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06/19/2010: "Centre wants to finish up NSCN-IM : Ranendrajit Source: Hueiyen News Service"

Centre wants to finish up NSCN-IM : Ranendrajit Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, June 18 2010: Government of India is interested neither in the formation of Greater Nagaland nor in the territorial integrity of any of the states in the North Eastern region of the country, said speakers at the public meeting organised by United Committee Manipur (UCM) at Kekrupat in connection with the commemoration of the Great June Uprising Day today.

Leaders of various civil organisations based both in valley and hills, and chiefs of several villages of hill areas took part in the meeting as presidium members in the meeting.

Most of the speakers at the meeting criticized the Centre for its secret-but-not-hard-to-understand policies that the Centre wants to create disunity among the people of different communities in the region.




Leaders of UCM during observance of Great June Uprising


Among others, Sanajao Kamei, president of Zeliangrong Union (ZU), Imphal, Thambaljao Chothe, chairman of Lamlongei village of Tamenglong district, Thangsei Haokip, president of Kuki Inpi Manipur, Umsoson Kharam, president of Kharam Tribe Union, Manipur, Smt Kokomlunglu Kamei, president of Kabui Mothers' Association, Prof Rose Mangsi Haokip, president of Kuki Mothers' Association, Rev Rehang Chote, president of HERICOUN and others spoke at the public meeting which concluded at 3.30 pm, the deadline set by the government.

The speakers dwelled mostly on the present chaotic situation prevailing in the state arising out of the now-deferred visit of NSCN (IM) general secretary, Thuingaleng Muivah, and observed that the Central government's "divide and rule" policy is becoming an "open secret" .

Even an illiterate citizen of the state knows the hidden agenda of the Central government that it is trying to create an atmosphere of disunity among the peoples of different communities in the region, said RK Ranendrajit, a well known social worker, who was the editor of The Freedom, an English daily.

The Central government is not keen in fulfilling the demand for Greater Nagaland.

At the same time, they are also not interested in protecting the territorial integrity of the state.

The only thing they interested in is to create an atmosphere of hatredness among the different communities, he observed.

"The present chaotic situation in Manipur and Nagaland is a part of a gameplan of the Centre, and they are using NSCN (IM), caught in the trap of India's hidden policy, and its frontal organisations as tools for creating disunity among the people," Ranendrajit strongly charged.

The Centre's policy is to finish up the NSCN(IM) first, then targeting other outfits operating in the region.

An illiterate person is aware of this, RK Ranendrajit observed adding that it was the simple reason why no communal riot occurred in the state despite the prolonged imposition of economic blockade on the national highways in Manipur and some sections openly coming out in support of Muivah's visit to the state.

Exposing indifference in dealing with the economic blockade callers by the state government and sending them free hands, talkers said that state government is also taking part in the playing divide and rule policy among the people of the state.

Referring to the four month long agitations when police commandos killed two persons including a pregnant housewife at Khwairamband Bazar on July 23 last year, they said when civil bodies agitate over the violation of human rights, they were arrested, booked under National Security Act (NSA).

But when ANSAM and UNC severely violated the right to life of the people by imposition economic blockade on the lifelines of the people, government remained mum and not tried to arrest any of its functionaries.

Instead, in name of unable to arrest those, police declare 'wanted" to its leaders, he said giving hint of having a hidden agenda of the state government.

Talkers also lamented when three members of Parliament representing the state remained silent when people are at the limit of their woes due to the prolong imposition of economic blockade.

Manipur has three MPs, one each from three major communities, Meitei, Naga and Kuki but they are still remaining as silent spectators in the problems confronting by the people of the state.

Interestingly they are Congress and part of ruling government at Centre who have power in hand to air the grievances of the people of the state, they said.

They also particularly targeted MP from inner Manipur Parliamentary constituency, T Meinya who was also a former minister and MP of Rajya Sabha, Rishang Keishing, a former chief minister of the state for not pressing the Centre to solve the state problems.

People of all sections are still remaining united as the peaceful co-existence among the people since time immemorial is well understood by them.

So long as people remain united, no force in this world could break the territorial integrity and boundary of the state, they put down.

President of the UCM, Yumnamcha Dilipkumar while recalling the incident of June 18, 2001, it was occurred owing to mistake committed by the then governance.

He said that UCM submitted several memoranda to the Prime Minister, Home Minister and other concerns to prevent NSCN (IM) leader Th Muivah from entering the state but they failed to hear the pleas.

NSCN (IM) should not indulge in one sided activities which would hurt the sentiments of other communities.

UCM will stand against it always for the sake state integrity, he said.

UCM is also going to set up Peace Keeping Volunteers in the near future.

Mobilization for volunteers has started.

Once the group came up, they will be utilized in bringing harmony among the different communities and to ease when any tension arising out among different communities, Dilipkumar said.

He also expressed his willingness to reconsider agitation against the Manipur (Hill area) District Council (Third Amendment), 2008 citing that before the Act was enacted, consents of leaders of all sections of people in the hill areas were obtained.

The 20 MLAs from the hill districts had also given consent as members of the Hill Areas Committee of the State Assembly.

It will be not a right decision to protest against the Act when none objected when the bill was passed by the Assembly, he said.

Talking on the resuming of ply of vehicles on the NH-39, he extended support to the decision of the Transporters' and Drivers' Council and said that vehicular traffic on this section of the highway should not be resumed until and unless government of India and Nagaland government take up appropriate action to control extortion menace of the underground outfits particularly like the NSCN (IM) maintaining ceasefire with the GoI in Nagaland.

Rose Mangsi, the president of the Kuki Mothers' Association recalling her experience during tense situations on the question of integrity of the state said that the territorial boundary of the state cannot be disturbed at any cost.

State forces withdraw, vacated barrack torched Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 18 2010: State security forces, including police commando units, stationed at Jessami in Ukhrul district and Senapati district's Liyai village to prevent entry of NSCN (IM) general secretary Th Muivah's entry to manipur have been pulled out.

An informed source said the State forces, deployed to plug possible entry points of Th Muivah since june 3 left these border villages late last night and have arrived at their respective camps.

Villages of Liyai and Jessami in Manipur are located at the inter-state border areas with Nagaland.

The State forces were deployed at these locations following intelligence inputs that the Naga rebel leader might cross into Manipur enroute to Ukhrul district using either Liyai in Senapati district or Jessami village of Ukhrul.

Th Muivah left Viswema village near nagaland capital Kohima on June 4 to proceed to Phek district trigerring speculations that he might try to enter Ukhrul through Jessami village.

However, after staying at Pfutsero sub-division of phek district, the general secretary left the district without entering Manipur.

As a part of the State Government's steps to foil Muivah's entry into manipur, State forces in large number were deployed at mao area in the early part of May before being replaced by personnel of 4th IRB on May 29 .

On the otherhand, unidentified persons torched an unoccupied barrack at Taphou village in Senapati district.

personnel of Manipur Rifles units of 9 battalion used to stay at the barrack some years back before being replaced by the men of 7th battalion after the former was absorbed to the BSF, said a police source.

The empty barrack was reportedly torch on the intervening night of June 17-18, the source added.

A case has been registered at Senapati police station to investigate on the matter even as security force personnel have been redeployed at the site of incident.

According to Newmai News Network, miscreants torched the abandoned security barrack at around 2 am today causing damage to ceiling and other wooden parts of the pucca structure used by the security forces.

The burnt down barrack was used by 9th Manipur Rifles camping at Taphou village when they were on road opening duty when need arises.

This is the second incident in which a security barrack located on the side of the Imphal-Mao section of the NH-39 was burnt down since commencement of the economic blockade imposed by ANSAM.

A security barrack at Khongnem on the same stretch of the highway within Senapati district was also torched in May when the blockade was intensified coinciding with ban on the entry of NSCN (IM) leader Th Muivah.

The arson of the barrack came amid the state government's move to deploy CRPF personnel on the section of the highway sent by the Centre for opening the highway from economic blockade.

The Centre has sent six companies of CRPF including one women company for deployment on selected sensitive locations along the highway.

The deputy commissioner of Senapati district has been reportedly asked to identify the sensitive areas where security personnel need to be deployed.

The women company who arrived at Imphal yesterday has left for Senapati district headquarters today, an official report said adding that other companies also started arriving at Senapati.
Manipur transporters association to dump Nagaland [IST] One india

Imphal, Jun 18: Manipur transporters association declared that the owners of trucks and buses in Manipur will not run their vehicles through Nagaland untill the Centre and the government of the neighbouring state pays them compensation for damage caused to their vehicles.
Haridas, the spokesperson of the Transporters and Drivers Council (TDC) said that trucks and buses would not run on the National Highway 39, till the compensation was paid. TDC informed its decision on Friday, Jun 18, after the blockade by the Naga outfits has finally been lifted. CRPF officials and Border Security Force had reached Manipur to clear the blockade on Thursday, Jun 17.

Haridas also cited the Centre and Nagaland government to ensure that the Nagaland based militants and civil organisations stop collecting illegal tax from vehicle owners and drivers of Manipur passing through Nagaland.

The All Naga Students Association Manipur (ANSAM) started its blockade from the midnight of Apr 11, 2010 inorder to protest holding of elections to Autonomous District Councils in Manipur hills.

OneIndia News
Hope in Manipur The Hindu
It is good that the United Progressive Alliance government has finally woken up to the suffering of the people of Manipur brought on by the 65-day economic blockade of the State by Naga political groups. The decision to send a convoy under armed escort to Manipur came after Naga student groups in Manipur refused to withdraw the blockade of National Highway 39 even after Nagaland-based groups lifted their siege on the State's crucial road link to the rest of the country. The latter were protesting Imphal's refusal to allow Thuingaleng Muivah, the leader of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (I-M), to travel to his ancestral village in Manipur. The Manipur-based Naga groups, on the other hand, are protesting the Ibobi government's decision to hold elections to the Autonomous District Councils, which they fear will erode autonomy for Naga tribes living in the hill districts of the State. The two sets of protests were provoked by different events but both are linked to the demand for Nagalim, a “greater Naga land” that will include territory from adjoining States, including Manipur. With each passing day, it became clearer that the central government's failure to end the blockade, and the attendant shortages and rise in the prices of essential commodities, including medicines, was a dereliction of constitutional and humanitarian duty. The first hopeful sign came when Nagaland student leaders met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi. The government is still trying to persuade the Manipur-based Naga groups to withdraw their siege, failing which trucks escorted by paramilitary personnel will take supplies to Manipur. That the Centre had to cite in support of its decision a recent Guwahati High Court order asking it and the Manipur and Nagaland governments to clear the highway speaks volumes about the complexity of the situation.
The Meities of Manipur and the Nagas have adopted inflexible positions that make compromise seem difficult. While the Nagalim demand is totally unacceptable, Manipur's decision to hold the ADC elections, after a controversial amendment to the relevant law affecting the authority of the elected councils, exposed an exclusivist ethnic approach to politics and governance. Deplorable as the Naga blockade is, the Manipur government's decision to bar Mr. Muivah from visiting his village in the State has caused problems for the central government, which has been in peace talks with the separatist leader for more than a decade. While there are no easy answers, what the situation cries out for is a responsible and coherent policy approach that places the interests of ordinary people at the centre of decision-making.
Harangued transporters say they will not ply NH-39 The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, June 17: The apex body of various transporters and drivers associations of the state, the Transporters and Drivers Council of Manipur (TDCM) has reaffirmed its decision not to ply vehicle along the NH-39 until the demands placed before the government are fulfilled, even if the central government decided to deploy central paramilitary forces along the NH-39 for ensuring free movement of traffic.

Speaking to media-persons this afternoon at the office of TDC Manipur, general secretary of TDCM, Ng. Haridas stated that the council would adhere to its previous resolutions taken on June 11 and the council would continue to abstain from plying along the NH-39 until the demands placed before the Central government and the Nagaland governments were fulfilled.

Haridas further disclosed that the council has intimated all travel agencies regarding the resolutions taken by the council and its subsequent decision of suspending transport service along the NH-39.

He said that the council has also warned the owners of buses and other light passenger vehicles plying between Mao and Imphal along the NH-39 not to carry passengers beyond the state in view of the present situation.

He also stated that the council had convened a joint meeting with all the transport agencies and wholesalers of the state on June 15 to discuss the matters pertaining to the present blockade on the national highways. During the meeting the council clearly stated its stance on using the NH-53 instead of the NH-39 and it also urged the agents based in Guwahati and other regions not to load their goods in the vehicles plying along the NH-39.

Haridas further maintained that state government should try to repair the railway line at Jiribam in view of better transportation of goods to the state. The council would also urge the government to set up a permanent FCI godown at Jiribam so that the people of Manipur can totally rely on the NH-53 instead of the NH-39 which is under the control of various Naga organizations, he stated.

The council also condemned the BRTF for failing to maintain the NH-53 for the last many decades and urged both the state and central government to take up the needful action of maintaining and improving the NH-53 which serves as the main lifeline of the state.

It may be mentioned that the Transporters and Drivers Council of Manipur had earlier taken resolutions that the vehicles including public carriers, trucks, oil tankers, buses and public vehicles would not ply along the NH-39 passing through Nagaland until and unless the central government and Nagaland government give assurance that no further bandh or economic blockade will be imposed in the future by the people of Nagaland and the Naga organizations based in Senapati district.

It also resolved not to ply along the NH-39 until and unless appropriate compensations are given to the vehicle owners by the central government and Nagaland government for the vehicles damaged and burned down during the blockade and bandh; public assurances and also official assurances are given by the Nagaland government that no illegal taxes and unfair charges on the vehicles will be allowed to collect by NGOs, UG groups and security forces particularly posted at various check posts along the NH-39 within the Nagaland state; and assurance is given by the Nagaland government that the passengers travelling in tourist buses and taxis would be fully protected by the security forces of Nagaland and union government so that the passengers are not harassed by various criminals on the said national highway.

In the meantime, the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has lifted the ban imposed on vehicles of Manipur plying along the NH-39 following assurance from the Prime Minister of India to resolve the present crisis soon and the central government has also decided to deploy paramilitary forces along the NH-39 to lift the blockade imposed by various Naga organizations.


DECLARATION
Dated Kohima, 18th June, 2010

In the joint meeting of the Naga Hoho, United Naga Council (UNC), the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), All Naga Students’ Association (ANSAM), Naga Peoples’ Movement for Human Right (South) and the Naga Womens’ Union (NWUM) held on the 18th June at Kohima on the present political situation in the Naga areas of Manipur and after threadbare discussions the following statements were adopted and declared.

1) The meeting endorsed the United Naga Council’s decision to declare the imposed District Council Elections in the Naga areas of Manipur as “null and void”.

2) The meeting fully endorsed the decision of the UNC to sever all ties with the Government of Manipur. To fill up the vacuum so created by the severance, the meeting demanded that the Government of India immediately make alternative arrangement for the Nagas in the present state of Manipur.

3) The meeting also reminded the Government of India that their assurances and commitment given to the Naga people for the removal of the Manipur State Armed forces and Section 144 CRPC and demilitarization of the Naga areas of Manipur have not taken place till date and demanded that the assurances are complied with immediately.

4) The meeting also condemned the declaration of UNC and ANSAM leaders as offenders and the fixing of price tags on them by the Government of Manipur.

5) In deference to the request of the Hon’ble Prime Minister and Home Minister of India, leader of the opposition of the Indian Parliament, the student communities of the neighbouring states and the Indian civil societies at large, for lifting of the economic blockade, which was conveyed through the Naga Students’ Federation, it was decided that the present economic blockade being enforced by the ANSAM will be suspended temporarily w. e. f 4.00 P.M. of date i. e 18th June, 2010.

6) It was also decided that the agitation programme of the people will be continued in different forms and at different levels till the aspirations of the Naga people is fulfilled.

7) The meeting strongly reaffirmed that the Indo-Naga peace process be expedited and carried forward to its logical conclusion.


Keviletuo Kiewhuo S.K. Milan
President, Naga Hoho Speaker, United Naga Council


Mutsiikhoyo Yhobu Adani David
President, Naga Students’ Federation President, All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur


K. Marigold Phakhami
Secretary, Naga Womens’ Union Manipur Co-Convenor Naga Peoples’ Movement
for Human Rights(South)