Even as the state government of Manipur is all set to depute a ministerial team to meet agitating United Naga Council (UNC) leaders in Senapati on August 6, the latter has said today that since they have severed ties with the former, there is no room for such talks. On August 4 the state cabinet meeting had decided that a ministerial team would be sent to Senapati to meet the Naga leaders and negotiate on issues they have been agitating over.
However, on Thursday, the UNC said that they are demanding from the Central government to intervene at this juncture. “It is learnt through the media that an inter-ministerial team of the government of Manipur will be deputed to Senapati headquarters to discuss the Autonomous District Council (ADC) matter with the UNC in the office of the deputy commissioner of Senapati.
It has therefore become necessary to once again make our position very clear that the UNC cannot meet and discuss with the government of Manipur on ADC issue as the Naga people has declared that the recently conducted ADC elections as ‘null and void”, said the UNC today.
The UNC then stated that the Nagas in the present state of Manipur, having established their position based upon the ‘unmistakable fact’ that it is impossible to protect their right to life, land, time-honored institutions, customary practice and values under the administration of the dominant and communal Government of Manipur (GoM), and that their history with it, has clearly confirmed the harsh reality that the government of Manipur has never recognized and respected the identity and dignity of the Naga people.
As such the Naga Peoples’ Convention (NPC), the highest decision making platform of the Nagas in Manipur, held on July 1, 2010, declared the severance of all political ties with the government of Manipur and to seek the intervention of the government of India for an alternative arrangement for the Nagas in Manipur State.
“Since the Nagas have severed political ties with the government of Manipur, the intervention of the Government of India for an alternative arrangement is sought by the Nagas of Manipur. Therefore, we will not welcome the GoM and their representatives into Naga areas,” the UNC said.
