Naga council sets 15-day ultimatum for Centre to reverse Manipur district reorganisation

Guwahati, Sept 12: Centre’s problems with Manipur seem to be compounding each passing day. Amidst ongoing student protests and drone attacks, the Naga United Council (UNC) has issued an ultimatum to the Ministry of Home Affairs, demanding the rollback of the creation of seven new districts within 15 days.

In a letter addressed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday, the UNC expressed concerns over the social unrest triggered by the division of existing districts on December 8, 2016, during the previous Congress-led government.

The council argues that this reorganisation was carried out arbitrarily and violated four Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between the Government of Manipur and the Naga community.

The UNC's grievance is that the district creation ignored previous assurances from the Centre, made in 2011, that all decisions would involve consultations with all stakeholders, including Naga representatives.

The council contends that the new districts were established without proper stakeholder engagement, leading to significant unrest and disruption.

Following the announcement of the new districts, the UNC engaged in a series of protests, including hartals and a 139-day economic blockade on National Highways. This led to ten rounds of tripartite talks between the Government of Manipur, the UNC, and the central government, with the last meeting held on March 9, 2019.

During this meeting, it was promised that a solid proposal would be presented in the next round of talks, scheduled for late July 2019. However, the UNC has reported no further communication from the authorities despite follow-up attempts in January and February 2024.

In response to the lack of progress, the UNC's Council Assembly, in its May 29 meeting, and the Presidential Council on August 9, resolved to intensify their agitation to reverse the district creation decision.

The council’s position is further strengthened by allegations that the newly created districts have encroached upon Naga ancestral lands.

In 2016, the reorganisation expanded Manipur from 9 to 16 districts, introducing Tengnoupal from Chandel, Kampong from Ukhrul, Pherzawl from Churachandpur, Kangpokpi from Senapati, and Jiribam from Imphal East.

The UNC maintains that these changes have adversely affected their community, prompting their current demands for action.

The situation remains tense as the 15-day deadline approaches, with the UNC threatening further escalation if their demands are not met.