Chandel rallies for Alternative Arrangement
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 22 2011: A large number of Naga people staged a rally at Chandel district headquarters demanding an alternative administrative arrangement for the community after severing all ties with the State Government.

The rally comes at a time when top leaders of the United Naga Council (UNC) are camping at Delhi to put forward the alternative arrangement case before the Central leaders.

Participated by representatives of Naga student and civil bodies, the rally also adopted a declaration to reiterate the Nagas' position and demand for 'intervention of the Centre with an Alternative Arrangement for the Nagas in Manipur pending settlement of the Indo-Naga issue', said a UNC statement.

"We would put on record that the situation is fragile, sensitive and explosive and has all the potential for communal conflagration should the Centre continue to adopt a wait and watch policy.

Therefore the onus lies on the Centre to save the situation and intervene at the earliest possible time," it was also declared.

File picture of a rally for alternative arrangement

"Be it also witnessed on this day that the Nagas will continue to fight for their rightful aspirations till it is achieved and we also urge upon the Centre to exercise its political will to bring an honorable and acceptable settlement of the Indo-Naga issue at the earliest notwithstanding any attempts to sabotage this process," the gathering declared.

The rally began from Maha Union Higher Secondary School and moved upto the DC Office junction.

Before the rally, the public gathered at the school premises where speeches were delivered by P Timothy, speaker, UNC and Asingpou Gangmei, member, Committee for Alternative Arrangement (CFAA), added the statement.

Stating that the tribals and the Nagas in particular did not oppose during and when the demand for 8th Scheduled was granted , the UNC speaker questioned why the 'dominant community' and the State Government oppose the wishes of Naga people for an Alternative Arrangement ? .

Gangmei said the State Government has been opposing every rights of the Nagas including extension of Indo-Naga Cease Fire in 1997, cease fire without territorial limit in 2001, the visit of NSCN (IM) general secretary Th Muivah to his ancestral village in Ukhrul in May 2010 .

The State Government and the valley people claimed that they also welcome Indo-Naga Peace process but not the extension of cease fire to Manipur.

"This shows that the valley people and their leaders want the Naga to continue violence and bloodshed in Manipur despite the Nagas entering a peaceful dialogue with the Centre," Gangmei added.