Senapati, June 19 (NNN): While alerting the tribal people of Manipur to get prepared for any eventuality at any moment, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) Against Anti Tribal Bills has asked them to start stocking essential commodities in their respective homes. The JAC said that the fight for the rights of the tribal people will continue. It may be mentioned that the 10-day economic blockade imposed by tribal organisations ended today.
In a statement this evening, the JAC said it will continue to oppose “these divisive anti-tribal policies." According to the tribal JAC, the Manipur Population Commission and the Manipur Land Reforms Commission, for which the valley based Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Manipur Government, as well as the demand for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe list by the "dominant" Meitei community are some of the other “anti-tribal policies” that are anticipated to play out in the coming days.
Meanwhile, JAC while expressing its gratitude to the President of India and the Union Government for "upholding the sanctity" of the Constitution by withholding the Protection of Manipur Peoples Bill, 2015 stated that "it is the wish and prayer of the tribal people of Manipur that this bill, along with the other two anti tribal bills, viz, the Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2015 and the Manipur Shops and Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015 are withheld for good at the earliest."
Nine protesters lost their lives when security forces tried to control violent protests that erupted in south Manipur district of Churachandpur following the passing of the three government ILP Bills last year. The tribal people said the Bills impinge upon their rights and hence they should be withdrawn.
The tribal organisations have been expressing that to the tribal people of Manipur, the three “anti-tribal Bills”, which "infringe on tribal identity, land rights and economy are only a new chapter in Manipur Government’s intrinsic policy of cultural alienation, political marginalization & developmental exclusion of the tribals. They are well-thought out State policy of modern-day political conquest and annexation having absolutely nothing to do with the Inner Line Permit System.”
Further, they maintained that constitutional rights of the Manipur tribals as enshrined in Clause 2 of Article 371C – that the Governor shall annually, or whenever so required by the President make a report to the President regarding the administration of the Hill Areas of the State of Manipur and the executive power of the Union shall extend to the giving of directions to the State as to the administration of the Hill Areas – has not been executed for many years now.
