IMPHAL, June 10: The United Naga Council has called a 48 hour total bandh including railway construction works in Naga inhabited areas from the midnight of June 16 to midnight June 18 and has further warned that anybody violating the total bandh would be doing so at their own risk.
A release of the council has said that the bandh has been called to protest against the lack of sincerity of the government of India and Government of Manipur in taking forward the tripartite talk regading the alternative arrangement demand of the council.
The release has said that the democratic process of dialogue on the demand for an alternative arrangement for the Nagas in Manipur through the tripartite talk of the Government of India, GoI, the Government of Manipur, GoM and the United Naga Council, UNC, which was initiated by the Home Minister of India is a registration and recognition of the sharp “social divide” on communal lines due to the marginalization, discrimination and domination, which has led systematic degradation and obliteration of Naga and tribal history, culture, identity and rights to land and resources.
It continued that the last tripartite talk was held on the June 30, 2011 at Tahamzam, Senapati.
Subsequently, submissions were made to the Ministry of Home Affairs, MHA urging for expeditious resumption of the tripartite talk.
The Home Minister at Tahamzam, Senapati and the Prime Minister at Raj Bhavan, Imphal had urged the UNC on November 2, 2011 and December 3, 2011 respectively to continue with the dialogue process, it said.
It continued that after the last submission to the MHA, made on April 13, 2012, the UNC has held series of the consultations with Naga frontal organisations and Tribes leaders on the movement for an alternative arrangement outside the GoM.
“The consultative meeting for the All Naga Students’ Association Manipur, ANSAM and its constituent units was held on the April 27, 2012 at Katomei, Tahamzam(Senapati) followed by the consultation with the Naga Women Union and its constituent units on the April 28, 2012 at Senapati village, Tahamzam”.
“On May 6, 2012, at Martyrs Park, Mao Gate, during the observation of the 2nd death anniversary of Loshou & Chakho, the Nagas reaffirmed the commitment for an immediate alternative arrangement outside the Government of Manipur, pending settlement of the Indo-Naga issue”, it said.
While on May 8, 2012, the demand for an alternative arrangement for the Nagas in Manipur was re-endorsed in the Naga Hoho consultative meeting held at Kohima, the release said.
“A capacity building programme for Executives of the constituent units of the UNC, Naga regional organisations and Naga frontal organizations was conducted at Ukhrul from the 22nd May, 2012 to the 25th May, 2012, in which the Naga people’s movement for alternative arrangement was put in perspective and strategies for pursuing the people’s movement was extensively explored”, it added.
It further continued that the Presidential Council meeting of the UNC held on June 8, 2012, decided that a 48 hours total bandh including railway construction works would be observed in Naga areas from the midnight of June 16 to midnight of June 18.
It was also decided that the 48 hours total bandh would be followed by series of other agitation activities if no response is forthcoming from the GoI and the GoM, the release said.
“Medical services, fire-brigade, media, power and telecommunication departments will be exempted from the purview of the total bandh”, the release said.