Naga Hoho slams UCM's ultimatum

IMPHAL, May 25
Taking strong exception to the ultimatum issued by the United Committee of Mani- pur (UCM) to the State and Central Government on May 23 for clarification regarding the supposed ceasefire exten-sion in all Naga areas, the Naga Hoho  has conveyed that it is not the first time the UCM has been provoking the Nagas on sensitive issues.
A press release issued by the communication cell of Naga Hoho today mentioned that the act of the UCM comes at a time when the people are waiting for the final solution to the Indo-Naga political imbroglio at the highest level talks without territorial limits and explained that the UCM should remember that the Naga people from Manipur is a party to the cease fire/framework agreement sign-ed between the NSCN (IM) and the Central Government.
Naga Hoho continued that  the agreement is for the Nagas who inhabit 80 percent of the landmass of Manipur and added that it will be tragic to sabotage the peace initiative which is being endorsed and taken up with the support of the United Nations' Agencies, Unrepresented People's Organisation and other democratic Nations.
It assured that there is nothing in the agreement which will suppress the rights, history and territorial boundaries of the Meiteis and added that the Meiteis should be aware that the Nagas are peace loving and only yearn to resolve the long drawn out issue without any bloodshed.
It also conveyed that the Nagas will share neighbourly relations with other ethnic groups for generations to come.
Organisations such as UCM, working  with vested interest pretentiously carry the sentiments of the people of Manipur, it alleged.
Naga Hoho continued that if an eye for an eye approach is employed by the Nagas, it will result in unmanageable proposition.
The State Government is arbitrarily represented by the Meiteis while the voice of the tribal in the hill districts are seldom heard, it claimed.
If the Government bows to the whims and fancies of Meitei CSOs like UCM, the Nagas inhabiting the surrounding areas will be compelled to take up befitting measures in order to protect their rights, it warned.
The agreement has nothing to do with the interest of the Meiteis. Instead it will result in their wellbeing. Nagas are least interested to meddle with issues unrelated to them, the Naga Hoho added.