SENAPATI/UKHRUL: The United Naga Council (UNC) has submitted a memorandum to Union home minister Amit Shah, seeking his immediate intervention to address the ongoing conflict in Manipur and ensure lasting peace in the state.
The memorandum, submitted through the deputy commissioner of Senapati on Saturday, outlined four key demands, including abrogation of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki militant groups, an end to what the council described as a proxy war against indigenous communities, effective implementation of the September 26 Guwahati tripartite talks agreement, and removal of Assam Rifles from border areas and conflict zones.
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The UNC said the memorandum was submitted on behalf of the Naga people during sit-in protests and public rallies held simultaneously at four Naga district headquarters on October 31, expressing concern over the prolonged conflict in Manipur since May 3, 2023.
On the SoO agreement, the council alleged that armed groups operating under the pact had been involved in killings, extortion, land grabbing, expansionist activities and poppy cultivation in Naga ancestral lands. It claimed the agreement, originally intended to facilitate peace, had lost its legitimacy and demanded its immediate abrogation.
The Naga apex body in Manipur also called on the Government of India to address what it described as the root causes of the conflict, citing large-scale illegal immigration, narco-terrorism and demands for a separate administration carved out of Naga ancestral lands. It alleged that foreign-origin armed elements and SoO groups were being used as proxies against indigenous communities.
On the September 26 tripartite talks held in Guwahati between the Government of India, Government of Manipur and UNC, the council sought time-bound implementation of the agreed points. It specifically referred to the assurance concerning the removal of deputy chief minister Nemcha Kipgen from office, stating that the commitment had been welcomed by the Naga people.
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The UNC also demanded the withdrawal of Assam Rifles from border areas and conflict zones, alleging that the force had acted in a partisan manner in Naga areas. It accused personnel of harassing, intimidating and disarming village volunteers defending their ancestral villages.
The memorandum further alleged that Assam Rifles had been accused of bombing a Naga village at Awontang in Kamjong district and extending tacit support to Kuki groups. The council said public confidence in the force had eroded and called for the deployment of other neutral security forces in its place.
In its appeal to the Union home minister, the UNC said thousands of people had been displaced, hundreds had lost their lives and villages had been burnt during the prolonged conflict. It said the Naga people continued to stand for peace, coexistence and mutual respect among neighbouring communities.
The UNC then urged the Centre to intervene decisively, stating that lasting peace could not be achieved by appeasing one community at the expense of another.
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