Expedite peace talk, says UNC
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 11 2015:
The United Naga Council (UNC) has urged the National Security Council (NSC) team led by BL Vorah to expedite the Indo-Naga political settlement based on the uniqueness of Naga history and situation.
In a memorandum to the NSC team, the UNC said that before the colonization of the Naga country, the Nagas lived in village States and were free from any external political interference and domination.
The UNC memorandum said the Nagas of Manipur were independent of the Manipur Maharaja before the advent of the British.
After the conquest of Manipur by the British in 1891, a dual system of administration existed in Manipur.
The then Naga States were administered by the political department of the British Crown and Manipur Valley by the Manipur Raja and his Darbar till August 15, 1947.The UNC then said that the '2nd Indo-Naga cease fire' came into effect from August 1, 1997 to initiate political dialogue for a lasting negotiated settlement but strong opposition by the State and non-State actors of Manipur and its attempted derailment of peace process with all its available resources and also, its ceaseless suppression, oppression and exploitation being the order of the day under the present political system, Naga people living in the present State of Manipur convened the 3rd Naga Peoples' Convention (NPC) on July 1, 2010 at Tahamzam (Senapati) and declared severance of all political ties with the 'communal Government of Manipur,' and henceforth demanded Alternative Arrangement to the Government of India outside the Government of Manipur pending Indo-Naga political settlement.
The last and 7th round of political level talk was held on February 6, 2014 at Tahamzam (Senapati) and it was agreed to constitute a high level committee to translate the demand into political reality.
"Therefore, we urge the Government of India to sincerely approach the Indo-Naga Issue for bringing the peace process to its logical conclusion at the earliest," the UNC memorandum added.