UCM reiterates stand on territorial integrity
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 19 2016:
The territorial integrity of Manipur should never be challenged by any force as the people ever are ready to protect its sanctity, stated United Committee Manipur (UCM) president Johnson Elangbam during a press meet held today at their Lamphelpat office.
Saying that the visit of Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang to the State to attend the first conference of Naga village authorities at Yaikongpao village in Kangpokpi sub-division, Senapati district was embedded with a hidden agenda to vitiate communal harmony among the various communities of the State and disrupt the ancestral territorial boundary of Manipur, he said, the State Govt should have never given him the courtesy a 'State Guest' .
The conference held within the territory of Manipur with a banner reading 'Southern Nagalim' is a matter of shame for the State Government, he said.
Johnson alleged that the State Govt was allowing the banned NSCN-IM to carry out unlawful activities like taxation, extortion, kidnapping and other activities within the territory of Manipur.
He added that there is an apprehension that the State Govt is having a nexus with the insurgent group (NSCN-IM) which is willing to do anything at their disposal to tear apart the territorial integrity of Manipur.
But, organizations like UCM and other like minded organization will never allow that to happen, he assured.
The State Govt should have taken stern action against all those agents which have been working to sow seeds of animosity among ethnic communities settled in the State, he added.
There is a strong apprehension that the meeting attended by representatives from 800 different Naga villages with the banner of Southern Nagalim is a deliberate plan of the organizers to disturb the territorial integrity and create a chaotic situation here in Manipur.
Johnson added that the statement of the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh at the recently concluded Regional Editors' Conference that the Framework Agreement signed between the Govt of India and the NSCN-IM on August 3 last year has reached the final stage is of serious concern to the people of Manipur.
The so called Framework Agreement of the Govt of India and the insurgent group should not affect the territorial, political or social integrity of Manipur, he said.
It may be mentioned that UCM submitted a six point memorandum to the Govt of India stating that the apex body of Manipur welcomed the steps aimed at resolving the protracted issue.
It also made it clear that the political dialogue and any solution worked out at the end should not affect the territorial integrity of Manipur.
"The present Manipur State Govt and the BJP led NDA Govt of India should recollect the uprising of June 18, 2001 and have a clear picture that the people are ready to lay down their lives but will never allow any force to break the territorial integrity of Manipur," Johnson said.
Further he called upon the people of Manipur to prepare themselves for a mass movement to safeguard the territorial integrity of the State.
The press briefing was attended by UCM's secretary general YK Dhiren organisation Secretary Sanjit Soraisam and information and publicity secretary Leishemba Lamabam.