Imphal: We agreed to the peace talk after the Government of India accepted that Manipur was a sovereign and independent country and after it accepted their proposal of restoring erstwhile sovereignty, a top leader of the militant United National Liberation Front (UNLF-P) group, said on Saturday.
The talk is between the UNLF and India and we would never compromise on our demand of Manipur’s sovereignty. After the GoI agreed with their proposal, we came out for talks, Moirangthem Nongyai, Acting Chairman of the UNLF-P stated this while participating in a grand reception ceremony held to honour the party leaders and its soldiers, MPA, held at the historic Kangla Fort in the presence of Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
He said after formation of the UNLF, in 1964, the main task of the party was to instil a sense of love and belongingness of the general masses to the state. But after realising that their movement in a democratic manner was not successful enough, they decided to take on a different course, taking up arms in the 1990. Then they were able to cleanse the society, including drugs, violence against women and corruption, he informed.
This armed movement was also necessary if we were to reform our society and was a good experience for the party, he said, adding that they gained enough public support after this.
Nongyai also acknowledged that his MPA soldiers had numerous and successful gunfights with the Indian army in the hills after the 1990s.
The veteran militant leader said if we’re to hold talks there should be a cease fire agreement, which is why they had signed the ceasefire agreement on November 29, 2023 in Delhi.
Stating that Manipur had been a sovereign nation for the last 1886 years, Chabungbam Thanil, General Secretary, UNLF-P narrated how the organisation was conceived by Late Arambam Samarendra while he was still at the age of 13 or 14.
When he reached the age of 29, he along with other like-minded people of the time formed the UNLF as an inclusive organisation to restore the lost sovereignty of Manipur. The first President of the party was Kalalung Kamei, a Kabui-Naga, Thankhopao Singsit, a Thadou-Kuki was the Vice president and Samarendra was the General secretary, he disclosed.
Thanil also rejected the notion that UNLF only belonged to the Meitei community. The party believed in inclusivity and is for every community in the state. It’s clearly written and upheld still in the constitution of the party, he added.
He also acknowledged that (Tamo) Nongmaithem Pahari, NK Sanajaoba, Kanhai and Manimohan were among the founding members of the party.
The leader also disapproved of a popular concept that their armed struggle was done by some unemployed youth and just a mere law and order situation. But now the Government of India has realised this fact and it invited them for a talk accordingly. The party had accepted the invitation only after thorough discussion within the Central Committee and its all executive branches and soldiers, he disclosed.
Their negotiation will be solely based on Manipur’s sovereignty and they will never surrender their arms till their demands were met, Thanil said.
