Confusing. Today’s morning paper reports the Moa Council calling off the 24 hours bandh against the government inaction over the encroacher of Manipur’s territorial boundary at Kojiiri area of Dzuko Valley in Senapati district by Southern Angamy people. However, the civil society organisations – UCM and AMUCO, which had extended its support to the bandh called did not turn back but enforced the bandh freezing life in the state capital Imphal. Speaking to a reporter, President of the United Committee Manipur (UCM) said that even as the Moa Council had lifted the bandh called Committee for Koziiri and Dzukou Land Boundaries and other students’ bodies of Mao area did not called off the bandh. He said that calling off of the bandh might have been due to pressure from NSCN-IM for reason best known to them. There is a reason to believe in what the UCM president had said. It is a fact that under the instigation of the NSCN-IM, its frontals body United Naga Council (UNC) has been demanding an alternative arrangement for the Naga Inhabited region of the state outside the government of Manipur. This organisation will never like the Hill based organisations and Valley based organisation going hands in hands and that too over the issue for protection of the territorial boundary of the state. Chief Minister Okram Ibobi’s statement regarding the issue at which he threw the ball to the center’s court is not reasonable enough to call off the bandh. The assurance to commission an enquiry committee to look into the matter of encroachment is also neither convincing enough to turn back the agitation.
The bandh is total in Valley area and it also hit life at Hill areas of the state. That means the architects who are trying to distort the unity of the state had failed to incite hate feeling among the hills’ and plain people.
At some issues there might have been differences, but when it comes to common issue like encroaching of territorial boundary by neighbouring states or neighbouring country, people of the states irrespective of which community they belong to jointly stand together.
When Mayanmar army trespassed Manipur’s Boundary at Holienphai area of Chandel district all the communities of the state stood together. And in the same way when Angami people of Nagaland trespasses Manipur’s boundary the people of the state once stood together.
It is at this point that, the central government should take a note. People of Manipur will always stand together when make any attempt to distort the territorial boundary of the state. So, while dealing with the rebel group like the NSCN-IM which has been engaging in peace talk with the government of India, they should be careful when it comes about the issues concerning the territorial boundary of the state. People will easily notice to any game played and the unity of the people can never be affected.
