Mail News Service
Imphal, Nov 4 : The United Committee Manipur (UCM) today submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh regarding ongoing talks between the Government of India and NSCN (IM).
The UCM demanded “a white paper on the 15 year long peace process between the government and the NSCN (IM) in the true spirit of the Indian Democracy so that the people of Manipur are not kept in complete darkness before sacrificing Manipur at the altar of peace.”
Y Nabachandra, President UCM said the Government will be held fully responsible for total alienation of the people of Manipur from the Indian mainland if the government disturbs the territorial integrity of Manipur or disturb the peaceful harmonious relations between the different communities settled in Manipur.
He reiterated the stand of the UCM that people of Manipur will demand pre merger status if the government disturbs the political structure of Manipur. The PM was reminded of the historical background of Manipur, her international treaties with the then British India Government and Burma (Myanmar) and that Manipur was recognized as a sovereign power more than 2000 years ago.
He informed that Manipur was conquered by the British India Government on 27th of April, 1891 after Anglo- Manipuri War of 1891. Manipur regained her sovereignty after the lapse of British Paramountcy on 14th of August, 1947 and Manipur had a popular government after a general election held in 1948 under the Manipur Constitution Act, 1947.
Manipur King Bodhachandra was forced to sign a prepared Merger Agreement under duress and coercion and hence, Manipur became a Part-C State within the Dominion of India from 15 Oct 1949. Since time immemorial, all the ethnic communities of Manipur have been living together peacefully and harmoniously he added.
Central leaders should not resort to double talks on the issue he said. They sing tones in Manipur and Nagaland he alleged.
Succeeding Prime Ministers and Home Ministers including Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had assured that Manipur’s boundary and integrity will not be disturbed. It was further reminded that Manipur State Assembly took several resolutions to protect territorial integrity of Manipur. The people of Manipur will never compromise with the territorial integrity of Manipur besides the democratic functioning of the state of Manipur just to appease the NSCN (IM) it was stated.
He further reminded of the folly of the government of India in 2001 when the truce with the NSCN(IM) was extended beyond Nagaland. There was a massive uprising in June which could not be controlled until the decision was withdrawn. He said the uprising will be more than that of the 2001 incident however he refused to divulge the plan of the UCM. He said UCM and the people of Manipur want peace in Nagaland and other neighbouring states but it should not at the cost of the people of Manipur and other neighbouring states.
The UCM is prepared to hold talks with all organisations and stakeholders in the state to solve any problem he said. The UCM has been urging the government to provide more funds to the hill areas and it supports support of more than 70 percent of the fund he added.
UCM president Yumnam Nabachandra said even if the territorial integrity of Manipur is not affected anything that may be a negative factor for the relationship of the various communities of Manipur will be thwarted by the UCM when an agreement is inked between New Delhi and the NSCN-IM.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/produce-white-paper-on-ongoing-naga-talks-ucm-to-pm/
