ZCOs against UNC's proposed rally
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 13 2019: Terming the public rally proposed to be held on December 17 at Tamenglong DHQ and other Naga dominated districts of Manipur by United Naga Council (UNC) as a wrong decision, the Zeliangrong Civil Organizations (Zeliangrong Baudi, Zeliangrong Youth Front and Zeliangrong Student's Union) has reasoned that it might create confusion and aggravate the already tense atmosphere in the State.

A statement issued by the media and publicity cell of the Zeliangrong Civil Organisations (ZCOs) conveyed that the Nagas had been divided and have suffered due to emergence of too many political groups and because of the policies maintained by the leaders of Naga civil societies.

It continued that it would be wise for the UNC to remember that the Naga political movement had been dragging on for so many decades because of lack of coordination among the leaders of various political groups and the division within the Naga civil societies.

It explained that innumerable public rallies have been organized and held in the past particularly in the Naga dominated districts of Manipur as if the Nagas of Manipur are pursuing a separate and exclusive political issue and added that those rallies did not yield any positive result but instead they provoked and hurt the sentiments of other communities and unnecessarily stirred tension, doubts, misunderstanding and suspicion between the different communities of Manipur.

Those rallies organized in the name of Naga political issue, but confined in a specific area while leaving out the rest of Naga areas of other States, also created the impression that there is a wide division in the Naga societies which led to the Central Government ignoring the political aspiration of the Nagas for so many decades, it reasoned.

ZCOs alleged that so far the UNC has not achieved any positive result in all its policies, other than creating unnecessary problems and hardships by imposing indefinite economic blockades, collecting hill house tax for Nagaland Government from each and every Naga household of Manipur and misusing it, by coming up with the illogical plan of affiliation to Nagaland Board of Secondary Education which only spoilt the career of thousands of innocent students, making unconstitutional demand of alternative arrangement, by boycotting Assembly or Parliamentary election under the slogan "no election no solution" but later taking part in electoral politics by favouring specific candidates and particular party, making unfruitful demand to roll back creation of new seven districts etc.

It then explained that when the BJP led Central Government under the decisive leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is serious enough to solve the Naga political issue, it will be a grave mistake if the Naga people continue to indulge in the old policies.

As the Centre and various Naga political groups have reached a common understanding to settle the Naga issue and the Naga peace talk has already been concluded, there is simply no need to organize a public rally, it added.

It then reasoned that if the UNC feels the urgent need for the Naga people to organise a public rally to signify their unity before the Government of India for early political settlement, then all the Nagas of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and Nagaland should rise in unison and simultaneously hold public rally or any other form of demonstration so that the voice of the Naga people reach the Indian leaderships.

The ZCOs then advised UNC to focus on a policy which will bring a peaceful atmosphere while refraining from creating further animosity between the different communities of Manipur.

It is also advised UNC to stick to its objective which were pioneered by far sighted Zeliangrong leaders with some few other Nagas to maintain social harmony among the different tribes.

UNC should explore other effective ways and means to mend the already existing gap between the different communities, instead of pursuing anti-people activities like an unlawful organization, as a puppet or frontal organization of an underground faction, ZCO conveyed, cautioning that any negative consequences which arise in the future due to the failure by UNC to accept the advice, must be borne by itself.

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