UNLF denies involvement in JCILPS campaign
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 04 2016 : The proscribed UNLF has categorically stated that it has nothing to do with the campaign being spearheaded by the JCILPS for protection of indigenous peoples of Manipur.

Uploading of a morphed image in social networking sites which projected JCILPS convenor Khomdram Ratan as a member of the UNLF and the subsequent news report published in The Indian Express which alleged that the movement spearheaded by JCILPS was instigated by UNLF were a clever move of the Government of India and its intelligence agencies to suppress the popular movement for protection of indi- genous peoples.

What merits serious analysis was the uploading of the suspicious picture in Facebook in the name of a person belonging to a hill community and publication of a news report based on the same picture by some sections of mainland India with- out verifying its authenticity, remarked a statement issued by the outfit's department of publicity director M Sak-hen.

The movement spearheaded by JCILPS goes against the interest of immigrants from mainland India and challenges the Government of India's racial assimi- lation policy.

As such, the Government of India and different agencies were working hard to suppress the popular movement.

On account of their (New Delhi) crafty 'divide and rule' policy, different indigenous communities have been making ethno-centric political manoeuvres apart from creating rifts between hill people and plain people.

It was this ethno-centric political aspirations which drove many sections of hill communities to oppose the three Bills passed by the Manipur Legislative Assembly as a result of the relent- less struggle steered by JCILPS for protection of all the indigenous peoples.

The Government of India's sustained policies have succeeded in pitching the hill people against the plain people who otherwise should be standing together against incessant influx from outside the boundary of Manipur.

Whatever misunderstanding and trust deficit that exist between the hill people and plain people can be resolved through dialogue.

Uploading of the suspicious picture in Facebook in the name of a person belonging to a hill community is a testimony of the alien rule's ploy to create animosity among the hill people and plain people, the outfit alleged.

There is no connection between the UNLF's struggle to win back the lost sovereignty of Manipur and the popular movement spearheaded by JCILPS for pro- tection of indigenous peoples.

There is a gulf of difference between the objectives of the two movements.

The basic objective of the UNLF's movement is re-establishment of an independent Manipur where there is equality among all the indigenous communities, it asserted.

On the other hand, the movement being spearheaded by JCILPS is confined within the Constitution of India.

There is no question of the UNLF instigating and sponsoring the movement being spearheaded by JCILPS.

JCILPS convenor Khomdram Ratan is not listed in the enrolment register of the outfit nor is he a cadre, it added.

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