Discussion session
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 08 2015:
One-day discussion sessions on building people's movement for a common future of Manipur held at five different places today as well.
The discussion sessions were organised by AMUCO, CCSK, UCM and other organisations.
Speaking at a discussion held at Thangmeiband Improvement Club, Thangmeiband Yumnam Leikai, AMUCO advisor KT Rahaman said that people must minutely study the possible demand for Statehood within the State consequent upon the peace accord inked between NSCN (IM) and Government of India.
He urged the people to collectively fight the efforts which are detrimental to the territorial integrity of Manipur.
Maintaining that different communities are residing in the State, KT Rahaman said that people of these communities who have been living together harmoniously are the collective owners of Manipur.
As such, the State must be protected through the collective stand of the people of Manipur, he observed.
UCM advisor Ibotombi Khuman said that India must keep Manipur's territory intact.
He said, it is known to everybody that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru exchanged Kabaw valley with Andaman and Nicobar islands as he knew that these islands would serve as strategic places regarding country's security in future.
NSCN (IM) has never dropped its demand for Naga integration ever since they inked a ceasefire agreement with Gol in 1997, he said.
On the other hand, it was evident from the instance of giving away Kabaw valley to Myanmar that India has no concern about the territorial integrity of Manipur, Ibotombi Khuman said.
As such, people must strongly fight similar attempts of Gol, he observed.
After NSCN (IM) and Gol signed a peace accord on August 3, he said, people are now so apprehensive about the territorial integrity of Manipur.
However, people of Manipur would have no qualm with anybody if the Naga issue is resolved within the State of Nagaland, he said.
Observing that there is no need for elaboration about the activities of NSCN (IM), Ibotombi alleged that the Naga outfit has been resorting to killings, highway loots and extortions under the cover of the ceasefire agreement.
Moreover, the outfit is also planning to recruit 4000 new cadres, he alleged.
CCSK secretary general Jitendra Ningomba in his speech said that the Centre is working on providing autonomy to Nagas under the name, 'Pan-Naga cultural body' after several other unsuccessful attempts like Greater Nagalim, South Nagalim, Supra State and Alternative Arrangement in the past.
He said that AMUCO, CCSK and UCM have submitted a six-point memorandum and expressed their stance on the territorial integrity issue to Naga peace talks interlocutor RN Ravi.
Although he had said that Naga issue would be resolved within the Constitution of India and there would no alteration in the boundaries of Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, Jitendra opined that people must not fiilly trust RN Ravi's words.
As such, series of discussion sessions are organised to take a collective decision on the issue beforehand, he said.
Similar discussion sessions were organised at Sugnu, Nagamapal Lai Ishingchaibi,Tentha Khongban and Kongpal Ningthoubung as well.