UCM, AMUCO make stand clear to Delhi
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 08 2012: The United Committee Manipur (UCM) and the All Manipur United Clubs' Organisation (AMUCO) have warned both the Government of India and the State Government against offering any greater autonomous council to NSCN-IM on the soil of Manipur.

Quoting a report published recently in the Guwahati based Seven Sisters' Post, UCM and AMUCO warned that New Delhi's design to offer greater autonomy or autonomous council to NSCN-IM in place of supra state body was unacceptable.

New Delhi should not play with the territorial integrity by coining such terms as greater Lim, supra state body or greater autonomous council.

Categorically stating that the people of Manipur would not tolerate any challenge to the territorial integrity of Manipur, UCM and AMUCO demanded New Delhi to aboort its agenda of redrawing the political boundary of neighbouring States in their efforts to resolve the issue of insurgency in Nagaland.

Reminding that the political boundary of Manipur was not a recent arrangement but was drawn with blood by the forefathers of Manipuri nation, UCM and AMUCO asserted that the Manipuri people are always ready to sacrifice their own lives in order to protect the territorial integrity of Manipur which is more than 2000 years old.

It is not a wise policy for the State Government to remain silent at such a situation, they decried in a joint statement.

To allow establishment of another Government within the territory of Manipur obviously means reinstating a second Chief Minister, parallel to incumbent Chief Minister O Ibobi.

They advised the incumbent Chief Minister to pay more attention in safeguarding the territorial integrity of Manipur rather than clinging to the parochial mindset of ruling only the valley districts.

After consulting the MLAs and Ministers, the Government of Manipur should convene an emergency 'mid-night session' of the State Assembly, and re-endorse the earlier resolution to protect integrity of Manipur, UCM and AMUCO demanded.

They also reminded all the MLAs about the election promises to safeguard territorial integrity of Manipur.

Asserting that the massive, violent movement of June 18, 2001 was a result of the Government's callousness to the repeated warnings and reminders against any threat to the territorial integrity of Manipur, UCM and AMUCO asserted that they, together with the people of Manipur, are still standing firm for the integrity of Manipur.

It is unacceptable to re-draw the political boundaries of Northeastern States in order to appease a few people of Nagaland.

UCM and AMUCO have made all preparations to launch strong mass movements against the recent proposal of greater autonomous council, said the statement.

Calling upon the State Government to give up its policy of remaining mute at such critical junctures, the two civil organisations asked the State Government to apprise New Delhi about the Manipuri nation's unflinching stance on their territorial integrity.

UCM and AMUCO further demanded that the State Government should make public their position on the recent proposal of New Delhi which was reported by the Seven Sisters' Post.

The State Government should not commit the blunder of waiting for another violent mass movement, they warned while calling upon the people to gear up for any course of action that may be taken up to safeguard the integrity of Manipur.

The statement also listed a number of criminal activities committed by NSCN-IM on the soil of Manipur in total violation of the ceasefire ground rules.

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