Thousands of people belonging to Naga tribes took out peace rallies across four districts of Manipur on Wednesday, with two principal demands: an expedited conclusion to the protracted peace negotiations since the 2015 Framework Agreement was signed; and ensuring that no Naga interests or land were affected in the attempt to address the demands of “any other community”. The rallies were held in the Ukhrul, Chandel, Tamenglong, and Senapati districts.
The Naga tribes have largely stayed out of the ongoing conflict in Manipur, between the Meiteis on the one hand, and the Kuki-Zomi community on the other. However, in the weeks leading up to the conflict, the Naga and Kuki tribes had come together to protest any attempt to include the Meiteis in the Scheduled Tribes list.
‘Neutral body’
But even as Kuki-Zomi demands for a separate administration keep growing as a means to end the present conflict, Ng Lorho, the president of the United Naga Council (UNC) — the apex body of 20 Naga tribes in Manipur — told The Hindu on Wednesday, “We do not object to any political settlement to end the present conflict as long as Nagas’ lands or interests are not affected.” However, he insisted that the UNC remains a “neutral body” in the present conflict.
Earlier, the apex bodies of the Kuki, Hmar, and Zo tribes all unanimously extended their support and solidarity to the UNC for Wednesday’s peace rallies in the Naga-inhabited districts of Manipur.
Stalemated peace talks
After the rallies ended, the UNC submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi through the district officials in Senapati district. In the memorandum, the UNC gave priority to a conclusion to the peace talks, which were initiated with the signing of the Framework Agreement on August 3, 2015 between the National Socialist Council of Nagaland and the Government of India.
The UNC noted that it had been eight years since the agreement was signed, and that it had run into a stalemate on the “interpretation and accommodation of the principal issues of flag and constitution which has been envisaged and implied in the Framework Agreement”.
The UNC went on to demand that the Union government honour the Framework Agreement “by accepting the universal fact that Sovereignty lies with the people and by extension, that the Naga National flag and Constitution must be an integral part of the shared sovereignty”.
No disintegration of Naga land
The apex body for Naga tribes went on to say that it would not accept any “disintegration” of Naga land, or any act that would affect the interests of Nagas in an attempt to address the demands of any other community. The UNC said, “We can only state that such misadventures will have serious ramifications that will provoke further senseless violence with different communities.”
But the Naga body clarified, “Any other community living in the Naga ancestral homeland will not be left out of the final settlement in consonance with the mutually agreed upon competencies.”
Kuki support to UNC
In the run up to the peace rallies on Wednesday, the Kuki Inpi, apex body for Kuki tribes, issued a statement endorsing the UNC’s protest march. It said it would be prudent for the Central leadership to “expedite the processes of resolving the legitimate demands of both the tribal communities in the form of separate administration for the Kukis and in conformity with the Framework Agreement for the Nagas so as to ensure lasting peace in the beleaguered, torn-apart State of Manipur”.
The Hmar Inpui, apex body for Hmar tribes, and the Zomi Council (through its Steering Committee) also issued similarly worded statements urging that the political demands of both the Naga and the Kuki-Zomi tribes be met as soon as possible to ensure peace in Manipur.
Meanwhile, a group of 40 MLAs, mostly Meitei but also some from Naga tribes, also sent a representation to PM Narendra Modi, saying that the political solution for ending the present conflict was to speedily implement the National Register of Citizens. They said that a separate administration, as per the Kuki-Zo people’s demands, was unacceptable to them.
The MLAs, in their representation, said that complete disarmament of everyone in the state is the need of the hour, adding that the government must follow this through by withdrawing from the Suspension of Operations pact with any group found to have violated it.
They said the NRC should be implemented soon to “reassure indigenous people of Manipur” and that biometrics for immigrants should be expanded and strengthened.
The MLAs also sought the strengthening of Autonomous District Councils and regular elections to the Hills Areas Committee, saying, “After the above-mentioned actions are fulfilled, the necessary peace talks can be initiated and deliver a lasting solution to the ongoing crisis.”
