UNC team in Delhi for tripartite talks
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 28 2013: A six-member team of United Naga Council (UNC) led by its president L Adani air-dashed to New Delhi today for the 6th round of tripartite talks scheduled on Friday.

The tripartite talk involving the UNC, Centre and the State Government will discuss the council's growing demand for an Alternative Arrangement (AA) for the Nagas in Manipur outside the State Government pending a final settlement of the Naga issue.

The meeting is likely to be held at Hotel Ashoka, Delhi and the Centre is likely to be represented by the Special Secretary, Home.

A conglomerate of several Naga civil bodies of Manipur, UNC said the AA demand came because the Nagas of Manipur cannot live with dignity and honor and protect their rights to life and property, identity, land, resources, traditional institutions and customary practices under the State Government.

"We will focus only on Alternative Arrangement during Friday's talks.

It also reiterated that the Naga people are not against development of infrastructure or facilities in Naga areas but "No Objection Certificates" have been obtained from simple minded villagers surreptitiously through back doors without their informed consent, as in the case of seismic survey for oil and natural gas.

The development aggression through mega projects have sowed seeds of discord among the people and traditional ownership of land have been disrespected, the UNC said while adding that such mischief will not be allowed henceforth and the tribe councils will closely monitor such devious attempts in their respective jurisdictions.

Expressing concern at the mushrooming of social and cultural organisations bearing umbrella name suggestive of membership and constitution but without actual and due mandate of the people who are suggested/included in the nomenclature used by such organisations, the Presidential Council also viewed with concern that such organisations have been used by the adversary to dilute the issues by creating confusion and to thereby weaken its position.

It has therefore also been decided that the respective tribes council will check, disallow and de-recognise any such organisation and also any individual behind such formation, it said.

In view of the 6th Tripartite talk of the Government of India, Government of Manipur and the Nagas in Manipur being held at Delhi on Aug 30 as also decided in the Presidential Council, the UNC also made a prayer request to the Naga people irrespective of church and denomination for God's blessing upon the Naga talk team and for their successful engagements in the talk.

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