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07/08/2010: "53 houses along Nagaland-Assam border gutted United news of India"

53 houses along Nagaland-Assam border gutted United news of India

Kohima, A devastating fire broke out in the Khan Basti under Balijan 'C' area along the Nagaland-Assam border under Bokajan police station, reduced 53 thatched houses to ashes and rendered about 150 families homeless.
Official source at Dimapur today said the blaze, believed to have erupted from the kitchen of a family yesterday, quickly engulfed all the thatched houses of the Khan Basti, which extends upto Karbi Anglong district of Assam.
The area also borders the LRC Colony and Island Colony of Dimapur town and trigerred panic on the Nagaland side that the fire could affect these colonies too.
Most of the families of Khan Basti were of non-local people, who earned their livelihood in Dimapur. As there was no immediate help of fire service from the Assam side, fire tenders from Dimapur rushed to the spot and doused the blaze in an hour.
No casualty was reported so far in the incident, the sources said
.PRESS STATEMENT
Dated, the 8th July 2010

The tribal in the present state of Manipur have consistently demanded the extension of the provisions of the 6th Schedule of the Constitution of India to the hill areas of Manipur since 1990. After agreeing to accede to the demand, the Government of Manipur, however, maliciously stonewalled the process by inserting a rider that the 6th Schedule would be extended after “local adjustments and amendments”. Instead of sincerely pursuing their commitment, after 20 long years the communal Manipur State Government came out with the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils (3rd Amendment) Act 2008, doctored and stripped off of all the provisions that go into self governance and the rights of the hill people over their land and resources and removing the primacy of the traditional institutions of the tribal.

The voice of the Naga people which has been raised loud and clear was that the ADC election should not be imposed till such time the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council (3rd Amendment) Act, 2008 was amended to secure the rights of the tribal people over their lands and the pre-eminence of tribal institutions which provides for democratic polity within their societies, and their right to self governance enshrined in the Indian constitution. This illegal manner in which the amendment was rushed through and the manner in which the ADC elections under the “unwanted 2008 Act” was imposed in the face of strong protests contravene the rights of the tribal people. Left with no option, the Naga people under the leadership of United Naga Council were compelled to declare ADC election “Null and Void” and further forewarned that under no circumstance the ADC shall be allowed to function in Naga areas. However, the Government of Manipur recently went ahead with their adamant attitude by administering oath to the infamous ADC candidates. The ANSAM demands all the unmandated members of ADC for immediate abdication from the office of the so called Autonomous District Council.

The Naga people have been persistently demonstrating democratic forms of agitation to register their grievances thereby to secure their rights to existence over their own land. However, instead of addressing the pertinent issues at hand, the Government of Manipur responded by choosing to issue arrest warrants against leaders of Naga civil societies with “wanted tag” on the 7th June, 2010. Such act of criminalizing our leaders in whom we keep our hope and trust clearly speaks of the hegemonic agenda of the communal state Government.

ANSAM have made its position clear that any attempt to militarize the Naga People’s areas, which threaten the right to existence and dignity of life, will not be tolerated. Yet, the state Government of Manipur continues to treat some of Naga areas as unsecured zone which otherwise are peaceful places. The intrusion of the security forces is by itself the cause of law and order situation in the otherwise peaceful Naga areas and that the protection of life and property of its citizen should be a priority, is farthest from the considerations of the communal Government of Manipur.

In protest against all these undemocratic and suppressive acts of the state Government of Manipur, ANSAM, in pursuance of joint decision with United Naga Council dated Tahamzam, the 7th July 2010, calls for a 72 hour CHAKA BANDH w.e.f, 6:00 pm of 12th July 2010 in all the Naga areas. Naga people and general public are urged to extend their solidarity by restraining themselves from travelling in any kind of vehicles during the bandh.

However, emergency and essential services viz, medical, electricity, fire-service, water supply, postal & telecom services will be exempted from the purview of the bandh. Any untoward incidence arising out of violation of the proposed restriction will be at one’s own risk.


Publicity Wing,
All Naga Students’ Association Manipur

Press Release
Chuchuyimlang(Mokokchung)
7th July,2010

As a continuation of ‘Good Will’ mission in Mokokchung area Ato Kilonser Th.Muivah went to Chuchuyimlang and held meeting with the people of Langpangkong and the neighbouring Phom. Significantly, Lima,the Pastor of Chuchuyimlang Baptist Church in his invocation prayer said,”We need peace and unity among the Nagas and we need freedom.But there can be no freedom without unity..” He seek the blessing of God upon the Nagas to understand together for a meaningful reconciliation.

Giving a short speech Mr.T.Nukshi,President LTM,said that while Nagas must come understand together for reconciliation the Nagas should be proud of being the longest freedom struggling people in the world and never bow down to give up our rights.

“There is a feeling of pride in meeting you,especially the dance troupe who turned up in traditional costume. We respect you and will not forget you..”,said Muivah. He talk about how the name Nagas was given by the British when they came from Burma and met the Shan people.who described the Nagas as people who decorated their ears.

He addresses the people saying that in this changing world the Nagas must take the best decision. Otherwise, there is danger for the Nagas.In this connection he reminded the people about the historical facts of the NNC period when the best decision was taken at the right time by Phizo,Imkongmeren, R.Sakhrie,Kughato Sukhai,Khodao and others to assert the separate identity of Naga independent and not to subject themselves to India. Under NNC’s political wisdom the Nagas refused to toe the line of the Assamese,Khasis,Meiteis,Jammu and Kashmir,Hyderabad etc to be a part of Indian union. Thus had there been no NNC Nagas would have been a lost people. Muivah thank God for guiding the NNC .
He goes on to assert that the land of the Nagas is given by God and not by India,and God has a purpose for the Nagas.God gave the Nagas the land, history and rights. There should be no confusion about this.But if Nagas fail to understand this there will be problem. He touched on the point that the problem with India has to be set aside and the problem among the Nagas must be solved first.

On the Naga reconciliation he stressed on the points that Nagas as Christians must accept reconciliation as the will of God,and therefore,reconciliation should be in the name of God. On Naga political solution he said that it should be on the basis of Naga historical fact as recognized by government of India and not under the constitution of India. The interest of NNC or Khaplang nor the interest of Isak-Muivah should be allowed to come in between, he added
Muivah explained to the people that the futile attempt to crush the Nagas begun during the time of Nehru, but the Nagas stood their ground for more than 60 years. And ultimately the use of force to solve Naga problem was given up by India. During the peace talks with India Muivah has to warned government of India representative Padmanabhaiah not to repeat the mistakes of Nehru.”We must stand by what is given by God,and if we cannot take this decision we are lost people. And this is the greatest danger.”, he said.Healso explained that in this particular juncture the Nagas cannot afford to stay neutral between right and wrong.

The Shillong Accord of 1975 as the biggest mistake in the political struggle of the Naga history and beginning of the conflict among the Nagas was also narrated in detail. He said that anything that goes against the national decision has never done good for the Nagas.He reminded the words of Assam Governor LP.Singh who said,”the Longest insurgency problem in Southeast Asia is solved once and for all.” But he was proved wrong by the Nagas who stood their ground for the right of the Nagas.

Muivah said that to create problem among the Nagas by the Nagas is the biggest weakness of the Nagas, and this must be done away with.And time has come to understand each other.

Issued by
MIP/GPRN