Imphal, May 03 2010: The Zeliangrong Students Union, Manipur (ZSUM) and Zeliangrong Youth Front (Assam, Manipur, Nagaland), ZYF have strongly condemned the Manipur Government's deployment of heavily armed Manipur Police Commandos and Indian Reserved Battalion in Mao Gate, Jessami, Ukhrul, and other Naga areas in order to prevent NSCN (IM) General Secretary Th Muivah, from going on a National Peace Tour in which he was to visit Naga areas in Manipur.

The two bodies, in a joint press release, claimed that the Th Muivah visiting his birth-place is a birth right.

The situation has resulted in creating fear among the populace around the areas where the personnel are stationed.

In Mao Gate, residents have started vacating the central area as the Manipur Police Commandos and IRB have turned the residential area into a fortified camp with the construction of bunkers coupled with the presence of heavy armoured cars, water cannon tanks, and other warlike arsenal, it said.

It is significant that Muivah leads the movement of the Nagas to find a peaceful and permanent solution to the Indo-Naga political issue through honourable and just negotiations with the Government of India.

"ZSUM and ZYF, as organisations of the Zeiangrong people, are strongly opposed to the scare tactics employed by the Government of Manipur to suppress the voice and demands of the Nagas", it conveyed.

They also welcomed the National Peace Tour initiative of Th Muivah and extended full solidarity and support.

The unprecedented military measures being taken, with the intention to use brute force upon the peace seeking Nagas is universally condemnable and an act to unsettle the fragile peace in the Naga areas.

The tear gassing of the public in Ukhrul and use of threats and intimidation in other areas were cowardly and indicated the immaturity of the Manipur Government, they asserted.

Saying that they believed in the principle of peace, justice and fundamental freedom of all people and communities, the ZSUM and the ZYF iterated that the visit of Muivah to his native place is but a process of ensuring the ongoing peaceful settlement of Indo-Naga conflict which has already claimed thousand of lives.

Opposing Muivah's visit is a direct opposition to peace and peaceful negotiation of the Naga issue and is nothing short of exercising power without wisdom, they maintained.

"The people of Zeliangrong wants peaceful settlement to the drawn out Indo-Naga political problem, and support the current peace talks between the Government of India and NSCN.

Zeliangrong people welcomes the proposed historic peace touring and appeals to all peace loving citizens of Manipur and adjoining states to extend solidarity in the efforts to reach a peaceful settlement of Indo-Naga Political issue", the two bodies said.

They further maintained that the Government of Manipur has no mandate to interfere in the 'rightful claim' of the Nagas.

They also urged the Manipur Government to immediately stop all its actions that has the potential of escalating the situation.