Resolve blockade issue : Nagas in Delhi
Source: The Sangai Express / ANI

New Delhi, December 03 2016: Expressing concern over the grave situation in Naga areas caused due to the economic blockade called by the United Naga Council, the Committee for Joint Naga Civil Societies, Delhi, organised a sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar here.

Appealing to the Centre to deal with the situation quickly, the committee highlighted their struggle for the inclusion of Naga territories and population in Manipur and condemned the unprecedented arrest of the UNC president Gaidon Kamei.

The convenor of the committee, Lakpachui Shiro, said, "The Manipur Government is not interested in resolving this issue.

We know that there has been a counter blockade and volunteers from the dominant community have been vandalising the properties and targeting our innocent civilians, but we don't see any efforts from the State Government to control the counter blockades which is targeting innocent civilians.

The Manipur Government has been discriminating us and sidelining us in every aspect and that can be forgettable but he cannot force us to starve.

It is painful for us to see our children and parents suffering due to the economic blockade.

"Last time, the Ministry of Home Affairs invited us for tripartite talks, but the Manipur Government did not turn up giving excuses which are not even logical.

Whereas, the UNC came for the discussion but the State Government is not ready to solve the issue.

They are just trying to create communal and social tension among the people so that they can come back to power by creating a huge situation of polarisation," he added.

"The United Naga Council is not a criminal organisation; it represents every Naga.

We have 18 Naga tribes and they have sovereign authority.

Gaidon represents the voice of Nagas as far as our land is concerned, our tradition and customary laws are concerned.

He cannot be simply dismissed.

Therefore, he has every right to assert what is important for the Nagas and aspirations of the Nagas.

We condemn the arrest of the president by the Manipur Police as this is an insult for us," Shiro said.

He further informed that the committee earlier had met Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju and apprised him about the ongoing situation.

They said the Centre has every right to intervene in the present crisis in Manipur and look for ways to resolve it.

However, in total disregard of the four Memoranda of Understanding signed between the Naga people and the Government of Manipur, no Sadar district or Jiribam district shall be created without the consent of the Nagas, but Chief Minister Ibobi Singh has forcedly imposed it.

The UNC has called for an economic blockade on the two National Highways (NH-2 and NH-37) passing through the Naga areas in Senapati and Tamenglong districts respectively.

Further, the committee urged for the immediate and unconditional release of the UNC leaders and reiterated that the UNC leaders are not criminals but leaders of the Naga people.

Meanwhile, efforts are on to meet Prime Minister Modi to make an impression that the land, identity and politics of the Nagas are subjects of the current ongoing political talks between Govt of India and the NSCN.

India must rein in its institutional agencies like the State of Manipur and stop them from creating any problems to the Naga-India political talk.

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