UNC calls total shut-down in Naga areas
Source: Chronicle News Service / NNN

Senapati/Kohima, January 24 2022: The United Naga Council (UNC) has announced to impose a 6-hour "total shut-down" on January 26 (Republic Day) to demonstrate the Naga people's resentment against "delaying and frequent backtracking" on the political settlement of the "historic Indo-Naga Framework Agreement" even after more than 6 years of signing and also for not delivering justice to the victims of Oting villagers on December 4 and 5, 2021, till date.

The "total shut-down" will begin from 6 am .

The UNC said that this measure is in continuation to the press statement of January 23, 2022 pursuant to the declaration of the United Naga Council presidential council meeting held on January 19, 2022 at Senapati headquarters that the Naga people in Manipur will abstain from participation in the India's Republic Day as a part of its non-cooperation movement.

As such, "tribe hohos, district apex organisations, Naga frontal organisations and regional organisations are requested that this directive is strictly enforced in their respective jurisdictions" .

Similarly, various Naga groups and organisations in Nagaland and Manipur have decided to abstain from Republic Day celebration and urged people to refrain from participating in the national event to protest the killing of 14 civilians by the security forces in December and delay in Naga peace process.

The Naga organisations, including Eastern Nagaland People's Organisation (ENPO), All Naga Students' Association Manipur (ANSAM) and United Naga Council (UNC), are also strongly opposing the Armed Forces (Special Power) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) and demanding repeal of the "draconian law" .

The ENPO, ANSAM, UNC and various other Naga organisations in Nagaland and Manipur in separate statements on Sunday and Monday strongly criticised the Centre for not giving justice yet to the killings of 14 civilians by the security forces in Mon district of Nagaland on December 4 and 5 last year.

In separate letters to the various Naga organisations and tribal leaders in Nagaland, the ENPO said that in its joint consultative meeting with all Naga civil society organisations on December 14 last year at Longleng, it had resolved that the public of eastern Nagaland shall extend non-cooperation to the Indian security forces until justice is delivered to the victims' families in particular and the people of Nagas in general against the gruesome killings of 14 innocent people.

"The non-cooperation shall be in the form of abstinence from any national celebrations, or such activities.

In accordance with the previous resolution, the people of eastern Nagaland shall not participate in the forthcoming Republic Day celebration on January 26," said the letters jointly signed by R Tsapikiu Sangtam, President, ENPO and C Manlang Phom, General Secretary, ENPO.

The ANSAM, in its communication, said that in pursuance to the directive of the UNC, all the constituent units and subordinate bodies of the ANSAM were requested to "strictly enforce the directive in their respective jurisdiction in order to register their strong resentment against the government of India for prolong delaying of the political settlement to the Naga issues and frequent backtracking from the framework agreement signed on August 3, 2015 .

"No student and schools should participate in the ensuing Republic Day celebration on January 26," said the ANSAM directive, signed by the organisation's General Secretary AC Thotso.

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