Blockade Call: Delhi asks, UNC defies
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, September 03 2014: Even though the Government of India has asked United Naga Council (UNC) to withdraw its proposed economic blockade from 6 am tomorrow, the latter has shown no sign of budging from its stand.

In a statement, Prakash Mishra, Special Secretary (IS), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India, said Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has reviewed the situation in Manipur with senior officers today and conducted discussion sessions with the Governor, the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister of the state.

The Government of India calls upon all concerned to help maintain a conducive atmosphere and desist from violence and, therefore, expects the Naga organizations to withdraw the call for economic blockade and the ban on national projects, which will cause serious inconvenience and hardship to the common people, the statement from the Union Home Ministry said.

Governor VK Duggal, CM O Ibobi and Dy CM Gaikhangam with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh

It further said that the Government of India is seized of the situation in Manipur, arising out of recent developments that have caused tensions and reiterated that Government of India is committed to finding a solution to all related issues.

"The Central Government has, for this purpose, recently appointed RN Ravi, as the interlocutor with the mandate to find a negotiated solution in a time-bound manner.

However, it is imperative that a conducive atmosphere exists for these talks to take place", the statement added.

However, UNC has reiterated that the ban on all vehicular traffic on National Highways and State Highways and ban on all construction works on National Projects in Naga areas has been called because the sentiments of the Nagas have been demonstrated in measures beyond which it will become redundant.

In a statement issued by its publicity wing, the Naga body said, "Under the communal Government of Manipur our voices and sentiments do not count.

Our lives are not safe.

Our democratic rights do not exist.

In the Imphal valley, the domain of the Government of Manipur, mainland Indians are being butchered and maimed in manners that are done to the most bitter of enemies.

While in the hill areas of the tribals, where peace prevails, the Government of Manipur sends their Police forces to kill and brutalise the people they were purportedly sent to protect.

The magnitude of social divide on communal lines in Manipur can only be addressed with a political solution" .

UNC then appealed to the general public, transporters and truck owners to extend their co-operation and solidarity for the protest against the insult on our people and the mockery of democracy where the voice of the people have been responded with bullets and force.

"All Nagas are volunteers and it is the moral responsibility of every Naga to uphold the peoples' movement.

The tribe councils and regional organisations will co-ordinate and monitor the bans in the respective jurisdiction," the UNC statement said, while informing the people to be vigilant against any measures that may be deployed by the communal GoM to suppress the people's movement and warned that any individuals violating this stricture will be doing so at their own risks.

Meanwhile, acting on an advisory issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs which says that the National Highways in Manipur should remain open and law and order be maintained, the Government of Manipur has tightened security measures along two national highways passing through the State.

It is said that security convoy would be provided along Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati and Imphal-Jiribam- Silchar routes, through which all essential items were brought in to the state everyday from 6 AM to 6 PM and road opening party would be deployed at various parts of the two national highways which are considered lifeline of land-locked Manipur.

A meeting of the State Cabinet was also convened in this regard today evening and decided to seek the help of Central forces if required.