UNC, TNL, ANSAM demand lifting of curfew from Ukhrul
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN

Senapati/Ukhrul, July 13 2014: United Naga Council (UNC) has warned that if the prohibitory orders in Ukhrul town be not revoked immediately and the situation not allowed to normalize with the withdrawal of the police commandos and IRBs, appropriate and democratic civil actions will be taken up in protest in the entire Naga areas.

All tribe councils and frontal organizations have also been informed by UNC to be in readiness for effective enforcement of the protest against the infringement upon their democratic rights in their respective jurisdictions.

Following the killing of Ngalanzar Malue, Member of ADC Ukhrul and injury of two others by unidentified persons at Finch Corner, Ukhrul district on July 12, prohibitory orders under 144 Cr.

P.C was immediately promulgated at the instance of the Government of Manipur within and around Ukhrul district headquarters.

According to UNC, the denizens of Ukhrul town found themselves on Sunday morning, under curfew and their town "besieged by the provocative presence of Manipur police commandos in hundreds from Imphal valley, armed to the teeth and in battle ready armored cars.

The war like situation, created in Ukhrul town was reminiscent of May 6, 2010 incident at Mao Gate in the Manipur-Nagaland border, in which young and promising lives were cut short by the bullets of the armed police of the communal GoM and hundreds of women and men were subjected to inhuman police brutality.

The promulgation of the prohibitory order was based on the preposterous apprehension of nuisance and disturbance of public tranquility, which the state police forces from Imphal valley have now brought about" .

"The communal action of the Government of Manipur is highly condemnable and is yet another insult to the Naga people.

It seeks to assert itself as a police state in Naga areas.

The Government of India as the custodian of the Constitution, which guarantees the democratic rights of the people must therefore expedite it intervention with an alternative arrangement outside the Government," the Naga body urged.

Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) and All Naga Students Association, Manipur (ANSAM) have also been irked by the promulgation of CrPC 144 in Ukhrul town by the district administration.

While the apex Tangkhul body TNL has urged the Deputy Commissioner of Ukhrul to revoke the CrPC 144, the Naga students' body has strongly condemned the action of security forces provoking the denizens of Ukhrul town.

TNL said the CrPC 144 has been clamped based on the apprehension of nuisance and disturbance of public tranquillity due to the killing of M Ngalangzar, a member of ADC.

"Your conclusion that there is an apprehension of nuisance and disturbance of public tranquillity is based on non-existing facts.

In fact, the promulgation of Section 144 Cr PC coupled with the fact that hundreds of IRB and Manipur police commandos from Imphal valley is deployed in Ukhrul, is highly provocative.

It is in fact fomenting the very situation that your order is trying to avert.

Therefore, in the interest of peace, it is absolutely necessary that your order be withdrawn immediately.

Any untoward incident resulting from the promulgation of Section 144 CrPC will be the sole responsibility of the government," the apex Tangkhul body cautioned.

On the other hand, ANSAM said it is deeply concerned by the raid and seizure of properties of the Wung Tangkhul Region office of NSCN-IM and arrest of its cadres by police commandos and Indian Reserve Battalion personnel.

"At a time when the Indo-Naga peace talk is at a crucial stage, the raid is nothing but an attempt by the communal Government of Manipur to derail the peace talks," ANSAM alleged.

ANSAM then said the promulgation of Section 144 CrPC based on the apprehension of nuisance and disturbance of public tranquillity due to the killing of M.Ngalangzar by the district administration is unwarranted and has no rationality.

It is creating a provocative environment for the public.

ANSAM stated that the heavy deployment of hundreds of Imphal based Manipur police commandos and Indian Reserve Battalion personnel is nothing but to rile up the public and create unwarranted law and order situation.

"They are deployed not to safeguard peace and rights of the people but to suppress peoples' aspiration for peace," it added.

"All these acts show that the government of Manipur will not stop at anything in its attempts to suppress the rights and aspirations of the Naga people.

Therefore, the Naga people should be prepared mentally and physically to stand up for their rights," ANSAM alerted.

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