'Threatened' by NSCN-IM...Zeliangrong CSOs seek MHA's intervention
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 29 2018: Alleging that the NSCN-IM has decided to eliminate all leaders of Zeliangrong civil organizations including Zeliangrong Baudi (ZB), Zeliangrong Youth Front (ZYF) and All Zeliangrong Students' Union (AZSU), the three organisations have sought immediate intervention of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Informing that the NSCN (JJM) has been interfering into the identity issue and internal affairs of the Zeliangrong people every now and then, the Zeliangrong civil organizations have asserted that the identity issue and internal affairs of the Zeliangrong people are not related to the militant group (NSCN-IM).

The Zeliangrong civil organizations also conveyed that a letter has also been written to the Union Home Minister, seeking immediate intervention on the issue.

Addressing a press meet held today at Manipur Press Club, Zeliangrong Baudi president Athuan Abonmai claimed that Zeliangrong tribes have been living in Assam, Manipur and Nagaland since time immemorial although the tribes have been given different names in the respective States by the British colonial rulers and the Government of India after the respective States were merged into the Indian Union.

However, in the year 1987, the Anthropological Survey of India (ASI) based on its definition, "Ethno cultural entity is valid concept" did a thorough research and came come to the conclusion that "Zeliangrong is a tribe speaking four dialects", he said.

He further alleged that NSCN-IM's Tatar Hoho took a decision on March 23, 2018 to trifurcate the Zeliangrong into three distinct tribes and Zeme, Liangmei and Rongmei were recognised as separate tribes in pursuant to a directive of the vice president of the NSCN/GPRN to Tatar Hoho issued on March 17, 2018 .

The NSCN/GPRN (IM) which is an underground outfit does not have any authority to decide on Zeliangrong identity issue and is neither the duty nor the business of the militant group to ban the Zeliangrong civil organisations or declare them terrorist organizations when its attempt to impose its will was rejected, Athuan Abonmai said.

The decision of the NSCN/GPRN (IM) to eliminate the leaders of the Zeliangrong civil organizations after their failure to convince the Zeliangrong people to accept their diktat shows its utter desperation, he added.

He also claimed that the leaders of the Zeliangrong civil organizations had conducted a number of consultation meetings at different places in the States of Assam, Manipur and Nagaland with the Zeliangrong people and adopted resolutions and declaration and had also written a letter addressed to the vice president of NSCN-IM to revoke its arbitrary decision of trifurcating the Zeliangrong into three distinct tribes.

He went on to say that the NSCN-IM after trifurcation of the Zeliangrong into three distinct tribes, issued an order to different frontal organizations for affiliation of Zeme, Liangmei and Rongmei into their respective folds as separate and distinct tribes instead of revoking its arbitrary decision.

He also asserted that the leaders of Zeliangrong civil organizations avoided meetings called on different dates by the NSCN/GPRN(IM) in the past as they perceived threat from the militant group and felt insecure to attend the meetings.

The collective leadership of the militant group had issued a directive to its Kilo Ministry on July 16, 2018 to take up necessary action deemed appropriate against the Zeliangrong leaders of the ZB (AMN), ZYF (AMN) and AZSU (AMN), particularly against the presidents of these organizations for opposing the diktat and interference into the identity issue of the Zeliangrong by the NSCN/GPRN (IM), he conveyed.

Condemning the alleged interference of NSCN/GPRN (IM) into the internal affairs of Zeliangrong tribes and the attempt to impose their will upon the civil organizations, Abonmai maintained that ZB (AMN), ZYF (AMN) and AZSU (AMN) have been only working to build integrity of Zeliangrong tribes in the three States of Assam, Manipur and Nagaland apart from protecting and preserving the identity of the tribes.

They never ever challenge any militant group or any organization, he added.

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