aspiration.

However the statement of the said official representing the Government of India has made a mockery of the process that we had upheld with much goodwill and expectation, it stated.

"We cannot accept such statements made from official position of the GoI and have been compelled to register our strong resentment.

It is therefore decided that a 48 hours total bandh on National Highway 37 would be observed in Naga areas w.e.f.from the midnight of 12th December, 2013 as a first phase of protest preceding the indefinite ban on construction work on National projects in Naga areas," the Naga body announced.

It then said, given the circumstances in which the bandh has been called, we appeal the general public for their cooperation and solidarity at such times when seemingly harmless moves are timed to undermine and insult our sentiments and our political aspiration.

"We remind our tribe hohos and frontal organizations to be vigilant and be in readiness to face any eventuality in their respective jurisdictions.

Any persons violating this notified bandh will be doing so at their own risk," UNC cautions.

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