NNN
SENAPATI, DECEMBER 6
While accusing Manipur government under chief minister Ibobi of creating Naga disunity the United Naga Council (UNC) has cautioned the Nagas to be aware of the former’s ploy. UNC then appealed to the Zeliangrong frontal organisations, village headmen/chairmen, politicians, social workers, church leaders, senior citizens and the Zeliangrong public not to support and co-operate but to stay away from the ensuing Orange Festival being sponsored by the state government of Manipur. This year’s Orange Festival will be held on December 9 in Tamenglong district headquarters.
“While the Nagas are strengthening and upholding for an early solution of Indo-Naga political settlement, the communal government of Manipur has been opposing and had attempted to sabotage the process of political dialogue at all stages without respecting the history and aspiration of the Naga people,” the UNC said. It then said the attempt of the ‘communal’ government of Manipur to organize development and cultural programmes and festivals etc. in ‘Naga areas’ is nothing but to create confusion and disunity among the Naga people out of that platform.
“There is no logic to co-operate and support any event which is being sponsored by the Manipur government,” the UNC said.
“Mr. O. Ibobi’s political statement is still fresh in our mind. He asserted that there are no Nagas in Manipur and there is no land of the Nagas in Manipur. It is a direct challenge and an open threat to our very existence and to our ownership of land in the present state of Manipur,” the UNC statement further said.
“It is also to mention that we are not against orange growers or the spirit of orange or cultural festivals but we are against those adversaries who oppose our history and political dialogue for early settlement of Indo-Naga political issue,” the Naga body stated.
