Dimapur, May 27 (MExN): The United Naga Council has stated that on the morning of May 27, 2010 Mr. Irabot Singh, Minister FCS, Govt. of Manipur along with 22 vehicles came to Noney ostensibly on a peace mission but clearly to reinforce his position as a hero for the clearance of NH 53. He was welcomed with a social boycott, informed a press note from the UNC Publicity Wing.
While the 6th May 2010 brutal repression on the Naga people resulted in the death of 2 students and injuring more than hundred people, the UNC pointed out that the Govt. of Manipur has been pretending that nothing is amiss and their only concern is to open up the NH 53 to bring in supplies to Imphal valley, the land of plenty. “Citizens have been killed, injured, their properties looted and destroyed and sentiments hurt, but the hero of Manipur is on peace mission to Noney for a morsel of rice. Is this not communal? The injustice done to a section of society is not addressed but the attention of the state is focused only on how to get supplies to Imphal valley alone”, the UNC stated.
“Let this be the last insult on the Naga people who had declared to sever ties with the state Govt. of Manipur and should any untoward incident take place in Noney or any other areas as a result of such insensitivity on the Naga people, it will be the sole responsibility of Mr. Irabot Singh and the Manipur State Govt”, the UNC stated.
Further, the UNC pointed out that Mr. K. Ranjit while addressing the Thanga Block Youth Congress as chief guest on May 25, 2010 stated that the responsibility of the Mao Gate killing on May 6 should be fixed on Mr. Muivah and also that the participants of the protest rally of the day were forced by certain NGOs. But according to the UNC, on the morning of May 6, Naga students and women folk came out to protest against the brutal assault of Mr. Ashihrii Puni on the evening of 5th of May 2010 by the Manipur state armed forces, who in response trained their guns on unarmed civilians and shot dead two students in cold blood and wounded hundred of women.
“Now Mr. K. Ranjit holds Mr. Th Muivah responsible for the violent action of the Manipur state security forces. He has gone further to insult the Naga people saying that the protestors were forced by some NGOs. Is it a crime to protest against the brutality of Manipur State armed forces? Do Nagas have no right to raise their voices against state violence on innocent civilians? Do they need to be forced to demand that the voices should be heard and dignity of life respected?”
The UNC added that the Naga people strongly condemned what it termed as “the torrents of provocative and communal actions and statements of the Ministers of the O. Ibobi led Manipur state Govt. which have been blatantly exhibited in public and in the media”.
