UNC to oppose Cong, ride on NPF back
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 27 2017:
Stating their position on the upcoming Assembly election, the United Naga Council has asserted that the Naga people will oppose Chief Minister O Ibobi and the MPCC and added that the Naga People's Front will be the bandwagon on which all the Nagas in Manipur will face the Assembly election.
In a statement issued to the press today, UNC reaffirmed the 1st conference of the Naga Village Authority on October 19, 2016, the decision of the UNC Council Assembly on January 2, 2012, to support the Naga People's Front and added that Nagas will continue to support the NPF candidates as it is the political party which seeks to work and assist in finding a peaceful solution to the Indo-Naga dialogue and bring all Naga inhabited areas under one administrative unit.
Giving a lengthy statement on the reasons for taking such a decision, the UNC said that among others, the Government of Manipur under Chief Minister O Ibobi recommended to the Centre to declare UNC as an unlawful organisation for leading a people's movement for protection of their land, identity and future while avoiding engagement for resolution.
On the district creation issue, which has led to the ongoing economic blockade, UNC alleged that the Government of Manipur stayed away from the tripartite talk on November 15 last year at New Delhi and added that when the Government of Manipur was cornered in the tripartite talk held on February 3 at New Delhi, they declined to discuss the district creation on the excuse that the election code of conduct was already in force.
Then on February 21, the Chief Minister spoke to the media accusing the UNC of not responding to overtures for a dialogue, it alleged and added that this is highly unbecoming of a Chief Minister.
Other accusations laid at the doorstep of the Congress and the Chief Minister included, the imposition of the Manipur (Hill areas) district council (3rd amendment) Act, 2008 which interferes in the appointment/succession of chiefs/headmen/chairmen and on matters relating to inheritance of property, marriage and divorce.
The Chief Minister was also accused of sabotaging the delimitation exercise and prevented the increase of 5 tribal seats in the State Assembly, objected to demand of Naga integration, objected to Indo-Naga ceasefire of 1997 and extension of cease fire without territorial limits in 2001, objected to extension of any Constitutional provisions that will benefit the tribal people.
Levelling more charges against the Chief Minister, UNC recalled how he banned the entry of Th Muivah to his birth place, objected the launching of Manipur unit of the Naga People's Front and the visit to Nephiu Rio, objected the signing of the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015 and ceaselessly schemed to extend the MLR and LR Act to the hill areas and lift prohibition from the hill areas.
UNC also talked about the three 'anti-tribal' Bills passed by the State Assembly on August 31, 2015 leading to the death of nine people in Churachandpur and declaration of seven new districts on December 8 last year.