IMPHAL September 12: The United Committee Manipur (UCM), All Manipur United Club Organisation (AMUCO) and Committee on Civil Society of Kangleipak (CCSK) have announced today that they will collectively initiate a local level consultative meeting for building a mass mobilization regarding the present political situation following the signing of the Naga Peace Accord with the Government of India.
This was announced during a joint press conference held at UCM office at Lamphel in Imphal today.
Elaborating on their meeting with the interlocutor of India-NSCN (IM) peace talk RN Ravi, AMUCO president Dr Y Mani Khuman said they urged the interlocutor that the territorial integrity and boundary of the State should not be compromised at any cost.
The organisation also urged him to produce a white paper disclosing all the details of the Peace Accord to calm the tension and apprehension among the people of Manipur following the signing of the Peace Accord, he said.
He continued, we told him that we do welcome the Peace Accord of GOI, but the undisclosed grey areas of the accord have created tension among the public.
We have clearly stated that people of Manipur will not accept any compromise on the territorial boundary and territorial integrity of the State. We cannot agree to a Pan Naga formation on ethnic lines which can distort the present facade of the State, he said.
He said we insisted that the people`s mandate should not be surpassed.
RN Ravi did inform us that Naga sovereignty has been waived, he said.
Yet we are not convinced given the history of cases and incidents in the past when our territorial integrity was challenged, he continued.
Mani Khuman said they have submitted a memorandum in this regard placing their position. He feels that the Ravi has taken serious note of it.
United Committee Manipur president Elangbam Johnson said that RN Ravi has informed them the Peace Accord is signed within the Constitution of India and will not alter the boundaries of the neighbouring States.
However the GOI`s recognition of Naga`s unigue history and the evolving Naga aspiration towards a Pan Naga continues to create tension in the State, he added.
Besides this NSCN IM`s Th Muivah has been repeatedly stating post Peace Accord that integration of Nagas remains in the agenda, he added.
We have apprised the interlocutor of these concerns, said Johnson.
He continued we fear that this will lead to an institutional transformation.
Johnson said we feel that his present engagement with the people of Manipur is directly related to the signing of the recent Peace Accord, which the interlocutor also did not deny.
On the allegation of discriminating the hill population in the State, we told him that these are unfounded allegations and had also cited the pre-merger and post-merger special provisions and separate regulations for the hill people, he said.
Autonomous District Council was kept in abeyance by the NSCN IM for very long. However it is revived again and there has been a lot of discussion for further devolution of power which we are supportive of, the UCM president said.
But a divisive administrative unit drawn on ethnic lines will not be acceptable as it will distort the pluralistic feature of this State, he said.
The GOI will not be allowed to bypass the State government or the people`s voice on such crucial issues, he observed.
All this positions were also highlighted to the interlocutor during our meeting, he said.
Since 1997 the GOI has been following a Naga appeasement policy stating that they recognized, respect and honour the unique history of the Nagas. Likewise the GOI should also equally regard our 2000 years of history, he said while reiterating that any attempt to fragment the State will be confronted.
President CCSK, Arjun Telheiba said the interlocutor mention that the GOI is trying to bring an amicable solution to the long political tussle with the Nagas and is mindful of the sensitivity in Manipur.
`RN Ravi asked our feedback on solution for Manipur Nagas. Our response was that GOI should decide wisely so that the oneness of the State will not be disturbed` said Arjun. He said RN Ravi had been urged not to play favoritism on ethnic lines during their meeting.
