ANSAM Urges Meitei, Kuki Communities to Avoid Dragging Nagas into Conflict for Sake of State's Peace

The All Naga Students Association, Manipur has appealed to both the Kuki and Meitei to not drag the Naga community into the ongoing conflict.

The apex Naga student body is also of the view that there is no peace in the State since the law and order has not been maintained in the State.

Addressing media persons at Manipur Press Club, Imphal on Thursday, president of ANSAM M. Luikang Luckson said the Nagas have been neutral in the ongoing crisis and peace committee was initiated under the initiative of the United Naga Council with the hope of bringing peace in the State.

The Naga bodies have met the Kuki Inpi Manipur and Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity with the hope of bringing peace. However, there is no peace since the State government is unable to maintain law and order within the State, said Luckson.

Informing that there have been a series of incidents that the Nagas underwent in the ongoing crisis, the ANSAM president said that such incident is very unfortunate and that the Nagas will not remain silent over such incident.

If the State Government is not capable of maintaining law and order in the State, the Central Government must immediately intervene to bring peace and normalcy, he added.

Even in the month of January 2024 alone, there are several incidents against the Naga community, he said and added that such incidents are possible because of lapses in security measures.

There are many instances of harassment, tax collection and extortion along the highways which the Naga communities have been the victim of. However, the Nagas have not reacted against all of it since they want peace in the state, Luckson added.

While commenting on the Free Movement Regime, Tribunal member of ANSAM AC Thotso said they have submitted a memorandum to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah through the Governor of Manipur disapproving the scrapping of FMR.

Thotso said, ANSAM appreciates the initiatives of the Central Government in trying to bring peace in Manipur, however, scrapping of FMR and sealing the Indo Myanmar border is not the solution, he added.

ANSAM and Naga people are also concerned about the influx of illegal immigrants but sealing of the border is not the solution. Instead, the Government can invoke other mechanisms such as implementation of NRC with base year as 1961 and effectively implementing the Inner Line Permit.

Besides, the sincerity of the law enforcing agency in mending the border is also equally important to curb the influx of illegal immigrants, said Thotso.