UNC reach out to GoI Interlocutor
Naga economic blockade to protest Manipur polls
Even as the volunteers of All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) have scattered themselves and stationed in various ‘strategic locations’ to impose the 6-day economic blockade along the national and state highways from midnight of Sunday, the United Naga Council (UNC) said today that it had apprised the Autonomous District Council poll issue to R.S Pandey, interlocutor of the Government of India in the peace talk with the NSCN-IM.
UNC chief Samson Remmei disclosed to Newmai News Network over phone from Senapati that on April 9, the UNC team met R.S Pandey in Nagaland and apprised him about the development in Manipur. “We have briefed Mr. R.S Pandey that we do not want the imposed legislation on the tribal people by conducting the ADC elections based on the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act, 2008,” said Samson Remmei.
Meanwhile, the UNC president said that the Naga frontal organisations are now all set to agitate in different forms once the 6-day long economic blockade gets over. “If the response from the state government is not that positive, we are here to resort to sterner and more drastic forms of agitation,” asserted the UNC chief.
It is worth noting that the United Naga Council (UNC) had called a 12-hour ‘chakka bandh’ in Manipur hill areas on April 6 against the present status of the ‘imposed legislation’ with special reference to the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act 1971 and amended in 2008 which has been ‘rejected outrightly’. On the other hand, the state government has set May 17 and May 24 to hold elections to the ADCs.
Meanwhile, All Naga Students Association, Manipur (ANSAM) president David Choro said that ANSAM activists are now stationed in all ‘strategic locations’ to impose the blockade from midnight. “We have appealed time and again to everyone particularly the transporters to extend their co-operation to our move,” the ANSAM president said.