IMPHAL, Nov 6 (NNN): A team led by the United Naga Council (UNC), including the Naga Women’s Union, the All Naga Students’ Association and the Naga Peoples’ Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) visited Inrianglong (Tamenglong) district Hhadquarters on a good will mission on November 3 and 4 in view of the violent armed clashes between Naga groups that has claimed several lives in the recent past. Apart from meeting cross sections of the society the team also held a public meeting at the Indoor Stadium on November 4 which was attended by local church leaders, frontal organisations which included the Zeliangrong Baudi (Manipur Zone) and the Zeliangrong Pui Baudi and the general public. After the addresses by members of the good will mission, a spoken mass prayer was offered by the participants for an end to the violence that has engulfed Tamenglong, for God’s blessings on the upcoming 5th `tripartite talk` on the demand for “alternative arrangement” and early settlement of the Indo-Naga issue.
A declaration was also adopted by a unanimous voice vote on the conflict situation at the end of the public meeting, the substance of which included that the public meeting registered its serious concern over the prevailing situation in Inrianglong (Tamenglong).
The meeting strongly urged upon the “factions/political groups” (Naga militant groups) to withdraw from the violent path in the spirit of Naga reconciliation which is the clarion call of all the Nagas across the land.
The meeting also urged all political, social, church and other organisational leaders to discourage propaganda, rumours, incitements and instigations for narrow and personal interests and to thereby create space for trust, goodwill and rapprochement among the people at large.
The meeting then requested the media to play a proactive role for transformation of the present conflict through their reportage and coverage and to tone down the negative elements in the public discourse in the media.
It also strongly urged the Assam Rifles to be non partisan and to refrain from siding or encouraging any one party in the conflict and to secure the vital public confidence and trust as a neutral force till the return of normalcy.