Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Imphal, April 01 2010:
The United Naga Council (UNC) has called a 12-hour 'chakka bandh' in Manipur hill areas on April 6 against the present status of the 'imposed legislation' with special reference to the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act 1971 and amended in 2008 which has been 'rejected outrightly'.
The decision to impose bandh on April 6 was taken today in Senapati where a 'consultative meeting' of the Naga frontal organisations.
Informing Newmai News Network tonight, a UNC source said a consultative meeting of the Naga frontal organisations was held in this connection at Senapati on Thursday under the banner of the United Naga Council (UNC), the apex body of Naga frontal organisations in Manipur.
The source said that 'executive members' of United Naga Council, Naga Women's Union, Manipur (NWUM), All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM), Naga Peoples' Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), Naga Peoples' Organisation (Senapati), Zeliangrong Interim Body (ZIB) and the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) attended the meeting.
The members present deliberated on the present status of the imposed legislation with special reference to the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act 1971 and amended in 2008 which has been rejected outrightly during the 'consultative meeting' of Naga frontal organisations, village chiefs/headmen/chairmen at Ukhrul, Taphou, Tadubi, Kangshang, Chandel and Temenglong with the adoption of certain decisions.
In all the 'consultative meetings in the district of Chandel, Tamenglong, Senapati and Ukhrul, the Naga organisations and Naga village leaders adopted decisions that the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act 1971 and the Amended Act 2008 should be rejected in its present form and content, as the said Act does not protect and safeguard the rights of the people and to urge the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) to immediately defer the enforcement of the Act.
Another decision says that the elected representatives be urged to review the Act.
That after a thorough deliberation by the members present today in Senapati event, the meeting adopted that the first phase action plans and further steps would be initiated if necessary as solidarity to the decision of rejecting the said Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act 1971 and amended in 2008 at different regional HQs on April 5, 2010 and also to observe a solidarity protest against the aforesaid Act by imposing a 12-hour chakka bandh from 6 am of April 6 .
Today's consultative meeting also decided that the respective tribal Hohos be empowered to take necessary steps to enforce the rejection of the aforesaid Act.