UNC calls bandh in Naga areas from June 16 to 18
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, June 10 2014: United Naga Council (UNC) has announced to call a 48-hour bandh in Naga areas of Manipur from midnight of June 16 till midnight of June 18 in protest against what it calls 'communal onslaught' of Manipur Government that continues relentlessly through administrative orders, gazettes, notifications etc.

to usurp the land and destroy the traditional institutions and village republics of the Nagas and tribals.

However, medical services, fire-brigade, media, power and telecommunication departments will be exempted from the purview of the total bandh.

Issuing a statement in this regard today, UNC said that although there is a process of dialogue of the Government of Manipur, Government of India and the Nagas in Manipur under the aegis of the United Naga Council (UNC) to address the demand for an alternative arrangement for the Nagas in Manipur outside the Government of Manipur, pending settlement of the Indo-Naga issue, in utter disrespect of the democratic process, the 'communal onslaught' of the Government of Manipur continues relentlessly through administrative orders, gazettes, notifications etc.

to usurp the land and destroy the traditional institutions and village republics of the Nagas and tribals.

Instead of amending the Village Authority Act of 1956 and empowering their traditional institutions which has been the long standing demand of the tribals, the Government of Manipur has issued an office memorandum dated 6th January 2014 in its Gazette for establishment of "Village Development Committee" (VDC) in each village in the name of development.

The VDCs are to be chosen by the general body of the village but without the involvement nor endorsement of the village council/village authority, the ultimate traditional authority of the village.

Instead of strengthening the village council/village authority, a parallel body with development function is to be put in place.

The village which is the primary polity of the tribals is being pushed into a conflict and division situation.

This is a move to destroy the village republic system of the Nagas and the tribals, UNC said.

It further said that although Manipur Land Revenue & Land Reforms Act, 1960 (MLR&LR Act) is not applicable in the tribal area of the hills, the Government of Manipur after passing the bill for a Separate Revenue Directorate for the Hills in 2012, has proceeded with notifications dated 3rd March 2014 to extend the jurisdiction of the Revenue Tribunal Manipur to Ukhrul, Tamenglong, Chandel and Churachandpur and the District Judge, Senapati has been appointed as the Presiding Officer, Revenue Tribunal Senapati.

Every Naga village and tribe has their own distinct territorial boundary and jurisdiction.

The tribals have their own way of life.

To them the land and the people cannot be parted as their culture, tradition and identity are interwoven with the land.

The constitution of Revenue tribunals in the tribal districts is a subtle move to get around the MLR&LR Act and legitimize the usurpation of the ancestral lands of the tribals.

There is clear intent to alienate the tribals from their traditional land and weaken their village republics by stealth and seemingly innocuous administrative orders/notifications and to also deprive them of every opportunity, UNC alleged, while pointing out that free prior informed consent of the tribals, the stakeholders are not obtained.

This is an alarming situation where the tribals have to be ever vigilant and the intervention of the Government of India with an alternative arrangement outside of the Government of Manipur therefore assumes greater urgency to prevent the legitimisation of the usurpation of the lands of the tribals and destruction of their traditional institutions, UNC added.

While soliciting the cooperation and goodwill of the general public towards making the protest programme peaceful and violence free, UNC has also cautioned that anybody violating the total bandh would be doing so at their own risk.

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