Bandhs by Kukis, Nagas set to cripple Manipur

IMPHAL: The Kukis have called a 48-hour general strike from August 13 midnight demanding the creation of a separate 'Kuki state' by carving out the Kuki-inhabited portion of Manipur. The Kuki State Demand Committee (KSDC) on Wednesday said the general strike will be effective in the Kuki-inhabited areas of the state.

Prior to the Kukis' bandh, Manipur will witness another bandh by the Nagas. The United Naga Council (UNC), too, called a series of agitations, including a 48-hour general strike, from August 11 midnight in protest against the Centre's failure to hold the sixth round of tripartite talk on their demand for an alternative administrative arrangement for Naga-inhabited areas in Manipur.

The KSDC, an umbrella body of several Kuki organizations and village chiefs, said it will stop all government projects undertaken in 'Kuki areas' during the stir.

"Our demand is Kuki statehood, nothing more, nothing less. We will continue our movement till Kuki statehood is achieved," said KSDC information and publicity secretary George Kuki on Wednesday, while appealing all to support the bandh to avoid any untoward incident.

The KSDC has also been demanding the Centre to hold political dialogue with 20 Kuki militant outfits that are signatories to the ongoing Suspension of Operation (Soo) with the government. The Kuki militants are also demanding a separate Kuki state.

The KSDC's proposed 'Kuki State' map encompasses Kuki-inhabited areas covering around 65 per cent of the entire Manipur spread over five hill districts - Churachandpur, Chandel, Senapati, Tamenglong and Ukhrul.

Ukhrul, Tamenglong, Senapati and Chandel are however Naga-majority districts.

On the other hand, the UNC said the non-receipt of response from the Centre for holding the 6th round of tripartite talks involving the Centre, the state government and the Nagas on the demand for an alternative arrangement for Naga areas outside the state government was discussed in its meeting last Monday.

The fifth round tripartite talks was held at Senapati on February 12 this year.

Source:timesofindia

United Naga Council(UNC) calls 2-day bandh in 'Naga Areas' of Manipur from June 16

IMPHAL June 11 [TOI]--- Protesting against what it termed "relentless communal onslaught of the state government and communal forces of Imphal valley upon the Nagas and tribal communities," the United Naga Council (UNC) has called a 48-hour bandh in Manipur's "Naga areas" from Sunday midnight.

Another key reason for the stir is its growing demand from the Centre for an alternative administrative arrangement for the Nagas in Manipur independent of the state government. A decision in this regard was taken during the UNC's presidential council meeting held on June 3, the council said in a statement, adding that the stir would cover the ongoing Jiribam-Tupul railway project.

Among other points discussed in the meeting included the burning down of the Silent village in Tangkhul by neighbouring Saijang villagers on May 3 where properties worth crores of rupees were reduced to cinders and hundreds of villagers rendered homeless.

The state government imposed prohibitory orders under 144 CrPC in the area where the burnt houses once stood by declaring it a disputed area. Thus, the council members alleged, the government endorsed the terror unleashed by burning down the houses, clearly favoring Saijang villagers.

Instead of arresting the vandals and arsonists, the state government acted against the law of the land and adopted a communal position, alleged the UNC.

By evicting residents of 28 houses at Naga River Colony in Imphal, the state government on May 20 left more than 100 school students homeless. Three churches pulled down, it said adding that the standing court ruling of maintaining status quo was not honoured.

It said surrendered cadres of the KYKL (MDF) have been lodged by the state government with the 20th Assam Rifles at Chandel.

"Instead of developing the hills, the state government is using the tribal areas as the dumping ground for surrendered militant groups from the Imphal valley insulting the owners of the land. Organized protest has not resulted in any corrective measures from the government," the UNC further alleged.

In a bid to grab tribal land, attempts are being made to drag in tribal villages such as Khangshim, Kanemram, Nungaourok and Koraopokpi under Machi Block Chandel into Kakching block under Thoubal valley district. Signboards of the tribal villages have been damaged and provocative and derogatory insults are being hurled on the tribal communities, it said.

The UNC statement said that the political tour in Naga areas carried out in April and May at Chandel, Ukhrul, Tamenglong and Senapati districts has confirmed that the government's approach is communal.

Manipur party delegates to meet PM on Naga talks

Imphal, 16 Jan 2013 [IANS | Pic: The Hindu] --- An all-party delegation from Manipur, led by Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Jan 16 to discuss the ongoing peace talks with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM). The delegation, comprising members of the state's parties barring Naga People's Front, would also meet Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde. "A delegation of representatives from 14 different political parties would meet the prime minister and home minister to discuss on the outcome of ongoing peace talks between NSCN-IM and the centre," Deputy Chief Minister G. Gaikhangam told IANS. Rights group United Committee of Manipur (UCM) had earlier threatened to launch a mass campaign in case the state and central governments acted in a manner that adversely affected the state's people. Ibobi Singh's decision to lead a delegation to New Delhi follows media reports hinting that the central government has arrived at a settlement with the NSCN-IM to sort out Naga insurgency issue. The NSCN-IM has been fighting for an independent Nagaland for over six decades. It later demanded a 'Greater Nagaland' by slicing off parts of three neighbouring states to unite 1.2 million Nagas. The demand is opposed by Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. New Delhi and the NSCN-IM entered into a ceasefire in August 1997. The two have held more than 50 rounds of peace talks to end one of South Asia's longest-running insurgencies that has killed 25,000 people since 1947. Apart from discussing on the outcome of the Naga talks, Gaikhangam said the delegation would also seek the government's intervention for the arrest of NSCN-IM member R.T. Livingstone Anal, who was accused of sexually molesting a film actress at a public function at Chandel district Dec 18. The molestation has led to a widespread protests in the state and curfew had to be imposed in three districts. Pic (Above): O Ibobi Singh, Chief Minister of Manipur Pic (Below): Declared as 'Wanted' RT Livingstone Anal, Self-Styled Lt Col of NSCN-IM