DIMAPUR, May 11 � Following an emergency meeting of the Nagaland Cabinet on Monday, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh apprising him of the gravity of the situation in the Nagaland-Manipur border areas and urging his urgent intervention while also asking Centre to clearly spell out its position on the Muivah visit.
The Chief Minister, in his letter, minced no words in pointing out that the extremely volatile situation has the potential of spreading to all areas of Nagaland and Manipur and even jeopardise relations between the two States, as also the ongoing Naga peace talks.
He also pointed out that the situation had been created, in the first place, by the �unwarranted and unjustified decision of the Manipur Government to deny Th Muivah his birthright of visiting his native village in Ukhrul district for a peaceful purpose of meeting people of his own tribe after decades of absence.�
He further reminded that the visit had been planned with the prior approval of the Government of India following which the Ministry of Home Affairs had duly instructed both the Nagaland and Manipur Governments to make the necessary arrangements, including security cover, for the proposed visit lasting for one full week.
The Chief Minister told the Prime Minister that the unwarranted action of the Manipur armed police forces in opening fire on peaceful Naga demonstrators had resulted in the death of two Naga youths and injuries to about 100 innocent Nagas, including women and children.
�Their follow-up acts of intimidations and tortures of innocent civilians had led to the exodus of about 1000 Nagas from Mao area into the neighbouring Naga villages of Nagaland,� Rio said in his letter.
He also informed the PM that the two dead bodies are still lying with Manipur police, even after a lapse of four days as the situation in Mao area is not yet conducive for the families to return to the village to take over the dead bodies and to conduct the required funeral rites in the village.
Informing of the State Cabinet�s emergency meeting on Monday to take stock of the situation, Rio said the Nagaland Cabinet is unanimous in its decision to ask the Government of India to immediately intervene in the matter to prevent further escalation and spreading of the undesirable situation to other areas.
