Imphal, August 21 (NNN): Following the Liangmai Naga Council (LNC) and the Liangmai Naga Katimai Ruangdi (LNKR), the Joint Action Committee for Protecting Liangmai Ancestral Land (JAC-PLAL) has also opposed the Nepali people demanding from the Manipur government to “grant them native resident status”.
In this regard, the JAC-PLAL has urged the Deputy Chief Minister of Manipur who also holds the tribal affairs, not to pay any heed to the demand of the Nepali people.
In a lengthy memorandum submitted to the Deputy Chief Minister, the Liangmai JAC drove home its stand pertaining to the Nepali issue by highlighting certain backgrounds.
“The Nepalese on the verbal permission of the then political agent came and occupied Liangmai territory in 1915 without the consent of the original settlers and land owners. Even as they had come and occupied the land, the Nepalese agreed to pay annual tributes to the native land owners. Since then they had been paying the tributes to the land owners till today (Copies of the tribute receipts enclosed as Annexure 1). Besides this, occasional agreement had been drawn between the Liangmai native villages and tenant (Nepalese) to the effect that the tenants would abide by the customary and traditional practices of the Naga Villages,” the JAC-PLAL stated in its memorandum.
According to JAC-PLAL, there is no Khas Land in Liangmai territory. In this regard, the Liangmai JAC mentioned the landmark ruling of the Guwahati High Court in Imphal permanent bench under civil rule No. 132/90/91 between the North East Council, Shillong, the state of Manipur and the Deputy Commissioner, Ukhrul versus the Hundung Victims of Development Project, the verdict of which was in favour of the petitioners whose land had been acquisition by the North Eastern Council through the Government of Manipur.
JAC-PLAL then said that every village in Liangmai area is well defined as a unit with clear demarcation of boundaries between the villages. “While such was the clear position, the then authority had pushed the migrant Nepalese to our country and had caused the present crisis,” it added.
“The then political agent of Manipur, C. Gimson, ICS in his note to foreigners vide copy of Memo No.4770/MS dated 15/8/1943 had written an inspection note of Irang part I & II to the effect that no boundary fixation was required in the area,” it pointed out. “Again another political agent in Manipur, G.A. Stewart, ICS had issued an order on the 2nd July 1938 to the effect that no grazer should move from one village to another without an expressed order from the political agent in Manipur.”
“In the light of the above stated facts and points, it is crystal clear that the Nepalese are not native residents of the state and the land they occupy was given for their temporary stay under certain agreements and conditions. It is unthinkable to grant them native resident status where the indigenous people of the state are crying for protection of indigenous rights,” the Liangmai JAC added.
“It is therefore, requested to look into the matter judiciously and take necessary action not to grant native resident status to Nepalese (Gorkhas),” the JAC-PLAL urged the Deputy Chief Minister.
