ANSAM petitions Shinde on Alternative Arrangement
Source: The Sangai Express

Senapati, August 07, 2012: The All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM) has submitted a memorandum to Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on August 6 urging him to take up needed task by August 10 for resuming the 'tripartite talks' on the 'Alternative Arrangement' for Nagas of Manipur or else the students' body would resort to severe form of agitation.

The memorandum signed by ANSAM chief J Kumo Sha and general secretary Seth Satshang said, "The tripartite talk of the Government of India, the Government of Manipur and the United Naga Council (UNC) to address the demand for alternative arrangement for the Nagas in Manipur outside the Government of Manipur pending settlement of the Indo-Naga issue was put in place at the instance of your esteemed predecessor esteemed predecessor Shri P.Chidambaram.

When Shri Chidambarm received the memorandum of the UNC demanding an alternative arrangement on behalf of the Hon'ble Prime Minister on the 14th September, 2010 at North Block, Delhi, he had fervently requested the UNC to participate in the tripartite dialogue process and put across our views over the table".

The Naga students' body recalls that the first tripartite talk took place on September 21, 2010 at Delhi.

The second round was held at Senapati (Tahamzam), Manipur on the 3rd of December, 2010 after almost 2 and half months.

The third and last round took place at Senapati(Tahamzam) on the 30th June, 2011 after lapse of almost 6 months.

Inspite of repeated reminders from the UNC, the tripartite talk has not been carried forward even after lapse of more than 13 months and the democratic process of dialogue has been left in a limbo, according to the memorandum.

"After having written again to the Ministry of Home Affairs on the 13th April, 2012 requesting for early holding of the next round of talks to which no response was received, the Nagas observed a 48 hours total bandh with effect from the midnight of 16th June, 2012 in Naga areas to protest against the lack of sincerity on the part of the GoI and the Government of Manipur.

Even after having registered our protest in such strong measures, there was still no response from the Government.

Thus it was decided that a 96 hours total bandh would be called with effect from the midnight of 23rd July, 2012.On receiving a communication dated 18th July, 2012 from the MHA that the matter of the tripartite talk was under the active consideration of the GoI and in continuation another communication dated 21st July, 2012 requested for withdrawal of the bandh, the UNC had on the 22nd July, 2012 deferred the agitation which would be reverted to if no arrangement for holding of the tripartite talk is made or initiative for intervention with an alternative arrangement is taken up by the 10th August, 2012," it mentioned.

It will be appreciated that the demand for an alternative arrangement for the Nagas in Manipur has been based on the unmistakeable facts that called for severance of ties with the communal Government of Manipur.

No other than the hon'ble Prime Minister has observed with concern over the sharp social divide in the state of Manipur on communal lines.

The explosive situation worsens by the day.

ANSAM then rues that the Naga youth and students have no future in the present situation and system of subjugation, oppression and hegemony by "the communal" government of Manipur.

It said of what meaning and of what use can the education of lakhs of "our students be if our identity and history, rights to our land and resources, cultures and traditional practice and our aspirations" as a people are denied and usurped.

ANSAM then stated that the Naga students do not study and labour in institutions of learning to become mere second class citizens muffled up by the voice of the dominant community and the communal state government.

ANSAM asserted that the demand for alternative arrangement outside the Government of Manipur has to be addressed very seriously and sincerely.

"We are raising our voices today.

But our younger brother and sisters will also do so in their time if the same system of suppression is allowed to continue .

Manipur will continue to be a troubled state unless the aspiration of the Nagas and tribal people are addressed in alternative arrangement outside the Government of Manipur".

"It is at this critical juncture that we are making this submission for your personal intervention so that the dialogue process is taken to its logical end to serve the ends of democracy and justice.

With firm belief in the democratic approach and in the sincerity of the GoI, the Nagas in Manipur under the mature leadership of the UNC have explored all possible democratic means.

If however the approach of the GoI is just an attempt to buy time with no real intention to address the issue then we will have no option but to take up actions that we deem fit and necessary.

"Our request through this submission is that the GoI must have the political will to take forward the dialogue process to its logical conclusion or alternatively, because our case is already established and registered and recognised, initiate at the earliest possible time the process of intervention with an alternative arrangement," the Naga students' body stated.

It then said, "Having put on record our earnest request in the submission, our response would solely rest on the response from the Government of India and how it goes about to fulfil its constitutional obligations with seriousness and sincerity".

Comment