IMPHAL, November 4: The United Committee Manipur, UCM has submitted a memorandum today to the Prime Minister of India drawing his attention in connection with the latest development to bring a logical conclusion to the peace process between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM).
Addressing media persons at a press meet held at its office at Lamphel here today, president of UCM Y Nabachandra informed that the UCM would not remain silent if the Government of India comes up with any resolution which affects the integrity of Manipur.
UCM do not underestimate people living in or outside of Manipur, and welcomes the peace process. However, UCM will stand against the process if it tends to bring disunity among the people, and it will launch agitations more violent than the June 18 Uprising, he said. This is the last warning of UCM to the Government of India not to affect the territorial integrity of Manipur.
The peace process between the NSCN (IM) and Government of India should not affect the interest of Manipur. UCM will demand the Government of India to regain the pre-merger status of the state, he added.
Meanwhile, reminding of the historical background of Manipur, he continued that Manipur was recognised as a sovereign princely state maintained for more than 2000 years within the South East Asia and that Manipur was conquered by the British India only in 1891 after the Anglo-Manipuri war of 1891.
He further said that after regaining her sovereignty after the lapse of British Paramountcy on August 14, 1947 the state again became a sovereign princely state with a popular government after a general election of 1948 under the Manipur Constitution Act, 1947.
He also elaborated that Manipur became a Part C state within the Dominion of India after the then Maharaja of Manipur, Shrijut Bodhachandra signed a Merger Agreement under duress and coercion.
All ethnic communities of Manipur have been living together peacefully and harmoniously since time immemorial, the UCM president said.
Reminding the recent and last promises made by the then and present Prime Ministers and Home Ministers upon the peace loving people of Manipur that Manipur’s boundary and area must not be disturbed by the negotiation between NSCN (IM) and GOI, he said it should be kept unchanged.
Honouring the Manipur State Assembly’s resolutions taken several times regarding protection of the territorial integrity of Manipur, he expressed that the Union Government would also honour the same.
The people of Manipur will never compromise with the territorial integrity of Manipur besides the democratic functioning of the state of Manipur just to appease the NSCN (IM), he continued.
The UCM has demanded a white paper on the 15 year long peace process between the GOI and the NSCN (IM) in the true spirit of the Indian Democracy so that the people of Manipur are not kept in complete darkness before sacrificing Manipur at the altar of ‘PEACE’.
The Government of India will be held responsible for total alienation of the people of Manipur from the mainland and any far reaching consequences thereof, he said.