UNC reiterates anti-MDCs stand
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 14 2012:
In pursuance of the July 1, 2010 declaration of the Naga People's Convention, the United Naga Council (UNC) has reiterated that no frontal organisations, tribe organisations, range and village level organisations and individuals should entertain/associate with the nominated/elected/uncontested MDCs who defied the Naga people's call through the UNC not to participate in the 'imposed ADC election' of 2010 .
In a statement, the Publicity Wing of the UNC said that though there is no objection or intent to disturb any development works in the Naga areas which can very well be supervised and monitored by the designated officials/professionals and also by the Naga public, no Ministers or MLAs of the ruling party of the Government of Manipur (GoM) would be welcomed in the Naga areas.
"Their presence is not required and development works can proceed without their intrusion and definitely better without their interference," the UNC statement averred.
Further the UNC directed all frontal organisations, tribe organisations, range and village level organisations and individuals not to entertain or associate with or confer recognition/provide public platform to the Ministers of the GoM and also to Naga MLAs and Ministers who had defied the resolution of the joint meeting of the United Naga Council, Frontal Organisations and political parties held on 15th December, 2011 that any political party whose policies, programmes and activities do not subscribe to the registered position of the Nagas will not qualify for the support of the Naga people in any manner whatsoever.
On MGNREGS, the UNC statement alleged that when the funds are supposed to be directly given to the villages, the GoM is trying to hoodwink the tribals by using middlemen, the MDCs, to handle 25 pc of the funds.
"This is not devolution of power but deprivation of the powers of the village councils/chiefs, who take care of the administration in the village," the UNC maintained.
Positing that the GoM has started the process of the severance of ties by cutting off the powers of the villages, the UNC further contended that the full shares and rights of the villages are being deprived and taken away on the pretext of devolution of power to the ADCs.
It urged all Village Chiefs/Village Authorities to reject and disallow the design of the GoM to deduct 25% of the NREGS fund and to divert the same to the ADCs when 100% of the funds is fully due to the villages.
The Naga apaex body further charged that the GoM is trying to encroach upon tribal lands by obtaining documents for transfer of land to the GoM in the guise of development of public facilities and infrastructures.
Stating that the protection against land alienation of the tribals is vested in the Hill Area Committee under 371C of the Indian constitution, the UNC also directed all Village Authorities not to transfer ownership of any area of land in their jurisdiction to the State Government for any purpose, be it under the SSA, EGS programme or any other development programmes although they can rightly allot required areas of land for construction of school complexes or other infrastructures and stand continuing guarantee for usage of the land for the purpose for which it was allotted.