AMUCO commemorates Protest Day, calls for unity
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, June 14 2021: All Manipur United Clubs' Organisation (AMUCO) has called upon the people of the state to reaffirm their stand for the unity and integrity of the state once again as it observed the 20th Protest Day at Kwakeithel Akham Leikai community hall here on Monday.

The commemorative event, which was organised with strict compliance to Covid relevant SOPs, was attended by leaders of different CSOs and Meira Paibi organisations of the state.

The observance marks the day on which the Government of India and NSCN-IM signed the extension of Cease Fire agreement in Bangkok, Thailand in 2001, which sparked protests in different parts of the state on account of the controversial clause 'without territorial limit' mentioned in the agreement.

The pact triggered the historic public uprising of June 18 .

AMUCO observes June 14, the day on which the agreement was signed as Protest Day from 2002 onwards.

AMUCO president Pheiroijam Nando Luwang recalled the series of incidents that led to the June 18 uprising and termed the policy of the Government of India as divisive and intended to disintegrate the state.

The attempt to balkanise Manipur was foiled by the huge public uprising.

AMUCO was aware of some hidden agenda behind the peace talks and subsequent cease fire agreements between GoI and NSCN-IM, which was first signed in 1997 .

In order to register protest against this hidden agenda, AMUCO organised a mega public rally on the third day of signing of the ceasefire agreement on August 4, 1997 in Imphal, which rung out a clear message to the GoI.

Unfortunately, GoI ignored the public sentiments and went ahead with signing the ceasefire agreement again on June 14, 2001 with a controversial clause of extending the agreement without territorial limit.

The June 18 public uprising forced the GoI to withdraw the contentious clause inserted under a unilateral decision, he said.

Maintaining that GoI has been using different UG groups to sabotage unity and integrity of the state, he called upon the public to reaffirm their stand to expose and defeat elements inimical to the unity of the people.

Meanwhile, in a statement, AMUCO asserted that the idea of communal territory within the state has come about after Manipur became part of the Indian Union.

Since the first ceasefire agreement signed in 1997, both NSCN-IM and GoI have been trying to fan enmity and hatred among the different communities in the state.

Since the last 25 years, a policy to divide the communities and make the public weary of a plausible solution is being pursued while suppressing the resources of the Manipuri society.

The statement also recounted the series of events from the first ceasefire agreement signed on August 1, 1997 to the 2001 truce popularly known as Bangkok Declaration, which extended the ceasefire agreement into Manipur due to the clause 'without territorial limit'.

On June 14, 2001, the day of signing the Bangkok agreement, AMUCO demanded withdrawal of the contentious clause through a press conference and announced to convene a joint meeting of CSO leaders on the next day.

However, the government imposed curfew under CrPC 144.Amid the prohibitory order, the joint meeting was held and called a 66-hour general strike from June 15 midnight to 6 pm of June 18.The historic June 18 uprising, during which 18 precious lives were lost but the public movement succeeded in forcing the government to remove the contentious clause.

AMUCO observed the day on a small scale considering the threat of Covid-19 pandemic, the statement said while maintaining that the immediate need of the hour is to fight the contagion and stay safe from it.

Once the pandemic is over, GoI will continue its divisive policy and the people will need to stay alert.

It further said that GoI is instigating a movement for Bodos in Assam for formation of a Bodoland.

Dimasas are also demanding their own territory.

In Manipur too, demands of territory for Na-gas and Kukis are affecting the movement for unity and integrity.

Pointing out that creating territories on ethnic lines will not bring lasting peace, AMU-CO appealed to the people of all communities to stand united and protect the territory, the boundary of which had been drawn by the bloods of the forefathers, who fought unitedly and laid down their lives for the sake of protecting the sovereignty of Manipur.

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