UNC seeks PM's intervention, sets deadline
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 28 2013: Reminding that the 4th round of tripartite talk of the GoI, GoM and the UNC on the demand for an Alternative Arrangement at Delhi on August 31 last year concluded with an announcement by the GoI that the next round of talk would be held very soon in a hill venue in the State, the United Naga Council has urged the Centre to communicate the date for the 5th round of tripartite talk on or before February 17, 2013 so that the democratic process of dialogue initiated by the GoI is brought to its logical conclusion.

Referring to the memoranda dated November 27 and December 23, 2012 jointly signed by the United Naga Council (UNC) and 22 other Naga frontal organisations and constituent tribe units urging your good office for an early and honourable settlement of the Indo-Naga political issue, the United Naga Council (UNC) has sought immediate intervention of the Prime Minister with regard to their demand for an Alternative Arrangement outside Government of Manipur pending settlement of the Indo-Naga political issue, said a memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister.

The UNC informed the Prime Minister, "We live in the present State of Manipur in a communally surcharged environment which is worsening by the day" .

Nagas have been exercising outmost restraint and the 72 hours bandh in Naga areas from the midnight of December 26 to the midnight of December 29 last year was observed largely with precautions to prevent any untoward incident in Naga areas given the alleged assaults, taunting, humiliations and torturous hardship systematically inflicted upon Nagas in Imphal during Christmas eve, it alleged.

Claiming that Nagas are not communal and theirs is a political issue, the UNC stated that they do not wish for any communal conflagration to take place because of the inability on the part of the GoM and the communal forces to accept the inevitable and the logical conclusion of the Naga peoples' movement for their political aspirations rooted in their history and situation.

"What we wish for is peaceful parting of ways and the securing of good neighbourliness for all times to come", it reiterated.

Settlement of the Indo-Naga issue is being delayed even after more than 15 years of negotiation by the GoI, which seems to be subjecting the process to the approval of a State of the Union which is not a party to the process.

The delay is enthusing the GoM and communal forces that informs its decisions and policies to adopt more communal strategies, it alleged.

Despite all the memoranda, the GoI has not made any intervention to prevent a full scale communal conflict, which is clearly inevitable should the forced and undesirable union be allowed to fester deeper, UNC alleged.

The GoI would therefore be responsible for any unfortunate turn of events arising out of this situation.

Saying that it still retains its faith in the principles of democracy, the UNC urged the GoI to take up the demand for an Alternative Arrangement for the Nagas in Manipur outside the GoM pending settlement of the Indo-Naga issue in all seriousness and sense of urgency.

"Should the requested response be not received in time we will have to take up course of actions in protests against the GoI's disrespect and undermining the democratic process of dialogue and inaction in addressing the constitutional and democratic rights of the Nagas in Manipur", it asserted.

The UNC further expressed concern over the postures being adopted by certain groups allegedly without any historical or political basis in connivance with the communal GoM with the intention of disturbing the Indo-Naga peace process.

It said the Prime Minister had been already urged against taking cognizance of such frivolous postulation.

As highlighted through their earlier memoranda, the UNC also alleged that Nagas were subjected communal onslaught in Manipur by the dominant community of Imphal valley, the Imphal valley based militants and the communal GoM during the indefinite bandh imposed in Imphal valley with effect from midnight of December 21 in protest against the reported incident of the manhandling of an actress Momoko by one Livingstone, a cadre of the NSCN(IM) at Chandel on December 18 last year.

The main target of the communal forces was to disturb the celebration of Christmas.

It was a premeditated attack on Nagas and on Christians.

A localized incident, which had no political or communal implication has been exploited and blown out of proportion.

The intention for the same was also clear which was to disturb the impending settlement of the Indo-Naga issue by wiping up communal response from the Imphal valley, it alleged.

Comment