June 18 anniversary reaffirms resolve to safeguard integrity
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 18 2020: While observing the 19th anniversary of the Great June Uprising, Unity Day at different parts of the State today, the common resolve to safeguard the integrity of Manipur and its territorial boundary has been reaffirmed once again.

The main function was held at the Kekrupat martyrs' memorial under the aegis of the observation committee comprising of AMUCO and UCM.

Offering of floral tributes, blood donation camp and public meeting were the main features of the commemorative function which was attended by lesser number of people as compared to preceding years on account of the COVID-19 pandemic.

June 18 anniversary reaffirms resolve to safeguard integrity

Lights were offered to the martyrs at Kekrupat in the evening.

The public meeting was jointly presided by observation committee chairman Sunil Karam and vice-chairman Pheiroijam Nando Luwang.

Family members of the martyrs were also seated on the dais and they were honoured with humble gifts.

Leaders of different CSOs, Meira Paibi groups and community leaders attended and spoke at the meeting.

Speaking at the meeting, Nando Luwang said that the June 18 function is not merely about paying homage to the martyrs who achieved martyrdom in the massive civil movement of June 18, 2001, before and after the historic event in the struggle to safeguard the integrity of Manipur and the sanctity of its territorial boundary.

The anniversary is commemorated to send a loud and clear message to the whole world that the people of Manipur always stand firm to defend the integrity of Manipur and the sanctity of its territorial boundary under any circumstances, Nando said.

Accusing the Government of India of always scheming to disintegrate Manipur and polarise the communities, Nando clarified that his statement is not based on any imagination nor should it be construed as anti-National.

The June 18 function is organised every year to remind one and all that the people of Manipur have been fighting such nefarious policies collectively and to further reinforce the collective resolution to fight all challenges to the integrity of Manipur in future too, Nando Luwang said.

The first ceasefire agreement between NSCN-IM and GoI was signed on July 25, 1997 and it became effective on August 1 same year only in the State of Nagaland, he said.

Sensing possible threats to the integrity of Manipur as an outcome of the ceasefire agreement, a mammoth public rally was taken out at Imphal on August 4, 1997 under the aegis of the AMUCO and it sent a clear message to GoI that the people of Manipur would not tolerate any threat to its integrity, Nando recalled.

However, GoI totally ignored all these warnings and inserted the words 'without territorial limits' in the ceasefire pact on June 14, 2001 at Bangkok.

These three words literally put Manipur on fire.

As many as 18 people lost their lives on June 18, 2001 for the cause of the State's integrity, Nando said.

Even though the political dialogue going on between NSCN-IM and GoI is now over 20 years, it seems GoI seems to be more interested in balkanising the North East region instead of exploring a solution, he remarked.

"If all the communities of Manipur do not join hands and explore a common path of peaceful co-existence, collective development and collective struggle, none of the indigenous communities would have any future", Nando said.

He then appealed to all the communities to analyse GoI's policies with respect to Manipur and stand collectively for a united Manipur.

Sunil Karam said that the basic essence of the June 18 anniversary function is that any attempt to disintegrate Manipur would be resisted in the fiercest manner.

"We must identify the source or agent which has been troubling all of us and struggle collectively to defeat the malicious intent", Sunil said.

He appealed to all the indigenous communities of the State to do away with the tendency of putting outsiders on the judgement throne when there is internal conflict or misunderstanding among the communities.

A number of people have laid down their lives, huge public rallies have been staged and scores of memoranda have been submitted to protect the integrity of Manipur but GoI has not yet given any concrete response, he said.

He categorically said that any solution worked out between GoI and NSCN-IM should not infringe on the interest of communities living together in Manipur.

Pointing out that people have been reeling under extreme misery on account of the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown, Sunil Karam questioned the motive of pursuing the delimitation agenda at such hard time.

He said that any delimitation exercise based on erroneous census data would not be accepted.

Leishemba Sanajaoba was not invited to today's function as six CSOs have already announced that they would de-recognise Leishemba Sanajaoba as the titular king of Manipur following his refusal to pay any heed to the people's repeated appeals not to mix his position as titular king with electoral politics, Sunil Karam added.