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05/25/2005: "Indian Parliamentarian attempts to disrupt Peace Process between India and Nagaland"

NNaga International Support Center, NISC

www.nagalim.nl

A human rights organization





Press Release



Amsterdam, May 25 2005



“Muivah’s demands impossible ‘Greater Nagalim can’t happen at all’



Indian Parliamentarian attempts to disrupt Peace Process between India and Nagaland





Dr. Thokchom Meinya as a Member of Parliament of India (Lok Sabha) from the Inner Manipur parliamentary constituency knows very well that his statement, devoid of substantiation, represents the view of the Meitei People who predominantly live in the fertile Imphal valley. This valley is just 10 % of the area of the existing state of Manipur. The Meitei People however claim that the Naga Hills belong to Manipur. Meinya radicalizes the fragile cease fire. By dictating the Indian Government and the Naga Peoples Dr Thokchom Meinya creates confusion and turmoil that could lead to loss of life for many. Meinya distorts these facts:



- Nagas do not demand a Greater Nagaland

- Nagas want to be reunified.

- Nagas do not want to be dominated by other peoples, neither by India nor by the Meiteis

- Nagas do not want an inch of other peoples land, not of India and not of the Meiteis

- Nagas have the right to self determination.





It is very well known that the Meitei people are vehemently against the unification of the Naga homeland. The Meiteis profess that Manipur encompasses the Naga Hills and claim that those hills have historically been part of the Meitei Kingdom. Yet the Nagas never conceded any territory, neither by conquest nor by treaty.



It is known that parliamentarians are prejudiced and ill informed about the history of the Naga Peoples. It is taken for granted that the British, when India became independent, conceded the territory of the Nagas to emerging India. Now most Indians, after waging a long but forgotten war against a relatively small nation, think of the Nagas as a stubborn people that challenge the Indian State, duly informed by a national press which primarily focuses on Nagas as rebels who should be subdued. Certainly the mouse Nagaland should not be left to win the war from the mighty elephant India. That, many Indians feel is a blaming, a loss of face. Nagas know they cannot win that war for they do not attack India, but only defend their homeland. Yet to its astonishment elephant India cannot win the war against the mouse either. Hence there was no alternative but to talk peace.



The Indian Government has recognized the unique history of the Naga Peoples and it realizes that the occupational war unleashed upon the Nagas not only has to come to an end but that lasting peace will come with an honourable solution.

Reunification of the Naga Peoples then is one condition to achieve an honourable solution.

On what basis is that honourable?



First of all, the Naga Hills have been arbitrarily divided against the will of the Nagas by the British by colonizing approximately one third of the Naga Hills and leaving two/thirds practically untouched. In their records, those areas where Free Nagas live were called “unadministered areas.” This is in itself raises the question: Could Britain hand over something that was not in its jurisdiction and then could India legitimately accept the major part of Nagaland if it was not part of the British/Indian colonial administration?



In 1953, India dealt with then Burma, now called Myanmar, to officiate the border between the two countries and thus the Nagas were divided between two countries. Then in 1963 and against the documented will of the people through the Naga National Council, Nagaland State was formed, a state that is a fraction of the total Naga Homeland. Later Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur’s borders were set, as those officially became states of India when carved out of Assam.



The Naga International Support Center calls on all responsible governments, peoples organizations and individuals to contribute to peace by adhering to the right of the Nagas to self determination. Do not let them stand alone in their quest. They have fought in obscurity for their rights because India kept them isolated. For a very long time Nagaland was off limits, yet they have fought for their rights against occupation since India’s inception. Support the peace talks which are aimed to achieve an honourable solution to this long standing conflict.



“Nagas want to be free of alien occupation and domination.

Nagas want to be reunified.

Nagas want to be independent!

Nagas have the right to self determination.”



For more information email us nisc@nagalim.nl Or visit our website www.nagalim.nl

Muivah’s demands impossible: Meinya The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, May 17: ‘The demands of Th Muivah, general secretary of the Nationalist Social Council of Nagalim, NSCN-IM which seek to disintegrate the territory of Manipur is just impossible’. This was stated by Dr. T Meinya, MP Inner Manipur Parliamentary constituency while speaking at the 37th World Telecommunication Day observed today at the Kuki Inn, Imphal. People should have no apprehension of the territory of Manipur breaking up; Dr. Meinya who was also the chief guest at the observation function, said. While stating that he joined politics because of the three words “beyond territorial limit”, the MP also assured the people of the state that territorial integrity will not be affected. Asserting that Manipur is a land of peaceful and talented people, he said that in such a developed age as of today we should think of what is good for our society rather than remaining worrying. Dr Meinya stressed that conflict resolution is possible with the participation of all the people and requested the non professional politicians to join politics in the interest of the people.

The chief guest also said that the world has become a very small place but unfortunately we find widening gaps in our state. He further said that the concept of management and especially time management is absent among the Manipuris. The observation was organised under the theme “creating an equitable information society: time for action” by the Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers, IETE Imphal centre and sponsored by BSNL, Manipur. If we don’t develop an equitable information society, we will lag behind in all respects, the MP observed during his speech. He also appealed to all to give whatever thrust is required on education to avoid a bleak future and asked IETE to make a project profile and assured all possible help for it.


Greater Nagalim can’t happen at all’ Assam Tribune From Our Correspondent
IMPHAL, May 19 – Lok Sabha MP from the Inner Manipur parliamentary constituency Dr Thokchom Meinya pronounced that the demand for creation of ‘Greater Nagaland is not just impossible, it cannot happen at all’.

Dr Meinya said that the stand of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government at the Centre is very clear on the issue of integration of all Naga-inhabited areas under one administrative unit. As such the demand of the NSCN (IM) which is carrying on a peace talk with the Centre is not just impossible, but it cannot happen at all.

Referring to a statement reportedly made by another State MP Mani Charenamei on the floor of the Parliament endorsing Naga integration, Dr Meinya said people need not panic on this count, as the UPA Government has an unequivocal stand on the issue