Ukhrul rally against ceding Choro valley to Myanmar
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Pamreiso Shimray
Ukhrul, September 21 2013 :
A public rally was staged at Ukhrul town on Saturday to register protest against the proposal of government of India to cede Zingshophai Choro village to Myanmar.
Hundreds of people including students from various schools turned out to the streets and staged the protest march from both ends of the town to converge at Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) ground where a public meeting was later held.
To register their strong opposition to the proposal of ceding Zingsophai Choro village, a 1-km square valley under Kamjong sub-division of Manipur's Ukhrul district, at the expense of Moreh to Myanmar, the rallyists shouted slogans: ''Naga's land is not for sale,'' Choro is not a no man's land,'' ''Government of Manipur don't steal Tangkhul village'', etc.
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In an address during the public meeting, a senior legal eye Daniel Ramsan asserted the rights of tribal as enshrined in the Constitution of India, while referring to Article 371(C) which emphasises special provision accorded to the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) of the state.
He also stated that the tribal legislators, who are all members of HAC, should decide on the matter and it's their rights empowered by the Constitution.
Former NESO advisor Artax A Shimray and TNL ex-president Ramthing Hungyo also addressed the public meeting, vehemently asserting the rights of Nagas in the matter of land.
Today's public rally was organised jointly by Tangkhul organisations namely TNL, TSL, TKS, TMNL and zonal Longphangs.
Simultaneously, the protest march was also held at Phungyar and Kamjong.
A memorandum was later submitted to India's Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh through the office of Ukhrul DC.