Will not accept bifurcation of Naga areas: ANSAM
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, September 08 2024: All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM) has asserted that Naga people will not accept any further bifurcation of Naga areas under the garb of addressing outstanding issues or ceding to demand of other communities.

In a press statement, ANSAM president Luikang Luckson and general secretary Angteshang Maring emphasised that bifurcation of Naga's ancestral homeland or adversely affecting the Nagas in any form while addressing the demand of other communities will have serious ramifications that will provoke further senseless violence with different communities.

Stating that it takes strong exception to the outrageous demands and unwarranted provocations of a particular community including the recently held rally of Kuki-Chin-Mizo in the hill areas on August 31 across Nagas homeland posing serious political implications and threat to the already tense situation in the state, ANSAM said it is constrained to issue the press statement to put across serious concerns and dismay over demands and claims based on blatant lies and invention of lop-sided history.

The Naga students' body continued that time and again, the Nagas are perturbed by the circulation of fabricated information, distorted statements and historical accounts contained in every press release and memorandum issued by the Kuki-community which tantamount to assault on Naga history and insult to the Naga people.

Indeed, it is very unfortunate and alarming that endless fabricated stories and concoction of history has been trending far and wide put forth by the Kuki-Chin-Mizo recklessly to suit their wild imaginary dream, taking undue advantages over the civility and understanding of Nagas towards them, it maintained.

The Association also seriously viewed the contumacious behaviour and chilling provocation by Kuki-Chin-Mizo protesters towards the Naga leaders in and around Tumnaopokpi areas on August 31 while they were conveying gentle caution and advisory not to provoke Nagas so as to avert any possible confrontation between the two communities.

ANSAM also questioned veracity of including the names of Naga tribes - Anal, Aimol, Chiru, Chothe, Lamkang, Moyon, Monsang, Kom, etc., in the banners of the August 31 worldwide rally by the Kuki-Zo community.

"It is nothing but trying to baselessly portray geography and demography to suit their wildest demands of Kuki land within Naga areas Which clearly prove their lies and false territorial claims.

Such act of blasphemy should be stopped forthwith, else will only bring chaos and enmity amongst the communities," the statement cautioned.

It then advised the Kuki-Chin-Mizo brethren to acknowledge and respect the traditional land ownership of the Nagas as in the olden days, so that we can continue to share and remain as a good neighbour for the rest of the centuries.

ANSAM also charged that continuous efforts to raise their demand on false territorial foundation and attempts to befool the various authorities concerned with concocted history is a direct aggression to the Nagas and a burgeoning threat to the Northeast India, a region of indigenous peoples.

"Once again, the office of the association cautions all concerned that any community or individual may have their own aspiration and demand democratically within their own share, but the same action and inaction should not infringe the rights, interest and position of others by way of distortion and fabrication.

Further, any untoward consequences or collateral eventualities that arise in this regard shall solely hold responsible by those who engineered the crisis," it stressed.

ANSAM further urged the central government to show their sincerity in handling the present crisis in the state of Manipur and must look at the issues and evolving demands and claims in the right perspective based on historical truth.

"The history of land and people in the state of Manipur is loud and clear on record and any authority in the helm should not be confused in this regard," it said.

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