UNC's 48-hr bandh gets underway
Source: The Sangai Express

Senapati, April 26 2015 : In a statement, UNC has informed the general public that it will go ahead with its 48-hour total bandh in the Naga areas of the State from today midnight as announced earlier.

While seeking people's support and co-operation to effectively enforce the bandh, UNC said that some pro-Government elements are attempting to mislead the public with baseless and unwarranted reports.

The apex Naga body announced the bandh pressing the Government of India to intervene into the issue of 'alternative arrangement outside the Government of Manipur pending Indo-Naga political settlement' .

According to UNC, it is during Chief Minister O Ibobi-led 'communal' Congress Government that many civilians including two innocents students - Chakho and Loshou of Mao tribe - were shot dead by 'communal' State forces on May 6, 2010 at Mao gate and Mayopam Ramror and Ramkasing Vashi of Tangkhul tribe in Ukhrul district on August 30, 2014 .

Hundreds of people were seriously injured and maimed in the police action, UNC said and added that Ibobi Government also issued arrest warrants of former presidents of UNC and All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM) and fixed them the reward tags and furthermore attempted to declare UNC as an unlawful organization.

UNC said that the Naga people in its 3rd Naga People's Convention (NPC) held on July 1, 2010 at Tahamzam (Senapati) had declared the Autonomous District Council (ADC) election of 2010 null and void, but in the name of democracy, the 'communal and oppressive' Manipur Government is going to re-impose the already rejected ADC election of Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council 3rd Amendment Act, 2008 just to usurp and strangulate people's political aspiration.

The State Government is also trying to construct Mapithel dam and Tipaimukh and Chakpi river multipurpose dams and other mega projects in Naga areas without people's consent and in violation of National and International Laws/norms, attempt to grasp and include tribal lands of Chandel, Senapati, Ukhrul and Tamenglong districts in valley districts in the name of Manipur Government's infamous district police boundaries.

The State Government is also planning to 'barter' land measuring 1.40 sq kms of Choro Tangkhul village to Myanmar just to retain a small portion of land at Moreh.

As such, the State Government has been systematically trying to marginalize the tribal people and their rights through various acts, laws, notification and orders, the UNC said and added that medical, water supply, electricity, education and media services would be exempted from the purview of the bandh.

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