UNC lines up mass rallies
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 24 2014: In protesting against several policies of the Government of Manipur and in pursuit of certain demands, the United Naga Council (UNC) has decided to organise mass rallies in all the Naga district head quarters on August 30 at 11 am.

The scheduled rallies are in pursuit of the demand for GoI to expedite an acceptable and honourable settlement of the Indo-Naga issue, said a press release issued by the UNC.

Protest against the militarisation of Naga areas particularly Ukhrul district by GoM with Manipur State forces in utter disrespect of the Indo-Naga ceasefire, is another agenda of the rallies.

The third objective is to register protest against the GoM's disrespect for the democratic process of tripartite talk on alternative arrangement which has progressed to a logical stage.

The fourth agenda is to protest against the unabated aggressive policies of the GoM to encroach upon the ancestral lands of the Nagas and tribals through Laws, Acts & Notifications to subvert the protective provisions of the MLR & LR Act, 1960 .

A joint memorandum on the above points of demand and protests would be submitted by the Tribe Hohos and frontal organisation of the respective districts through the GoI agencies to the Prime Minister of India and also dispatched through post.

According to the Government of Manipur's understanding, as alleged by the UNC, there are no Nagas in Manipur.

The general policy of GoM is no to Indo-Naga ceasefire, no to political empowerment of tribals and Nagas, no to protection of ancestral lands of the Nagas and tribals, no to the constitutional rights of employment and educational opportunities of the Nagas and tribals, as borne out by the current reservation crisis in Manipur University, the highest temple of learning and wisdom.

No to development of the tribal areas on the pretext of law and order and absence of land laws.

This is the GoM's policy towards the Nagas and tribal people, the UNC alleged.

It also appealed to all churches, Christian leaders, frontal and regional organisations, village chiefs and village council/authorities, students and youths leaders to take up the moral responsibilities for ensuring the maximum participation of the people in the rally.

It further asked people to be vigilant against any attempt of the adversaries to discredit the peoples' movement for their political aspirations by sabotaging the democratic civil action.

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