To protest arrest of UNC leaders and formation of 7 dists...Nagas stage rally in Delhi
Source: The Sangai Express
New Delhi, December 29 2016:
The Joint Naga Civil Societies, Delhi (CJNCSD) today organized a mass protest rally at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi to further intensify their protest against the arrest of the two United Naga Council (UNC) leaders and the 'unconstitutional formation' of the new seven districts.
Thousands of Nagas thronged the streets of Jantar Mantar chanting "Nagas shall defend their land to the last man standing" and effigies of Ibobi and Gaikhangam were burnt.
CJNCSD in a statement raised serious doubt on the political intention of the Government of India for its continued silence on the issue and questioned why the Government of India has not raised even a single question to the Government of Manipur for the imprisonment of the two UNC leaders and the unconstitutional formation of the new seven districts.
It also slammed the Government of India for siding with the 'communal regime' of Ibobi Government at the cost of the legitimate aspiration of the Nagas.
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The indifferent attitude of the Government of India towards the present crisis is tantamount to dishonouring the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015, added the statement. CJNCSD stated that Nagas have been defending every inch of their ancestral land, liberty, identity and dignity with blood and tears since the mighty British times and dared the Government of Manipur to attempt to carve out even an inch of the Naga ancestral territory in the name of forming new districts and reaffirmed that the Naga issue is a political issue and vowed to stand its ground with UNC till the unconditional release of the two incarcerated UNC leaders and the decision to form the seven new districts is rolled back.
The statement further said that Ibobi has been targeting tribal lands through various unconstitutional legislative actions as the valley brothers cannot legally buy tribal lands.
Ibobi has been playing politics with the life, soul, land, dignity, identity and culture of the hill tribals to cling on to power by exploiting the anti-tribal sentiments of the valley brothers as the valley brothers are socially patterned to perceive any anti-tribal policy as the interest of the valley, added CJNCSD.
UNC has been observing partial peaceful shutdown along the National Highways which absolutely is a legal and democratic form of protest, claimed the statement and added that however the communal State Government and 'paid valley-based media' ingeniously coined the term "economic blockade" to criminalise the Naga political issue and illegally arrested the president and the information secretary of UNC, claimed the statement.
CJNCSD submitted another memorandum to the Prime Minister of India today reiterating the demands which included immediate nullification of the creation of the seven new districts; unconditional release of the two UNC leaders; to respect the August 3 Framework Agreement and to expedite the finalization of the Framework Agreement; imposition of President's Rule in the State of Manipur; CBI enquiry into the December 18, 2016 violence against the innocent Naga civilian passengers at Imphal and immediate compensation for the victims.