John K Kaping
Ukhrul August 19
A public protest under the aegis of the United Naga Council (UNC) was held in Ukhrul today against the creation of a Sadar Hills District in the Nagas’ areas in Manipur state. The protesters from all walks of life in Ukhrul district including students from all the institutions in the district headquarter advised against bifurcation of Nagas’ land. They marched through the Ukhrul starts and later converged at the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) ground for a public meeting.
The protest rally began at 10:00am this morning and ended at 1:30 pm. All business establishments, institutions, offices and vehicular movements came to standstill.
Former TNL president Peter Pheirei addressed the huge public gathering and narrated the history of the Nagas’ land and the boundaries and demarcations within Manipur, Assam, Arunachal and in Angkouching range. He quoted records since the time of British rule in Manipur and Assam.
He also narrated British history records written in clear ink about the position of how from the very time the Kuki have been living in the Nagas’ land by paying tax to the land owners (Nagas).
President of TNL Solomon Ningshen read out a joint-declaration jointly signed by the presidents of TNL, Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong, Tangkhul Shanao Long, Tangkhul Youth Council and Tangkhul and Naga Wungnao Long. The declaration stated that the protest rally symbolizes the strong objection to the attempt of the government of Manipur and its collaborators to bifurcate the land of the Nagas by creating Sardar Hills and Jiribam districts. The declaration condemned the ‘divide and rule policy’ of the Manipur government. The Manipur government is always accused of playing the communal card and thrown the bone of contention between the tribal of the state.
The statement noted four consecutive memorandums of understanding/ agreements entered into by the Nagas in Manipur and the Manipur government in 1981, 1992, 1996 and 1998 that the “resolution to the conflict on the issue of Sardar Hills will be brought through a consensus of the peoples concerned in the interest of bringing about lasting peace and harmony between the Nagas and Kukis.” In spite of this the Manipur government has once again engineered space for carving out the land of the Nagas without their knowledge and consent, pitting the tribal against each other.