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11/09/2011: "NNC/FGN’s SRC responds to Ibobi (NPN) Nagaland Post"



NNC/FGN’s SRC responds to Ibobi (NPN)

DIMAPUR NNC/FGN Shepoumaramth region regional president and Midan Peyu have issued clarification with regard to Manipur chief minister O. Ibobi’s statement, which was purportedly published in local dailies November 3.

In a joint statement, the NNC Shepoumaramth regional council (SRC) president Kh. Salouni and FGN Shepoumaranth region “midan peyu” H. John Vekhe said land of Nagas was “well known as Nagaland in this part of the world.”

They said the territory of Nagaland was enshrined in the “yehzabo (constitution)” of Nagaland that “the territory of Nagaland shall comprise all territories of Nagas…”

Remarkably, the NNC/FGN leaders said the ancient Shepoumaramth region by God’s creation is situated nigh to central Nagaland, and that Nagas of Shepoumaramth region were proud of their genesis and their federated constituency of the FGN and a regional unit of NNC of Nagaland.

“As such Shepoumaramth man is a man among Naga men,” they said.
Pointing out that they were in Naga country, the NNC/FGN leaders said Shepoumaramth Nagas joined hands with other Nagas in defence of “sovereign Nagaland” from olden time to this day so young generations could live happily in dignity.

“Historically and racially pioneer NNC leaders led by A.Z. Phizo founded NNC on solid root of Naga race,” they said, adding that it was “fair and clear” that Naga race was quite different from that of the “aggressor Indian race.”
“In other words, Nagas are not Indian and Nagaland is not part of India,” they said.

Therefore, the NNC/FGN leaders said Naga race and the territory of Nagaland should not be “misinterpreted either by O. Ibibo or any Naga neighbors or enemy elements.”

They also said that Manipur chief minister O. Ibobi, or any other person, has no right to “remove or destroy land possession system of the Nagas which is a great heritage of Naga at large from our ancient times.”

On the other hand, they said Manipur state was granted by the government of India only on January 21, 1972.
“We feels outmost important to intimate our neighbours and the national community of the World that the relationship that the Federal Government of Nagaland towards other Nations shall be on peaceful co-existence,” said NNC/FGN leaders.
Manipur shutdown: Whose responsibility is the North-East? Akshaya Mishra First Post
Is the North-East anybody’s responsibility? While the rest of the country remains obsessed with Team Anna and its unending antics, beyond the glare of the TV cameras and public attention, Manipur suffers. Intense ethnic politics has debilitated life in the state. Neither the Central government nor the state government seems too keen on breaking the cycle of economic blockades and counter-blockades which has been depriving the state of essential supplies.
As the blockade of the two national highways – NH 39, connecting Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati, and NH 53, connecting Imphal-Jiribam-Silchar, reached its 100th day today, people in Manipur kept struggling for the bare essentials. Prices have skyrocketed across the board, hospitals are running short of medicine, potato, onion and cereals are virtually out of the market and petrol, diesel and LPG availability is close to drying up. Food riots have not happened yet. But they might soon.

Up against blockade. AFP
The highways are the lifeline for the state since these connect Manipur to other parts of India. The ethnic Kukis had blocked these for 92 days demanding the conversion of the Sadar Hills area near Imphal into a full-fledged revenue district. Soon after the Sadar Hills District Demand Committee, which was spear-heading the movement, signed a favourable deal with the state government, the Nagas jumped into action in protest. Now, they are doing their bit to deprive the Manipuris of essentials.
An economic blockade is primarily a war-time measure, aimed at cutting off supplies to the enemy population. That the ethnic groups in Manipur would resort to starving their own people is bizarre. Creating a humanitarian crisis for ethnic-political ends does not make sense. Moreover, it only serves to aggravate and intensify the animosity between the Kukis, Meiteis and Nagas.
The extreme action seems to be the only option left for ethnic groups pushed to the margins by the Meiteis, who are perceived to be controlling the polity of the state. The highway blockades undertaken by the Nagas and Kukis are meant to make the government and the Meiteis sit up and take notice. Whatever the reason, the developments have been disastrous for the state’s economy. Those at the receiving end belong to all ethnic groups.
The only people benefitting from the blockades are the traders and hoarders across all groups. This group—some analysts do not rule out the possibility of the direct or indirect involvement of this lot in the blockades—makes a killing when essential items disappear from the open market. Interestingly, almost everything is available in the state in the black market during the times of the blockade.
During all this, the state government and the Centre do not seem anywhere in the picture. The Centre, too far removed from the ground zero of the ethnic politics of the state, has been clueless about a proper response. The North-East, in any case, does not form the political centre of gravity for Delhi. It partly explains the lack of seriousness on its part on issues relating to Manipur and other states in the region. The efforts of the state government do not seem to be adequate either.
But to be fair to both, it’s not an easy situation in Manipur. The roots of exclusivist ethnic politics run deep in Manipur.
The creation of a separate Sadar Hills district for Kukis out of the current Senapati district, which otherwise be a matter of simple administrative decision, is not easy given the history of ethnic rivalries in the district. Senapati is home to different communities of the Kukis and the Nagas. The Sadar Hills region is dominated demographically by the Kukis. Nagas fear that a separate district of the Sadar Hills would come in the way of creation of greater Nagalim. Both the communities have been in conflict over many decades over the bifurcation of the district.
The solution lies in both sides climbing down from their position. But it does not look possible. “Don’t blame the Nagas now for this deadlock. We want the people of Manipur to come out and question the government about the issue,” said S Milan, leader of the United Naga Council, which is spearheading the blockade by the Nagas even as the state turned into a lawless territory.
Clearly, the state government is incapable of bridging the wedge between the two groups. The Centre must intervene. If it has to use force to remove the blockade, it should not matter. It has to ensure that the supply of essentials are not hindered and people are not made to suffer because of the frequent agitations and the political agendas of ethnic groups.
Lift The Siege Times of India

Manipur is blockaded again. With only two national highways- NH 53 and NH 39- serving as lifelines to the outside world, choking off the landlocked state has become a common form of protest. Last year, the state witnessed a two-month-long blockade by Naga groups protesting against the Manipur government's refusal to allow NSCN(I-M) general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah to visit his native village. However, even that crippling blockade pales in comparison to the ongoing one, which has been in place for more than 100 days. With supplies of essential commodities, drugs and fuel running dry, the 27 lakh inhabitants of the state are being held to ransom by narrow ethno-politics.

The current blockade was initially to press for the creation of a Sadar Hills district dominated by the Kuki tribe. However, this was unacceptable to Naga groups. Seen as a direct challenge to the idea of Nagalim that lays claim to all Naga-inhabited areas in the northeast, the United Naga Council issued its own counter-blockade in mid-August. With assurances from the state government, the Kukis lifted their blockade last week. Yet, there has been no respite for ordinary Manipuris as the Naga blockade has endured. With the state government and the Centre guilty of inertia, the humanitarian situation in Manipur has reached the tipping point.

The crisis in Manipur is symptomatic of larger issues plaguing the entire northeast. Seen through the prism of cultural otherness, there has been a failure to appreciate the local dynamics of the region. This is at the core of the stepmotherly treatment that northeast groups have long accused New Delhi of. On the other hand, the desire to maintain the cultural purity of the region has further led to neglect in developing infrastructure that would have integrated the northeast with the rest of India. As a result, the region is wracked by low industrial and economic output, creating fertile ground for parochial interests to flourish.

There is an urgent need to develop better connectivity with the northeast. The region has massive investment potential across various sectors such as tourism, textiles, hydropower, fisheries, etc. However, this can only be realised if the facilitating infrastructure- roads, railways, airports, security- are in place. In this regard, boosted economic relations with Bangladesh and Myanmar are critical to enhanced trade and transit as well as breaking regional monopolies. It's high time the northeast is given a stake in India's growth story.
Manipur blockade must end The Hindu
It is inconceivable that agitationists can ever succeed in blocking the main highways leading into, say, a State such as Madhya Pradesh for more than a few hours. Yet they get away with blockading Manipur for months on end, again and again, simply because disruptions in that farthest corner of the Northeast do not cause a ripple in the rest of India. So it is hardly surprising that people in Manipur think the country does not care for them. The latest blockade, which started on August 1, has led to an acute shortage of essential commodities, with the prices of food, medicines, and fuel shooting up sky high. Ordinary people have borne the brunt of the agitation, black marketeers and hoarders are having a field day, and the central government has been a bystander to the less-than-competent handling of the situation by the Ibobi Singh government in the hapless State. The siege began when the Kukis affiliated to the Sadar Hills Districthood Demand Committee blocked National Highways 53 and 39 to press their demand for a Kuki majority district to be carved out of portions of a larger district claimed by the Naga people as part of the ‘greater Nagalim.' The Nagas responded to the SHDDC blockade with one of their own. Instead of handling both firmly, the State government appears to have only worsened ethnic tensions by getting the SHDDC to withdraw its blockade with a written assurance that the demand for a separate Kuki district would be met. The United Naga Council and the All Naga Students' Association of Manipur have since intensified their blockade.
The Centre's apathy aside, the inflexible positions taken by the protesters, and their political vision stretching no further than the narrow confines of their ethno-nationalism, are the main reason for the mess in Manipur, and in some other parts of the Northeast as well. The Meities, who form the majority ethnic group, are not blameless in this saga of exclusivist politics; the tussle between the Kukis and the Nagas cannot be separated from the larger confrontation between the nationalisms of the Meitei and the Naga. Reconciling these competing visions is not an easy task; there are no quick answers. It calls for a leadership that is prepared to think big and re-imagine the State, and the region, in progressive inclusivist fashion. More immediately, the blockades on the highways must end. They have caused immense suffering to the poorest of Manipur's 2.7 million people who cannot afford to pay black market rates for their daily essentials. The blockaders must realise that they cannot use blackmail to gain their political ends.
Comments:
You're spot-on in the opening sentence. That the central government could be so apathetic to the sufferings of the people of the Northeast is a glaring testament to their lack of concerns for them. The same applies to the media as well. Apart from a coverage on a popular English news channel, I have not seen a single report on the Manipur blockade in the rest of them. News papers too have otherwise been mum on what has been going on in the Northeast. We seem to get more stories on Pakistan or the USA than our Indian states going thorough an ordeal for the last 4 months or so.
from: Mukul Kanti Dutta
Posted on: Nov 9, 2011 at 04:00 IST
That the Manipur blockade has entered the 100th day speaks so poorly of the state of integration of the various states of the NE to India. There is little point in appointing a minister with the grand desiognation of Minsiter for NE Development. NE states integration is not achieved by merely by opening kendras in the capital and in other metros. What has our specially designatede minister been doing to ensure that the normal life of the Manipur residents are removed? UPA government has to answer this question.
from: S Subramanyan
Posted on: Nov 9, 2011 at 08:29 IST
This is really shamefull on the part of the central government which on side pursues policies of north-east integration into the mainstream affairs of the country and on the other side overlooks the sufferings of the people in the state of manipur.We should better wake up before it is too late!
from: Abhishek Verma
Posted on: Nov 9, 2011 at 10:47 IST
The state and central governments are jointly responsible for the current disheartening situation in Manipur. Had this been happening in Delhi or some other 'politically important' cities, would the government would have remained idle? Is the life and needs of people in North-East India different from that of the rest of the world??? High time that something serious is done.
from: Lijo George
Posted on: Nov 9, 2011 at 10:51 IST
It is very pathetic to see that the central government, mainstream media as well as the people of mainland India don't care about the plight of their fellow citizens of north-east.
from: Arun
Posted on: Nov 9, 2011 at 10:53 IST
Northeast states have always suffered due to insensitive politics played by centre , state policians and ethinic groups. On the other hand media has not brought the picture of northeast in limelight. All stakeholders have to play an exaggerated role to find a solution to various socio-economical and political problems of northeast. Magzines like YOJANA has been bringing NOrTHEAST issues that beautifully depict the problems and solutions, development and success stories. Newspapers like THE HINDU should also bring a page completed dedicated to a northeast or kashmir etc. In the long run these things help in national integration which is essential for national development.
from: bilal mohi ud din bhat
Posted on: Nov 9, 2011 at 11:28 IST
What is the message the Government sends across? That it listens only to force and allows itself to get manipulated by force? Irom Sharmila does not get the requisite attention because there is no coercion or "pressure" by media -- it shows that there is hardly any conscience left.
from: Yashwanth P
Posted on: Nov 9, 2011 at 11:34 IST
National highway blockade for more than three months, which has caused soaring prices of daily articles and commodities and has added to the woes of already distressed North East people, clearly shows the apathy and insensitivity of the centre and state government towards their people. The normal life cycle has been completely disrupted and hoarders and black marketeers are encashing on woes. But, print and paper media is also responsible for these situation which take more interest in spicy and sensational news and pushes NE people to increasingly believe that they are different from rest of Indians. This discrimination of the government and media can be understood by the fact jaat agitation for reservation, few months ago, was taken more seriously by them and dealt firmly. The people of India and our government must understand that such unintentional behaviour will only alienate NE people and will help china to destablize NE.
from: Uday Kumar

Nagaland not utilizing UPA money: Rahul Rahul Karmakar/HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times
Guwahati Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday slammed the Neiphiu Rio government for the lack of development in Nagaland and forcing 70% of its people to be in poverty. Gandhi was addressing a party rally in Nagaland's commercial hub Dimapur, 75 km west of state capital Kohima.

"The UPA government has been pumping money into Nagaland but there's no development. The roads are pathetic and the funds are not reaching the people, and as a consequence most of the people are poor," Gandhi said while exhorting the youth to join the Congress and strengthen the party.

Gandhi's tour is being seen as the Congress' warm-up for the assembly elections scheduled in four northeastern states between early 2012 and mid-2013. The elections in Nagaland, ruled by Rio's non-Congress Democratic Alliance of Nagaland government, and in Left-ruled Tripura are expected by early 2013. Elections in Manipur, on the other hand, are due by March next year.

Gandhi had earlier inaugurated the auditorium of a Nagaland University campus at Mokokchung town in the eastern part of the state.



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