Maring Uparup cries foul
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 14 2014: The Maring Uparup Assembly has decreed that if Isak Chisi Swu, chairman of the Government of Peoples' Republic of Nagalim does not revoke his order which recognised Uipo (Khoibu) as one of the Naga tribes then all Maring 'National workers' should resign on moral ground before September 18 .

Anyone failing to heed the decree shall be socially boycotted and considered anti-Maring, said the Maring Uparup Assembly (MUA).

In a statement issued to the press today, the Maring Uparup Assembly said that the Maring people are not against the GPRN/NSCN (IM) but added that they are however against the order of Isak Chisi Swu which recognised Uipo (Khoibu) as a tribe without taking into confidence the leaders of the Assembly.

Giving details, the MUA said that Isak Chisi Swu issued an order on July 21 this year recognising Uipo (Khoibu) as one of the Naga tribes.

Following this order, the Maring frontal organisations held a meeting on July 24 and decided to approach the collective leadership of the outfit to withdraw or revoke the said order.

During a meeting with the collective leadership on August 1 this year at New Delhi, the MUA was told that the order was in line with the Naga National principle which states that if any group of people approach them for recognition as a tribe on the basis of separate identity-history, tradition, culture, customary practices, attires and ornaments the recognition is not denied.

Moreover the MUA was told that the identity of the Maring tribe cannot be threatened by the Uipo (Khoibu) tribe.

Following this, leaders of Maring frontal organisations convened a public meeting on August 6 where the order of Swu was unanimously rejected on different grounds.

MUA said that the order of Swu was against the principle of formation of Joint Working Committee (JWC) collectively by the Maring frontal organisations, the Khoibu Tribe Demand Committee and the GPRN represented by AC Maring, the then secretary, Planning of the outfit.

The Maring body further said that the outfit unilaterally took over the matter from the JWC and did not take into confidence the Maring Hoho before issuing the recognition order of Khoibu as a tribe.

The Maring people respect the National principle of the GPRN, but at the same time the claim of uniqueness of Khoibu identity has to be authenticated.

Recognising any Naga tribe without doing this will be a mockery of National principle and suicidal, said MUA.

The Maring people feel that the decision was taken without hearing all the parties involved as well as without taking the progress of the JWC.

Not only is it unjust and unacceptable, it is imposition, asserted MUA.

To the utter surprise of the Maring people, the GPRN responded by issuing a ban order on August 13 which prohibited a public meeting of the Maring people scheduled on August 16 and added that the genuine voice of the Maring people does not count much to the outfit.

Despite the order from the outfit, the MUA convened a public meeting on August 25 wherein the Maring public unanimously resolved to reject order number GPRN/KK/ESTT/30/14/23 .

Way back in 2011, it was agreed that the issue of Uipo (Khoibu) tribe recognition is an internal matter of the Maring tribe and subsequently, both the parties agreed to reconcile and form the JWC to work out modalities for accommodative arrangement on December 4, 2011, added MUA.

This was followed by a reconciliation on April 27, 2012 and many positive developments have come about, it said and added that the order recognising Uipo (Khoibu) as a separate Naga tribe is not at all expected and acceptable to the Maring public.

Comment