Womenfolk march a peace rally at Senapati
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, May 31 2010: A public peace rally was taken out at Senapati Town which was organized by the Senapati District Women Association (SDWA), and supported by the United Naga Council (UNC), Naga People's Organisation (NPO), All Naga Students' Association Manipur (ANSAM), Naga Women Union Manipur (NWUM), Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), and Senapati District Students Association (SDSA).

A press note received here informed that more than 10,000 attended the rally.

The public marched from Senapati Bazaar Traffic Point towards Forest Gate and through the New Mini Secretariat to converge again at Senapati Bazaar.

Old and young women carrying placards with slogans such as "Nagas want peace not war", "Down with communal forces", "Nagas are one and united", "Honourable solution on agreed principles", "We fully support Indo-Naga Peace talk", "Expedite Naga peace process", "Long Live Manmohan Singh & Th.Muivah", "Stop killing innocent Nagas", etc were seen.

A silent procession was taken out on NH-39 in Senapati district against the State Cabinet's decision to ban Muivah from entering Manipur

The rally was organized to express the aspirations of the Nagas for Peace, to denounce the excesses committed by Manipur state security forces at Mao Gate on May 6, 2010 which resulted in the dead of two students and injury of more than hundred.

The rally also condemned the policy of the Government of Manipur to extensively militarize Naga areas by sending in more and more security forces.

The note stated that President SDWA Lolia, President NPO M.Dili, Ex.

MP Manipur Outer Mani Charanemei, President, UNC Samson Remei, General Secretary, Naga Women's Union Marigold and President, SDSA Pfokre Khrasi spoke at the public meeting.

The speakers decried the acts of the GoM and its policies based on militarism and communalism.

Samson spoke at length about the immediate issues and the manner in which the GOM has responded to the yearning of the Nagas by creating a war-like situation in Naga areas.

The Khumji incident of May 28, where Manipur security forces opened fired at civilians without any reasons and also assaulted civilians was pointed out by speakers as signs of the militaristic and communal attitude of the GOM towards the hill people including Nagas.

The Speakers also pointed out the insincerity of the Government of India and its dilly-dallying tactics in resolving the Indo-Naga political issue and demanded the GOI to step up its effort to resolve the issue immediately.

They also pointed out the bias reporting and misrepresentation of news indulged by the media and urged them to hold true to their professional ethics of objective and balanced reporting.

The public reaffirmed their support for the ongoing peace process and the decision taken by the Nagas to sever ties with the Government of Manipur and its collaborators, the note added.