UNC Asserts: Meitei Legislators' Submission to Arambai Tenggol Invalidates Claims to Manipur Governance

The United Naga Council (UNC) has claimed that the Meitei legislators who have submitted to the Arambai Tenggol on January 24, 2024  at Kangla cannot claim, anymore, to be the Government of the entire State of Manipur, and has limited its powers, functions and relevance to the valley and the Meitei community only.

Not to speak of reigning in the non-state actors, the State Government has allowed itself to be dictated and co-opted into a radicalized organization, says UNC in a release issued on February 2.

Expressing concern over the problems faced by the Naga community in the ongoing Kuki and Meitei conflict, the UNC sent a message and appealed to the Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups to immediately desist from targeting, provoking and attacking the Nagas, their homes and properties in the Imphal valley and also in the peripheral hill areas.

The UNC warns that  it will have no option but to call upon the Naga populace in Imphal to vacate the valley in preparation for further appropriate measures thereafter if their appeal is disrespected in the Imphal valley.

The UNC also declared that the Kuki-Zo free access to the Naga township and villages and free passages will be prohibited if the Kuki-Zo group continues with their targeting of the Nagas.

In the interest of peace in spite of the extreme provocations, Nagas have addressed many sensitive situations and sought to resolve them through customary laws and practices, stated the release.

Yet time and again, the Nagas have been attacked with impunity, making mockery of the many agreements and resolutions for restoration of peace and good relation, says UNC.

UNC stated, “It is no wonder that the attack on Nagas in Imphal valley have not been prevented nor addressed with state instruments as it should be with a State Government in place."

The United Naga Council claims that the Meitei legislators and Government of India owe it to the people of India to explain what it has been doing for the last 9 months with the situation going from bad to worse day by day, while Nagas have become victims of its neutrality to the conflict.

The UNC stated that the position of neutrality decided upon by the Nagas in the quest of peace and communal harmony in Manipur in the wake of the 3 May, 2023 violence brought about the following casualties amongst many others.

Further UNC added a list of incidents perpetrated upon the Nagas in the ongoing conflict. On May 24, 2023, four Naga women from Ukhrul were attacked and molested by a mob in Imphal and June 18, 2023- A Liangmai Naga house was burnt down at Leimakhong by the Kukis. On July 16, 2023 a Maring Naga woman was shot dead at Sawombung, Imphal and the body was found mutilated and on september 5, 2023 a Liangmai farmer was  beaten by KRA personnel somewhere along the Imphal - Tamei road for refusing to pay tax.

On September 27, 2023, an outrageous provocation and attempt to murder, involving a blatant gun firing against Naga leader by one self-proclaimed KNF cadre at Kangpokpi.

December 3, 2023- 3 Tangkhul men were beaten up by armed Meiteis at Sawombung, Imphal. December 11, 2023- 2 Rongmei Naga girls were beaten up at Bishnupur Bazaar. December 11, 2023- 1 Naga driver from Tamenglong was beaten up at Imphal. December 18, 2023- 4 Naga girls working in a beauty parlour were kidnapped in Imphal. January 29, 2024, a Tangkhul Naga boy was kidnapped from Mantripukhri, Imphal. January 31, 2023 - 2 Zeliangrong Nagas kidnapped and held hostage from and in Bishnupur District.

UNC stated that the Nagas were subjected to unwarranted cutting off Inter Village Roads/blockage/construction of bunkers/ checking/frisking/extortion of taxes along the National Highways and Inter-District roads by armed militants and womenfolk.

Frisking/checking, violent behaviour, kidnapping, looting and extortion against Nagas by Meitei radicalized groups and womenfolk in Imphal valley and also collection of money from citizens travelling along the highways by Meira Paibis.

Churches burnt and demolished, and sacrilegious acts committed inside religious places of worship by the radicalized Meiteis in the name of waging war against a community.

In all the acts of violence, intimidation, disrespect and insult, the common admission of mistaken identity have been cited, says UNC.