Imphal, November 27: Taking a hard and critical look at contract/supply and its impact on the people, UNLF said any work or projects having direct link with life and health of the people will come under close scrutiny of the outfit in collaboration with other like minded parties.

All works taken up under Medical Dept, PHED, Education, etc should strictly comply with laid down specifications, it said and added that anyone found swindling money through Akash bill, compromising quality of the work and supplying sub-standard goods will be dealt with sternly.

The UNLF also appealed to all not to get swayed by the lure of easy money by compromising with the health and life of the people.

It also appealed to other like parties to check such activities in their own capacity.

Touching on the relevant point of battle between parties for overall control of contract/supply works as 'their projects' UNLF proposed that any work up to Rs 20 lakhs be released to Open Tender.

If such small works are awarded properly by the collective intervention or influence of the Parties, a small step can be taken to introduce a new work culture in the contract/supply system, it reasoned.

The outfit further proposed that no percentage be levied on any contract/supply work up to Rs 20 lakh and announced that for the UNLF it will stop levying such percentage from January 1, 2008.Touching on the extremely sensitive issue of factionalism, UNLF said that besides contract/supply system, the other unhealthy phenomenon is factionalism which rears its head from time to time.

In the history of the liberation struggle of Manipur, factionalism has been a major weakness, said UNLF and added that causes for factionalism may range from differences in ideology and in some cases without any such principles.

Giving a brief account of factionalism in the history of the liberation struggle, UNLF said that in 1968-69 a faction led by Oinam Sudhir Kumar broke away from the UNLF and formed CONSOCOM-RGM; in 1978-79, the RGM split into two groups one led by the late N Bisheswar and the other led by Sudhir Kumar.

Bisheswar formed PLA and Sudhir Kumar founded Poirei Liberation Front.

Later Sudhir became a counter revolutionary and the two groups had a spell of bloodshed, said UNLF and recalled that Sudhir was killed later.

In 1980-81, two factions of PREPAK had a long spell of bloodshed while about the same time, UNLF also suffered a second split, though without any bloodshed.

This was patched up in 1987.However the UNLF split again in 1991, this time followed by heavy bloodshed for nine long years, said the Central Committee and added that internal feuds within two groups in the RPF/PLA resulted in the loss of some lives.

The recent killings between two groups of PREPAK is another unfortunate manifestation of factionalism, it observed.

Splits and factionalism are contradictions that developed at a certain stage in human society, elucidated the outfit and added that this has been the case in the Manipuri society for a long time.

However unprincipled splits and factionalism encouraged by intrigues appeared in Manipuri society with the advent of Hinduism, it said and added that it is quite natural for such social phenomenon to seep into the revolutionary parties too.

Revolutionary parties ought to find ways to resolve the contradictions on the basis of the objectives of liberation struggle and ideological viewpoints.

Any contradiction without any differences on such basic principles can be resolved within but any faction not subscribing to the basic principle should be treated as unprincipled, it noted.

Dubbing the peace talk offer from the Government as India as 'Trap', the Central Committee said such peace talks can never resolve existing conflicts in the region.

Giving examples, UNLF said that the Mizo struggle ended in capitulation when the MNF signed the Mizoram Accord in 1986.The Tripura National Volunteer also followed suit soon after.

However the most glaring example is the peace talk between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM) that started in 1997, said UNLF and added that in this protracted period, the Indian Government has gained everything while IM group lost everything.

At one time, the NSCN (IM) shouted that Naga sovereignty and independence are non-negotiable but today they are ready to give up the position on sovereignty for a 'special federal relationship' within the Indian Constitution, observed UNLF.

It is time for the NSCN (IM) to realise their own naivete, said the Central Committee and advised that they should analyse why India is dragging the peace process for so long.

Putting it straight, UNLF said that the main objective of the Indian Government is to demolish the personality of the two senior leaders of the NSCN (IM) which commanded the trust and confidence of the Naga people in general.

It is to destroy this faith and confidence that the Indian Government has lured away the immediate leaders of the NSCN (IM) to the comforts of an extravagant life and to destroy the morale of the lower level cadres by making them enjoy an easy life.

In fact the NSCN (IM) cadres have lost their morale and the Naga freedom fighters are being lured with alcohol by Indian security forces, alleged UNLF.

Posing a straight question, the Central Committee asked, "Even if the NSCN (IM) decides to withdraw from the peace talk process, can they persuade the Naga people who have enjoyed a non-conflict situation for over ten years now, to resume the armed struggle against India ?".

The degeneration of the NSCN (IM) as a result of the peace process should serve as the warning to other revolutionary organisations of the region to be wary of India's peace talk, cautioned UNLF.

The outfit also appealed to all the other groups, which have agreed to a cease fire agreement with India but have not entered into a dialogue to realise the danger and return to the revolutionary movement.

Asserting that one of the basic approaches of the UNLF is that the region (NE region) is a composite whole made up of inseparable and interdependent parts having a common historical, social and cultural background, the Committee said liberation of this region is historically inevitable.

The interdependent existence of the region will also take the form of building together an economy of collective self reliance, it observed and added that therefore Manipur's economy will have to be developed keeping in perspective the regional reality.

Greeting all the ethnic groups of Manipur, UNLF called upon all to "Over come the grave situation confronting all of us today by the collective strength and wisdom of all the ethnic groups and build an independent and united National life." In such a National life, each and every ethnic group, particularly the small ones shall enjoy the right to protect, preserve and develop their distinct cultural identities and that the bigger ones should not forcibly assimilate the smaller ones, explained the outfit.

Touching on other matters, the outfit said that the widespread abuse of drugs particularly the younger generation is painful.

However what is consoling is the public awareness and the social movement against drugs, said the Central Committee and added that this has given the confidence that the Manipuri society will not be swept away by the menace of drug abuse.

Another very important is the use of Urea to quicken the process of Ngari production by unscrupulous traders.

Considering the grave risk posed to the health of the people, UNLF said it has started investigating the matter and warned all concerned to stop such practices.

Anyone found indulging in this act will be punished not only with the forfeiture of related properties but may be given severe punishment.

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