Imphal, June 10 NNN: The United Naga Council (UNC) has announced to call a 48-hour total bandh including construction of rail lines in ‘Naga areas’ from the midnight of June 16 in protest against the alleged lack of interest of the government on the demand for ‘Alternative Arrangement’
“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 Hon’ble 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,” the UNC said today.
The last tripartite talk was held on June 30, 2011 at Senapati. Subsequently, submissions were made to the Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA), GoI urging for expeditious resumption of the tripartite talk. The Hon’ble Home Minister, GoI at Tahamzam(Senapati) and the Prime Minister, GoI at Raj Bhavan, Imphal had urged the UNC on November 2, 2011 and December 3, 2011 respectively to continue with the dialogue process, it added.
After the last submission to the MHA, GoI, made on the 13th April ,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.
“After the series of consultations highlighted above, in the Presidential Council meeting of the UNC held on the 8th June, 2012, it was decided that a 48 hours total bandh including railway construction works would be observed in Naga areas from the midnight of 16th June, 2012 to midnight of 18th June, 2012 to protest against the lack of sincerity of the GoI and GoM in taking forward the democratic process of dialogue and to urge the GoI for intervention with an alternative arrangement. The total bandh was felt necessary because the GoM has willfully evaded continuation of the democratic process of dialogue brought into place through the tripartite talk at the instance of the GoI and also because both the GoI and the GoM have amply demonstrated that they will not respond to the civil submissions made time and again in good faith and with confidence in the sincerity of the State and Union Government towards the democratic process of dialogue. 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 government of Manipur,” .
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/unc-calls-48-hour-bandh/
