Mail News Service
Imphal, Jan 22: Talks were held to settle the Naga issue and after more than 15 years of the peace process, a settlement of the complex issue is impending UNC today said in a statement.
The demand for an alternative arrangement for the Nagas in Manipur outside the Government of Manipur(GoM), pending settlement was registered in the 1st July, 2010 . The 14 political parties delegation to Delhi did not include the NPF nor the it was stated. The reported assault of Momoko by Livingstone, an NSCN cadre has merited discussions in the State Assembly, condemnation by political parties and civil societies and also occasioned the much hyped delegation to Delhi. But other issues related to tribals were not raised it was stated.
CM Ibobi has reportedly cited the fair representation of Tribal IAS, IPS and MCS officers in the State Government to convince the Government of India(GoI) that Meiteis are left far behind and are in an unfavourable situation. These tribal officers enter into their services through competitive exams or seniority and meritorious service records and not by depriving non tribals it was clarified.
As on 31/3/2007 the total number of ST employees should have been 20,031 but they are actually only 15,489. With regard to ADC teachers recruited in 1999, 2006 and 2010, large number of non tribals were stealthily recruited by the GoM, while it maintains that there is no quota here for the Meiteis.
That non tribals cannot own land in the hills but tribals can do so in the valley is granted by an act of Parliament to protect disadvantaged tribals The rights of the tribals will never be upheld nor protected
under the GoM. Rishang Keishing was Chief Minister and Mr. Gaikhangam is Deputy Chief Minister not because they are Nagas but through party decisions in Government
formation. Naturally they do not uphold the interest of the tribals and worked in the party interest only, fitting very well into the GoM’s scheme of things.
The statements of Ibobi and the GoM over the last few months harps on ensuring equal development in the hills and by this very admission, it indicates that the tribals have been denied their rights to development. But in Delhi, with maps and selected but irrelevant statistics Ibobi has projected that tribals in the state have more than their share.
Ibobi says that the opinion of the people of Manipur matters the most. Who are the people of Manipur and does it include the Nagas and tribals in Ibobi’s vocabulary. If so the Nagas and tribals want alternative arrangement outside the GoM, which are already established positions, and the opinion of the people of Manipur must include the same.
Nagas are not communal and ours is a political issue. What we do not wish for is for any communal conflagration to take place because of the inability to accept the inevitable and the logical conclusion of the Naga peoples’ movement for their political aspirations rooted in their history and situation. What we wish for is the peaceful parting of ways and the securing of good neighbourliness for all times to come.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/unc-on-peace-talks/
