Newmai News Network

Imphal, April 8: The Naga frontal organisations are likely to resort to sterner forms of agitation in the next few days’ time as the ‘time-bound reminder’ to the Hill Area Committee (HAC) of the Manipur Legislative Assembly expired on April 7 to initiate immediate steps to nullify the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils (3rd Amendment) Act 2008 and stop the enforcement of the Act.
The United Naga Coun-cil (UNC) had ‘officially’ intimated the HAC on February 26 to take up some steps in this regard and rem-inded on April 2 to which a dead-line was set for April 7 to address the matter.
Well placed sources from the Naga frontal orga-nisations informed Newmai News Network that a day-long meeting was held today and it is likely that a kind of economic blockade along the two national highways leading to Manipur would be imposed in the next few days time.
However, the UNC and other Naga organisations are yet to annouce officially.
According to the missive addressed to the chairman of the Hill Area Committee on February 26, the UNC said, “ Sir, instead of addressing to the voice of the hill people submitted to your good office and members of the Hill Areas Committee for considera-tion on 26th Feb. 2010 the Government of Manipur in a much hurried manner has taken a cabinet decision to hold the Election of the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council.

“That Sir, in view of the blatant disregard to the voice and interest of the hill people, we have no other option but to remind you to initiate immediate steps to nullify the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils (3rd Amendment) Act 2008 and stop the enforcement of the Act on or before 7th April 2010 failing which, the hill people will be compelled to initiate democratic steps to withdraw the mandate of the people from the elected peoples’ representative in order to safeguard the identity and rights of the hill people.”

The UNC also mention-ed that the Naga frontal organisations had organis-ed a series of consultative meetings at different parts of hill areas of Manipur such as Ukhrul, Taphou, Tadubi, Kangshang, Chan-del and Tamenglong to seek the opinion of the people on the impact of the imposition of the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils (3rd Amendment) Act 2008. That, the consultative meet-ing was participated by several organisations inclu-ding the village Chiefs/headmen/chairmen, wom-en’s, students and youth, tribe ‘hohos’, public leaders and academics, social workers and other political party functionaries.

“That, after a thorough deliberation and consul-tations on the implication of the said Act, the conscien-tious opinion of the people is that the aforesaid Act has been adopted by the State Legislative Assembly, without the free and prior informed consent of the hill people, whose interest and welfare the Act seeks to address. That, the Act does not ensure and protect the interest of the hill people of the state and considered as an imposition on the people. Hence, in a unanimous voi-ce decided to reject the Act, the missive to the HAC said.