Imphal, January 21 2010: Major underground groups of the region, including the umbrella oganisation Manipur People's Liberation Front, MPLF of Manipur have called for a boycott of this year's Republic Day.

A joint solidarity e-mail statement was issued by the Kamatapur Liberation Organization, KLO, the MPLF, Tripura People's Democratic Front, TPDF and the United Liberation Front of Asom, ULFA calling for a general strike from 1 am to 5.30 pm on January 26 as part of the boycott to the Republic Day of the country Thursday.

The statement said that for over a decade now, the peoples of the region are struggling for freedom and independence.

The boycott of Republic Day with the observance of general strike every year on 26 January is a symbolic rejection of Indian Constitution.

Like the previous year the boycott is being observed in the entire region.

It will cover all forms of transportation and movement of all kinds of vehicles, all forms of entertainments including cinema shows and all activities of trade and commerce.

However, the media, medical services and religious ceremonies shall be kept outside the purview of the general strike.

"We appeal to the peoples of the region to remain indoors during the general strike," the statement added.

India's Republic Day is the day the Indian constitution was imposed on the people of the region sixty years ago as their legal instrument of colonial rule.

This alien constitution has wrought havoc in our region, creating all sorts of social, cultural and political disharmony, all in the name of democracy, said the statement.

"Therefore, our national liberation struggles has the essential aspect of rejection and undoing of the Indian constitution even during the process of the struggle" .

The statement also called the people not to forget that sovereignty and independence is the only issue of the conflict between our region and India.

The conflict can be satisfactorily resolved only when the core issue is addressed, either by a plebiscite or by voluntary recognition of our legitimate aspirations by the Indian government.

But, time and again history has shown us how the government of India is only creating divisions and factions within our struggle through their so-called "peace talks".

It is time that we learnt this historical lesson so that we do not fall in the same pit again, the statement continued.

It further appealed to all the patriotic organizations of the region to endorse this solidarity statement and observe the boycott and general strike in their own capacity.

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