UNC repeats integration call
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Senapati, April 04 2023:
The attempt of the United Naga Council (UNC) to highlight the problem of the Naga political issues to G-20 delegates at Kohima fell flat as they reportedly couldn't find the platform to submit the memorandum.
The memorandum, which was made available to Newmai News Network tonight, said that it was "an urgent call for action by the international community to solve Naga political issues (India, Naga and Myanmar)" and stressed that "the integration of Naga territories is the inherent birth right of the Naga people, wherever they are" .
The UNC memorandum said, "taking this rare opportunity of the G20 Summit in Kohima, the UNC, on behalf of the Naga people in Manipur" reiterated the Naga people's aspiration to translate the peace talks into political reality.
The UNC memorandum said, "Keeping in mind the fluidity of situation arising out of the deadlock in the talks between the Government of India and National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN), resolutions were adopted during the course of the Naga People's Consultative Meeting on political issue on March 25, 2023 at Tahamzam, Southern Nagalim" .
One of the resolutions taken during the meeting is to call upon the Government of India to implement in letter and spirit the August 3, 2015 Framework Agreement while the second resolution mentioned that the integration of Naga territories is the inherent birth right of the Naga people, wherever they are.
The Council appealed to all concerned to remove all 'artificial' National and international boundaries which 'divide the Naga territories,' it added.
The UNC also observed that the Government of India has deliberately made a U-turn from the current Indo-Naga political dialogue.
Unless, serious, and renewed efforts are made to break the impasse, it will threaten regional and international instability, the Council cautioned and sought intervention of the international community to break the impasse between the Government of India and the NSCN 'because of trust deficit' .
The UNC also said that the Naga people's consultative meeting on Naga political issues discussed the current Indo-Naga political negotiation and seriously viewed that in the event of the breakdown of the political negotiation, the situation in Nagaland/Nagalim will escalate into a full-fledged armed conflict.
The UNC further said that the consultative meeting concluded that the Nagas represented by the NSCN entered into a political negotiation with the Government of India respecting democratic norms for resolving the issue through political negotiation.
"During the political negotiation, the unique history and situation of the Nagas was recognised on July 11, 2002 and on August 3, 2015 the historic Indo-Naga Framework Agreement (FA) was signed based on the foundation of sovereignty of the Nagas," the UNC claimed.
It has been more than seven years since the signing of the Framework Agreement but the fate of the agreement still hangs in balance as the commitment of the Centre fluctuates every now and then by refusing to acknowledge the Naga National Flag and Constitution, the UNC charged.
The Council also accused the Indian Government of side-tracking the Indo-Naga political issue, reducing it to an 'internal law and order' issue, the UNC alleged.
The Naga people's consultative meeting on Naga political issue also recognized that Naga-Myanmar (erstwhile Burma) conflict is on account of the Nagas' refusal to join the Union of Burma and hence, they did not sign the Panglong Agreement of February 12, 1947, the UNC added.
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