Aheli Moitra
Ukhrul | January 21
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio’s visit to Ukhrul district today opened to the resounding presence, and presumable support of, 5000 spectators at 11:00 am that inflated to nearly 9000 by the time it ended at 12: 30 pm. Whether the 12 candidates fielded by the Naga People’s Front (NPF) get hold of the assembly seats or not, the popularity of the visit of the first CM of Nagaland state to the Naga areas of Manipur is sanction to popularity the regional party and its objectives has accumulated over the short period of its opening in Manipur. Contesting for 20 seats in the Manipur legislative assembly, the Naga Peoples Front (NPF) will see competition from national parties like Congress, NCP, BJP and AITMC, apart from regional parties like the Manipur State Congress Party in the 10th Manipur Assembly Election to be held on January 28.
With the President of the Tangkhul Naga Headman Association (Ukhrul District) pledging its support to the NPF, the speeches started with Health and Family Welfare minister of Nagaland, Kuzholuzo (Azo) stating the injustices caused to the Naga peoples through artificial boundaries, which could be rectified if the Nagas came together “emotionally” first of all. Otherwise it would lead to disappointment among people “back home” (presumably Nagaland), said Azo.
Addressing the electorates of Ukhrul district (which has three assembly constituencies of Ukhrul, Chingai and Phungyar) at the packed Tangkhul Naga Long ground, Neiphiu Rio asserted the importance of unity among Nagas through historical deliberation. “We have struggled a long time for independence and sovereignty. Even though not possible today, we continue to live with the desire to be integrated under one administrative umbrella in the Indian union,” he stated. Since the 16 point agreement signed in 1960, the Nagaland assembly has pledged its support to the integration of Naga inhabited territories four times in the past (1964, 1970, 1994 and 2004). “The desire for this is strong even today”, he asserted, “within the over ground and underground.”
Despite their struggles, Rio said, the southern Nagas have continued to be oppressed and have been unable to achieve anything due to the lack of a proper platform. There are many parties who will speak only for their parties, but NPF will speak specifically for the Nagas.
Citing instances, Rio said that with the NPF led DAN government’s initiatives, 1/3rd of the total Naga populace, living in Myanmar, have been able to project their unique identity as Nagas, due which they have been able to participate in the 2010 elections in Myanmar and 6 Naga MPs have been elected to represent them on the national level (includes one union minister in the Myanmar government). If this is possible in Myanmar, it is also possible in Manipur if only Nagas give up “tribalism, individualism and villagism by reiterating Nagaism through the NPF political platform,” insisted Rio.
Negating the position of the Congress as the “high command” in the post-independence democratic set up, Rio asserted that there is no need to be afraid of Delhi when speaking for peoples’ rights. “If people understand the rights of the Nagas to live united, the solution to the Indo-Naga problem will also come quicker than expected,” ascertained Rio.
Burdening the electorate to “perform its duty to claim their rights”, Rio made an ardent appeal to the electorate to choose the opportune political platform (NPF) available to the southern Nagas to opt for their upliftment as a people (as man and woman), and as human beings, to reclaim their dignity and status to live peacefully, in harmony and as a family, not supplanting any tribe over the other, “claiming our rightful place as one people”. This, according to him, could be done by the right leaders claiming their voice in the Manipur assembly, pinning the responsibility on politics as the hope for people. “The protection of rights of the people of Nagaland to their customary laws and land through article 371 (a) must be made available, in some form, to the tribes in Manipur too. This is possible if the NPF can rule in the Manipur assembly through a coalition,” Rio pointed out.
The event was supported by the presence of NPF candidates from the 3 Ukhruldistrict constituencies, Paul Minao (Chingai), Samuel Risom (Ukhrul) and Honreikhui Kashung (Phungyar) apart from the Tangkhul Naga Long, the Union Baptist Church and Viewland Baptist Church, Ukhrul, NPF Manipur state unit, Youth wing of the NPF Manipur state unit and the NPF Ukhrul division.
