Imphal, February 15: Stressing that the main objective of the plebiscite proposal highlighted earlier is to ensure the participation of the people in any process to resolve the Indo-Manipur conflict, the proscribed UNLF today appealed to the people to hold seminars, debates in all fora to discuss the points raised by them.

The four point proposal put forward by the UNLF earlier include, holding a plebiscite under the UN to resolve the Indo-Manipur conflict with the provisions that the UNLF will keep all its arms with the UN Force to ensure a free a fair plebiscite and that India withdraw all its military and para-military personnel from Manipur during the plebiscite.

The UN then can hand over the political power on the basis of the outcome of the plebiscite.

Outlining the basic objectives of coming up with the plebiscite proposal, the assistant secretary (publicity) of the Central Committee of the outfit today said in a statement that it is essential that the people be directly involved in working out any solutions to the Indo-Manipur conflict.

This involvement of the people in resolving the issue is the core issue, said the statement.

The agenda of the plebiscite will be the independence or sovereignty of Manipur.

The people may then decide whether they want to live under India or regain their former sovereign status, said the UNLF.

The people may thoroughly study and discuss the plebiscite that was held in East Timor under the UN to determine its future.

Going back to the history of Manipur, the statement said that despite some agreements that may have been reached between the British and India, the fact remains that after the British left India on August 14, 1947, Manipur also became an independent entity.

Detailing, the outfit said, "After the British left, the Constitution of Manipur was enforced in July 1947.Under the new Constitution the first general election was held in August 1948 and 54 members were duly elected to the State Assembly.

A Council of Minister headed by a Chief Minister was formed and on October 18, 1948, Maharaj Bodhachandra handed over the administrative powers to the elected members." This is a historical fact.

"However on September 21, 1949, Maharaja Bodhachandra was kept under house arrest at Shillong and was coerced into signing the deceitful Manipur Merger Agreement," said the outfit and added that after India announced that Manipur has been annexed on October 15, 1949, the elected State Assembly was dissolved and since then Manipur lost her sovereignty.

This historical fact should be the basis on any decision taken to steer the fate of the land and the people, said UNLF.

The most crucial and important issue at hand today is the sovereignty of Manipur and this decision should be taken by the people.

"This is the legitimate National right of the people," said UNLF and reminded all that the armed movement started to regain the lost sovereignty of the land.

The Indian Government has been sending in her troops to militarily crush the armed movement, said UNLF and said that the armed movement cannot be called insurgency as it is not a movement within a country.

Moreover the struggle cannot be called a separatist movement as Manipur was never a part of India.

"The struggle is based on international law, historical truth and constitutional and legal truth," asserted UNLF.

Touching on other points, UNLF admitted that it would have been much better if the plebiscite proposal had been put forward unitedly with other armed groups.

However the time and situation did not allow this, it explained.

There are a number of other points that need to be discussed thoroughly too, said UNLF and listed the points as, "the stand that other groups might adopt in light of the plebiscite proposal, whether the plebiscite will be possible without a united stand of all the armed groups, whether the elections held in Manipur after she merged with India reflect that the people want to live with India, etc".

There is nothing more democratic than the four point plebiscite put forward, said UNLF but hastened to add that if anyone or any group can come up with a better and more democratic idea, then UNLF will be happy to accept such a proposal.

It is not so important whether India agrees to the plebiscite proposal or not, but what is more important is to involve the people in any process to resolve the Indo-Manipur conflict, said the outfit.

UNLF also asked the people not to believe any stories planted by agents of India that it is ready to start a peace dialogue with Delhi.

"We will never enter into a dialogue before India announces that it is ready to accept the plebiscite proposal," said UNLF adding that it will not talk with India without the question of sovereignty.

Moreover any talk will be held under the UN.

Appealing to the people to take up the slogan of plebiscite, UNLF urged all to hold seminars, debates and meetings on plebiscite.

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