Imphal, December 27 2009: Reacting to the appeal of Home Minister P Chidambaram to ULFA and UNLF as reported in a section of the media a few days ago, the proscribed UNLF has brushed aside the appeal saying that it lacked substance.

In a statement issued by its senior publicity officer Ksh Yoiheiba, the outfit asserted that the Home Minister deliberately relegated the basic political conflict to a development issue by stating that the Government of India was willing to look at 'new governing structures' to take care of the development agenda of the North East.

He also reportedly stated, "A couple of groups like the ULFA and the UNLF are still carrying out violent activities.

To them we say, give up the demand for sovereignty.

Give up violence and we can talk of anything.

"So far as the UNLF and the people of Manipur are concerned, we have nothing to demand from the Government of India.

We simply want what was and ought to be ours - sovereignty and independence of Manipur.

This is the crux of the Manipur-India conflict that began with the forcible annexation of Manipur by India in 1949.So, to the Indian Home Minister we say, we do not have anything to talk of, except sovereignty", the outfit retorted.

The 'violence' India's Home Minister spoke about is actually the right of peoples and Nations to resort to any and all forms of struggle, including armed struggle, to assert their right to national self determination as recognised by International law, the UNLF stated.

"In Manipur's case it is the right to regain her lost sovereignty and independence.

In order to assert this right, we took up arms only when the Indian State began to use heavy military force to suppress our unarmed movement.

Our 'violence' is not violence as such, it is National liberation struggle", the outfit claimed.

The Home Minister should be well advised that if at all there is violence to be stopped, it is the Indian State violence, the State excesses being unleashed against unarmed people of Manipur.

This State violence has taken more than 700 innocent lives of Manipur this year alone.

On the other hand, the UNLF has not touched even a single innocent person inside India, asserted the outfit while adding "certainly, the Indian Home Minister is not unaware of this indisputable fact.

"The UNLF will never compromise on the issue of sovereignty on the issue of sovereignty and independence of Manipur.

Not even the biggest development package under a new 'governing structure' within the Indian Union can buy us out", the outfit declared.

However, UNLF being a party having faith and belief in genuine democracy, declared with all sincerity and earnestness in January 2005 that the Manipur-India conflict could be resolved, once and for all, by a plebiscite conducted under UN supervision.

The UNLF further announced that it will honour the result of such a plebiscite.

The UNLF made this proposal because it respects and believes in the collective wisdom and strength of the people, which is the essence of democracy, the outfit reminded.

However, India, despite being the 'largest democracy', seems to be lacking the moral strength to accept the challenge, it remarked.

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