CSOs seek clarification on Naga accord
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 06 2018:
Expressing strong apprehension on the possible outcome of the Naga peace talk which has been going on between NSCN (IM) and the Central Government, apex civil society organisations of the State have demanded clarification from the Prime Minister's Office, the Union Home Minister and other Central Government leaders regarding therecent news report carried by the Indian Express about the Centre finalising substantive portions of the peace accord and the possibility to seal the accord before the Monsoon session of Parliament.
Addressing a press meet held today at its office, AMUCO president Ph Deban decried that the Central Government and its interlocutor seem not committed to keep their assurances given to the joint team of CSOs when they met and held talks in December last year.
He reminded that the a joint team led by AMUCO, CCSK and UCM camped and campaigned at Delhi for several days against any possible undesirable effect of the Framework Agreement signed between the Government of India and NSCN-IM on August 3, 2015 on Manipur.
When the joint team met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and interlocutor RN Ravi, they assured that there will be no question of redrawing the boundaries of the neighbouring States of Nagaland including Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
The joint team also submitted a six-point memorandum to the Prime Minister on December 10, 2017 .
He contended that the Central Government's final draft (as reported by the Indian Express) has many objectionable and unacceptable points such as providing autonomous Naga territorial councils for Manipur and Arunachal and a common cultural body for Nagas across States.
The proposal mentioned in the draft accord for imposing restrictions on selling and buying lands in Manipur valley looks like a poor technique to ward off any adverse reaction, he said adding that the joint team of CSOs and people of Manipur will never compromise the State's integrity and interest.
He categorically stated that the final draft as mentioned in the report of the Indian Express does not honour point number 3"of the memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister.
The point number 3 of the memorandum says that steps that might be taken up by GoI which directly or indirectly seem to endorse the long-standing demand of the NSCN (IM) for integration of Naga inhabited areas such as Pan Naga Cultural Provincial/Territorial Council or any arrangement relating to financial autonomy to ethnic based administrative arrangement (division) or any (other name) structural formation in similar line is unacceptable to the people of Manipur, pointed out the AMUCO president.
UCM president Sunil Karam who also attended the press meet observed that making secret agreement between a party and Government on matters relating to a State and public interest in a democratic country does not have any sense while lamenting that the matter of finalising a draft regarding the Naga Accord has only multiplied people's anxiety which has been disturbing the collective conscience of the people of Manipur since the initial days of the peace talk between NSCN (IM) and Centre.
He asked whether the Centre is making a calculated move to find a way of appeasement in lieu of the objectionable points/contents which had already been included in the final draft of the Naga Accord.
The draft as reported by the Indian Express also contains few things like repealing of AFSPA from the State.
However, the people of the State and the CSOs will not be trapped by such calculated moves of the Centre and will always stand against anything/any content which harm the interest of the State, he affirmed.
Regretting that the Central Government had failed to keep its promise that the stake holders of the State and State Government will be consulted before finalising the draft of Naga Accord, Sunil demanded that an emergency State Assembly session should be convened and the matter be discussed at length.
CCSK secretary Jitendra Ningomba said that the joint team of CSOs and people of Manipur will take concrete decisions on what should be done after taking views and opinions from the public, academicians and intellectuals at the earliest.
Many other office bearers of various CSOs too attended the press meet.
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