NESO protest brings NE States together
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 25, 2013: The North East Students' Organisation (NESO) simultaneously organized protest dharnas in seven North Eastern States on Monday blaming the Government of India for misjudging and racial profiling the people of the region.

In Manipur, the All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU), a constituent of NESO also organized a sit-in protest at Keishampat Junction here, as part of the protest by the NE student body.

Hundreds of students from different schools and colleges participated at the demonstration.

They held placards reading "Stop fake encounter and rape by armed forces," "Make separate time zone for NE region" and "Stop discrimination against NE people." Talking to newsmen on the sidelines of the protest, NESO general secretary Sinam Prakash accused the Centre of always attempting to work out major strategies to make North East people a marginalized group of the country.

"Students of the region are being mistreated as there is no proper education policy and many have been killed under Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) in the name of countering insurgency," he alleged.

He alleged that under the military Act, fake encounters, rapes and molestations are being committed by security forces in Manipur and in other parts of the region.

Economy of the indigenous people has been seized and controlled by large people illegally migrated from other states in the state, he said.

Prakash further said the Prime Minister has been raised with seven different issues by NESO for his consideration through a memorandum.

In the representation, NESO demands education policy and human resources development, repeal of impunitive legislations and to expedite the ongoing peace process with militant groups for an early negotiated settlement and to solve the problem of infiltration of illegal migrants and refugees and formulate a comprehensive policy to deal with it.

NESO also urges the Prime Minister for economic and infrastructural development that concerns environment and for an employment policy for NE and to consider the Indo-Bangla Land Swap Deal 2011 and Stapled Visa.

It also urges the Prime Minister for a special Constitutional status and separate time zone for NE region.

In Shillong, NESO said that it will be meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh early next month to put forth the demand for special constitutional status and a separate time zone for the region.

The demands also included solving the staple Visa problem for Arunachal Pradesh citizens and repealing of AFSPA from Manipur.

NESO representatives, observing the sit-in demonstration in front of the Governor's residences in Meghalaya, Assam, Arunchal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland and Mizoram said they are waiting the approval of the meeting from the PM's office.

"We would apprise him (PM) on the various pending issues and hope the Centre would address them accordingly," Jyrwa said listing a number of issues for which respective student bodies from each state are demanding.

He said, "The outcome of the meeting with Prime Minister will decide on NESO's future course of action." Highlighting the need for granting special status for the people of the region as is the case of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, Jyrwa cited how the 25 independent states in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills (Meghalaya) were "forced" into signing the Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement for which the Centre is alleged to have not abided by the terms and conditions of the agreement till date.

"Our demand besides ending the inflow of foreigners which threatens the very existence of the tribal indigenous people of the region," he said.

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