NNN
SENAPATI, JANUARY 14
The United Naga Council (UNC) has announced to call a 48-hour general strike in “tribal areas” of Manipur from January 24 midnight to draw the attention of the Government of India for immediate intervention on pending issues.
According to the UNC, the passing of three “anti-tribal bills” and resolutions by Manipur Assembly on August 31, 2015 consequent upon which “nine innocent” civilians were “killed by the bullets of communal Manipur police commandos” and injuring of hundreds of people on August 31 and September 1, 2015 at Churachandpur headquarters while defending the inalienable rights of the tribal people and also for indifferent attitude of the Government of India shown towards the bodies of the “nine tribal martyrs” still lying at the morgue of Churachandpur civil hospital.
“Political motive of the Government of Manipur to grab tribal lands by curving out more than hundreds of Hills tribal villages and placing them into the four valley district of Imphal in the name of re-organization of police district boundaries through the notification and flash orders issued by the Home department, Government of Manipur should be immediately revoked and place them back into its original hill district,” the UNC said in its press release today.
According to the statement, for upholding of its policies of terrorizing and suppressing the political aspiration of the Nagas and tribal people, communal security forces had killed two Mao Naga promising students on 6th May 2010 at Mao gate, two Tangkhul Naga youths on August 30, 2014 at Ukhrul, nine civilian are killed on August 31 and September 1, 2015 at Churachandpur and very recently four civilians were shot and four seriously beaten up at K.Somrei Naga village on December 27, 2015 by Manipur police commandos stationed at the base camp of ABCI K.Somrei village. Therefore, Manipur police commandos and IRB personals should be immediately withdrawn from ceasefire and Suspension of Operation (SoO) coverage areas.
The bandh is also to draw the attention of the central government to “deliver immediate and adequate justice to the victims of K.Somrei Naga village who were indiscriminately shot and beaten up by the Manipur police commandos on December 27, 2015 during Christmas festival programme at around 7:30 pm”, said the UNC press note.
“UNC shall abstain this year’s Republic day celebration 2016 for taking the role of fence sitter by the Government of India inspite of so much chaos, disorder, political suppression etc prevailing in the hill districts of Manipur at hand,” it added.
“The Nagas and tribals will never compromise under any circumstances in defending our land and people rights,” it asserted.
Educational institutions, medical, water supply, electricity, religious programmes and media will be exempted from the preview of the general strike, the UNC informed.
The UNC then appealed to all the general public to extend fullest support and co-operation to 48 hours of general strike “but anyone found defying the general strike shall be doing so at its own risk for which the UNC will not be responsible for any consequences”.
