No fear to take on any force if integrity challenged: AMUCO

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Feb 12 : The All Manipur United Clubs’ Organisation (AMUCO) has asserted that Manipuri people have no fear to take on the Government of India if New Delhi challenges the integrity of Manipur.
Speaking on the 32nd foundation of AMUCO at Kwakeithel Akham Leikai today, AMUCO president Ph Nando Luwang stated that the Government of India may keep the State under suspended animation or President’s Rule but no village volunteers should be harmed.
He said that the Government of India is responsible for the political unrest witnessed in Manipur today.
There is a strong possibility of the Government of India subjecting village volunteers to arbitrary arrest and detention by invoking several criminal laws.
The village volunteers came into being to protect Manipur, save innocent people and their lives. They are not here to occupy others’ lands or kill innocent people or loot people’s properties, Nando said.
The village volunteers came into being to protect Manipur from the relentless onslaught of powerful groups who are determined to balkanise Manipur, he said.
Taking undue advantage of the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement, those groups who want to disintegrate Manipur and armed with sophisticated weapons attacked innocent Meitei people in the valley and razed thousands of houses to the ground.
Until the premeditated aggression of these forces who want to break Manipur is brought to an end, no village volunteer should be arrested nor should they be disarmed. This is the collective stand of the people of Manipur, the AMUCO president asserted.
The war has not yet ended. The Government may disarm the village volunteers when the war is over and those village volunteers who refuse to give up arms even after the war has ended may be arrested, he said.
Any attempt to arrest or detain village volunteers who have been struggling to safeguard the integrity of Manipur and protect the lives of innocent people is simply unacceptable given the fact that those challenging the integrity of Manipur  and killing innocent Meitei people are literally kept outside the purview of any law, he asserted.
Manipuri people, though quite inferior in terms of manpower and fire-power, fought the mighty British empire in 1891. Manipuri people were not worried about the outcome of the war but they were ever ready to face any challenge  to the Manipuri Nation. The same is true even today, Nando said.
He said that Manipuri people have no fear to face the Government of India if it is hatching any conspiracy to disintegrate Manipur.
Nando Luwang said that AMUCO was set up by those people who love Manipur more than anything else and are determined to safeguard its integrity and territorial boundary at all costs with a vision to create a strong and progressive Manipur.
He asserted that AMUCO will always stand resolute on its principle to safeguard the integrity of Manipur under all circumstances and at all costs.
Whereas AMUCO has been working relentlessly to  safeguard the integrity of Manipur, successive Indian Governments have been conspiring to destroy the integrity of Manipur.
In their attempt to destroy the integrity of Manipur, the Government of India has been creating divisions and sowing seeds of conflict among different communities of the State.
The Government of India has also been scheming to create divisions among the revolutionary organisations as well as political parties, he alleged.  
The Government of India’s role in the 21 months old Manipur crisis is known to the people of Manipur.
Whereas some Central forces are openly backing the Kuki-Zo people who wish to disintegrate Manipur, the Government of India has been presenting a facade that some other Central forces are on the side of the Meiteis who are determined to safeguard the State’s integrity, Nando remarked.
It was right in front of Indian security forces that Kuki-Zo people cleared several thousand hectares of forest areas, he said.
Poirei Leimarol Meira Paibi Apunba Manipur president Soraisam Memcha hailed AMUCO’s contributions towards safeguarding the integrity of Manipur.
Federation of Haomee secretary general Yazing Vicisy too acknowledged the consistent efforts of AMUCO to safeguard the integrity of Manipur, and foster closer relationship between the hill people and the plain people.
All Manipur Meitei Pangal Clubs Organisation Yumkhaibam Hayatur Rahman is an organisation formed by several clubs and organisations, and it does not differentiate between the hill people and the plain people.
He said that AMUCO has been working hard to bring harmony and oneness among the different communities of Manipur.
Kabui Mothers’ Association president Atongpi Kamei asserted that the integrity of Manipur where different communities have been living together for thousands of  years will never break apart.
She also acknowledged the immense responsibility shouldered by AMUCO in facing all the challenges to the integrity and territorial boundary of Manipur.
Later, the gathering paid homage to all deceased members of AMUCO who worked tirelessly to consolidate the hill-valley relationship and foster unity among all the communities by observing silence for two minutes.
Floral tributes were also offered to their photographs.
In his keynote address, AMUCO secretary general Pratap Leishangthem said that AMUCO was set up on February 12, 1993 by representatives of several clubs and organisations.
He said that AMUCO will continue to work tirelessly in the collective interest of the people of Manipur.
Under the leadership of AMUCO, its constituent clubs and organisations have been shouldering huge responsibilities to safeguard the integrity of Manipur for eternity.
It is a matter of grave concern that the Government of India believes in its military strength to suppress the revolutionary movement of Manipur, Pratap remarked.
He asserted that the insurgency issue of Manipur can never be resolved by military means but it should be resolved politically.
The Government of India ought to work for a political solution to the conflict situation in Manipur for several decades, said the AMUCO secretary general.
The foundation day also featured cultural programmes of several communities.