Police Commando Terror in Ukhrul Manipur, India

A Naga International Support Center, NISC

Press release

Amsterdam,  September 2 2014

Police Commando Terror in Ukhrul Manipur, India, ancestral domain of the Naga Peoples, leaves two dead and dozens severely injured

Seven weeks of protest against State of Manipur siege of Ukhrul ended in orchestrated violence when security forces of Manipur, Police Commandos, fired into the peaceful Naga crowd of demonstrators Infuriating the entire Naga Nation.

While tears, anger and fear rule Ukhrul and beyond  the question is:

Why did the Police Commandos deployed by the Manipur Government attack the Tribal Naga people during a peaceful demonstration as they stood for their basic right, the right to self-determination?

The answer is complex but boils down to the point that Manipur does not recognize the ceasefire agreement between the Government of India, GOI, and the Government of the Naga Nation.

Numerous human rights violations preceded this bloody incident which should have warned the Government of India. Yet, when Ukhrul was besieged by troops of the Government of the State of Manipur no less than seven weeks ago, it did not intervene and so it implicitly told the Nagas that the ceasefire was null and void and that Manipur would be allowed to rule the Nagas.

The conflict between the Naga Nation and India has been raging since 1954 and is possible the longest running conflict of the modern world. After the British left the Nagas were first  divided between Burma and India and over time again within India between the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and Nagaland. They were not consulted and want to be reunited. Since India invaded their territories the Nagas, who from 1929 declared they wanted to be free, successfully fought the troops of India with the result of a the second ceasefire and peace talks which commenced in 1997 and is ongoing till today.

But since Manipur does not want the Nagas to reunify but instead indulges in gross human rights violations which deadly policy the Government of India exonerates the Nagas in the state of Manipur are living on a powder keg ready to explode any time now.

Hence the Naga International Support Center calls on the International Community, notably the United Nations, and on all Human rights and conflict resolution organizations to hold the Indian Government responsible for allowing the Government of Manipur to murder, injure, sow fear and anguish.

Along with the Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights NISC condemns the use of high calibre live rounds by the counter insurgency forces against peaceful rallyists  killing two civilians while injuring more than 35 people on 30th August 2014 and condemns the imposition of Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code and deployment of counter insurgency forces; Manipur Police Commando (MPC) and Indian Reserved Battalion (IRB) in Ukhrul without any justification since the 13th of July 2014

NISC urges the Government of India to immediately live up to the ceasefire agreement of 1997 and to stop the Government of Manipur  from violating rights and lives  of the Naga Peoples.

For more information visit www.nagalim.nl or write to us nisc@nagalim.nl

UNC seeks ‘urgent action and intervention’ of the Prime Minister of India

 Senapati, August 30 (MExN): The United Naga Council (UNC) has called for “urgent action and intervention” from the Government of India in a memorandum to its Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.

The action and intervention has been sought from the GoI to “expedite an acceptable and honourable settlement of the Indo-Naga issue.” It asked for the Government of Manipur to be “prevailed upon” by the Union “to uphold and respect the Indo-Naga cease-fire and peace process which recognises the unique history and situation of the Nagas and to immediately desist from militarisation of Naga areas.”

The UNC memorandum also asked the GoI to “ensure that the GoM is not allowed to subvert the constitutional rights and protections of the tribals and Nagas in all spheres – educational, employment, ownership of land and natural resources, development opportunities etc.”

“The GoI must take forward with sincerity and seriousness the democratic process of dialogue in the tripartite talk of the GoI, GoM and UNC on the demand of the Nagas in Manipur for an alternative arrangement outside the GoM, pending settlement of the Indo-Naga issue, which has logically progressed to a stage where the GoI will institute a High Powered Committee to translate the same into a political reality,” the memo stated. Apart from the UNC, it was endorsed by the Naga Peoples’ Organisation, Maram Naga Union, Thangal Union, Mao Council, Poumai Naga Union, Senapati District Women’s Association, Senapati District Students’ Association, Naga Peoples’ Movement for Human Rights, All Naga Students’ Association Manipur and Zeliangrong Senapati Zone.

United Naga Council Declaration 1st of September2014

DECLARATION OF THE NAGA PEOPLE IN MANIPUR MADE DURING THE FUNERAL SERVICE OF MAYOPAM RAMROR AND RAMKASHING VASHI, WHO WERE KILLED BY THE COMMUNAL GOVERNMENT OF MANIPUR AND MARTYRED AT UKHRUL ON 30TH AUGUST, 2014.

THE NAGA PUBLIC NUMBERING MORE THAN TEN OF THOUSANDS IN THE ABOVE PROGRAMME ENDORSED THE RESOLUTIONS OF THE EMERGENCY PRESIDENTIAL COUNCIL MEETING DATED 1ST SEPTEMBER, 2014 OF THE UNITED NAGA COUNCIL WITH THE PRESIDENT, UNC IN THE CHAIR AND CONDUCTED BY THE GENERAL SECRETARY UNC, AND ATTENDED BY THE NAGA TRIBE COUNCILS, NAGA FRONTAL AND REGIONAL ORGANISATIONS WHICH WAS CONVENED PRIOR TO THE FUNERAL PROGRAMME.

1. NAGAS CONDEMN IN THE STRONGEST TERM, THE KILLINGS AND VIOLENCE PERPETRATED ON THE NAGAS DURING THE PEACEFUL AND DEMOCRATIC MASS RALLY HELD ON 30TH AUGUST, 2014 AT UKHRUL BY THE COMMUNAL POLICE FORCE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF MANIPUR IN CONTINUATION OF THE LATTER’S COMMUNAL POLICIES AGAINST THE NAGAS/TRIBALS.

2. LATE MAYOPAM RAMROR AND LATE RAMKASHING VASHI OF TEINEM VILLAGE ARE HEREBY DECLARED MARTYRS OF THE NAGA CAUSE AND WILL BE HONOURED AS SUCH FOR ALL TIME TO COME.

3. ON THIS DAY WE REITERATE THE POLITICAL BOYCOTT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF MANIPUR IN NAGA AREAS.

4. AN INDEFINTE BAN ON ALL CONSTRUCTION WORKS ON NATIONAL PROJECTS IN NAGA AREAS AND BAN ON ALL VEHICULAR TRAFFIC ON NATIONAL AND STATE HIGHWAYS IN NAGA AREAS WILL BE ENFORCED WITH EFFECT FROM 6 AM OF 4TH SEPTEMBER, 2014 TILL SUCH TIME THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MAKES A POLITICAL INTERVENTION ON OUR SITUATION. EDUCATIONAL, MEDICAL, POWER AND THE MEDIA WILL BE EXEMPTED FROM THE PURVIEW OF THE STRICTURE.

5. THE ABOVE DECISION WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE HON’BLE PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA FOR HIS IMMEDIATE POLITICAL INTERVENTION.

Dated Ukhrul1st September, 2014 ( GAIDON KAMEI ) General Secretary

Prohibitory order relaxed for 7 hours in Ukhrul district Correspondent, Nagaland Post

IMPHAL District administration had relaxed the prohibitory order under section 144 of CrPC in Ukhrul town for seven hours on Monday so as to able the people to attend the funeral services of two slain victims ofSaturday’s Ukhrul incident.

The prohibitory order was relaxed from 9 a.m. till 3 p.m. following a decision of the state government, said state deputy chief minister Gaikhangam who also holds the home portfolio today in an interview with a local cable TV network.

He said that the district administration was asked to relax the same after a monitoring review meeting convened by the chief minister O Ibobi Singh thoroughly reviewed the prevailing situation in the district and to able the people to participate in the funeral ceremony. The home minister said that it was not sure that police and state security personnel shot death the two persons.

To a query, the deputy chief minister said that the additional state force in the town was deployed with the knowledge of the Centre. Regarding the state force remaining confined to their camps and Assam Rifles troops conducting patrolling in the town, he said it was after a request from the Assam Rifles authority with an assurance to maintain the law and orders.