Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 09 2009:
Since August 1997 when the NSCN (IM) entered into ceasefire agreement with the Government of India, it began to deviate from the fundamental objective of Naga liberation movement.
Starting from that point, NSCN (IM) drifted away from the Naga people.
While conveniently overlooking the basic causes for the suffering of Naga people, the NSCN (IM) began hatching plots to mislead Naga people by provoking people's sentiments and conscience.
Just to add some authenticity to their claim that they are champions of Naga people, particularly Manipuri Nagas, the NSCN (IM) launched a series of economic blockades which were mainly targeted to Manipur valley, inhabited predominantly by Meiteis.
Though it caused some hardships to the valley people, these economic blockades brought greater misery to the hill people, the UNLF asserted.
On the other hand, the outcomes of such blockades become a factor abetting the strained relationship of inter-dependence between hill and valley people.
Such on and off blockades and the recent murder of Sub Divisional Officer and his staff have made NSCN (IM) unpopular to both hill and valley people.
Bereft of any long term political strategy, NSCN (IM) leadership has no time for the survival struggle of impoverished Naga people.
That is why Muivah said, "India is our father.
India may teach Nagas by taking our hands when we commit any follies", the UNLF alleged.
Observing that differences and conflicts within the NSCN (IM) cropped up from time to time because of its leaders paying more attention to ethno-centric politics, the UNLF asserted that the NSCN (IM) is facing internal conflicts among different tribes since the day it came out for peace talk.
The assault on Tangkhuls who hailed from Manipur by other Naga tribes at Dimapur was a manifestation of such conflicts.
Stating that there have been several instances of clash between Naga tribes, the UNLF alleged that these unfortunate events were outcomes of the myopic and ethno-centric politics pursued by some NSCN (IM) leaders.
It is one weakness of NSCN (IM) leadership to guide and build up Naga tribes as a single community.
Accusing NSCN (IM) of looting people of the land and creating animosity among different ethnic groups, the UNLF alleged that the NSCN (IM) has been deceiving and driving Naga people in the wrong direction in the name of the liberation struggle.
Apart from undertaking a malicious propaganda aimed at sowing seeds of hatred and distrust among indigenous people of the land, the NSCN (IM) could not evoke any sense of co-existence among the people.
Soon after the peace talk started, the NSCN (IM) has lost all the characteristics of a group striving for progress and revolution.
Rather it has become a group having huge funds without putting much labour.
Disclosing that NSCN (IM) has been making huge monetary demands to transporters doing service along Imphal-Dimapur and Imphal-Jiri roads, the UNLF asserted that drivers and helpers were often beaten up or killed in some cases if the transporters failed to fulfil their demands.
Considering the silence and inaction of the Government of India even as it is well aware of all criminal activities perpetrated by NSCN (IM) cadres, it would not be wrong to infer that the NSCN (IM) and the Government of India have been conniving to disintegrate Manipur.
It is now clear to all Naga people that the NSCN (IM) is one group who can kill innocent people without any remorse for some amounts of money.