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Newmai News Network
Senapati/Tamenglong | December 17
Nagas under the aegis of the United Naga Council (UNC) held rallies in the district headquarters of Tamenglong, Chandel, Ukhrul and Senapati on December 17 for an “honorable settlement of Indo-Naga peace talk.”
The rallies were significant as the Manipur Legislative Assembly will convene a ‘special session’ on December 18 to deliberate in connection with the Naga peace talks and other issues.
In the four district headquarters, people held banners such as – “Peace rally for early and logical conclusion of Indo-Naga peace talk; Peace will benefit all; Peaceful co-existence through Naga solution; Historical mistakes be not repeated and Peace rally for early settlement of Indo-Naga issue.
The rallyists also held placards written with “Justice delayed is justice denied; People deserve peace; 22 years is sufficient; Translate Framework Agreement into solution; Change the history of conflict to peace; Resolve political conflict with honour; We want early solution; Respect the unique history of the Nagas; Early Naga solution for peaceful co-existence.
At the end of the rally, a memorandum was submitted to the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, through the respective district administrations, stating that the “Naga people also acknowledge and appreciate all the former Prime Ministers of the country who have made sincere efforts and immensely contributed to resolve the Indo-Naga issue.”
The memorandum then said that the Nagas “highly valued the recognition of the unique history and situation of the Nagas by the Government of India under the leadership of the then Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the year 2002 which demonstrated the seriousness and genuine concern for settlement of the protracted violent conflicts in the Indian Sub-continent.”
The memorandum said that under the “able leadership” of Narendra Modi, the “historic Indo-Naga Framework Agreement was signed on August 3, 2015 in New Delhi paving the way for a final settlement which we hope would be acceptable and honorable to the Naga people.” It added that the Naga people “wholeheartedly endorse the Framework Agreement with the belief that their identity and rights are respected and secured.”
The memorandum also included, “While assuring our unwavering participation and support to the peace building initiatives in our land, we earnestly entreat you to conclude the Indo-Naga peace process keeping in mind the ‘unique history and situation of the Nagas’ and based on the true spirit of the Framework Agreement signed on August 3, 2015.”
On the issue of flag and constitution, it said, “We are also convinced that a separate Naga National Flag and Constitution must be recognised by virtue of the unique history and shall form the basis of the final settlement”.
Present and former UNC leaders, Naga Women Union (NWU) leaders, All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) leaders and members of NPMHR and others addressed the rallies.
