Source: The Sangai Express
Guwahati, July 21:
The All- Naga Student�s Association, Manipur, today alleged that �unseen forces� were instigating the Meitei to act violently against the ceasefire extension.
�We see no reason why our Meitei brothers should act as they are doing now unless they have been instigated by some unseen forces� here is a hidden agenda behind the protests,� the president of the ANSAM, S K John, who was here to attend the meeting of the North East Students� Organization said here.
John said that some people may be trying to derail the peace process for political or other gains and the scar on the social fabric of the state where the Meiteis and Nagas lived in harmony for so long will take a long time to heal �if at all it heals�.
The cease fire extension was not a threat to the territorial integrity of Manipur but was the �aspiration of all Nagas, scattered over a large area, to live under one administration set-up,� he said.
�The ceasefire extension has been done only to create a conducive atmosphere so that the Naga peace process is taken to its logical conclusion�, John added.
Asked if the Manipur Nagas would agree to some sort of an autonomous set-up within the state of Manipur, he said, �It can only be a temporary solution�.
John described the situation in Manipur as grave and most of the Nagas living in Imphal have fled to the hills for the fear of their lives.
He claimed that the voice of the Nagas are never heard in the state and alleged that the Manipuri press was biased as it is �either run by the Meitei or influenced by the majority community�.
He also lamented the lack of representation of the Nagas in the legislature as another reason for the plight of the Nagas.
�Out of the 60 MLAs in the suspended Assembly, there are only nine Naga MLAs while the Meiteis have 40,� he added.