Newmai News Network Imphal | July 21 The Liangmai Naga Council, Manipur (LNC-M) has expressed strong opposition to the "campaign" carried out by the Nepali community residing in Manipur "asserting themselves as natives of the state and their consequent demand for village administration authority". According to LNC-M, a good number of Nepalese are "living in Liangmai ancestral land under the so called Sadar Hills areas". The LNC-M stated that, apart from "some strayed individuals" based outside the area that "consistently plant and instigate ideas" to disturb the peaceful existence, the age old landowner-tenant relationship between the native tribal Nagas and Nepalese have been in practice till today. In a lengthy statement the LNC-M said, "It is imperative for the government and all sincere hearted people to revisit histories and consult the stakeholders while dealing with volatile matters such as the present one and not be blinded by the foxy narratives of certain groups alone". According to the Liangmai apex body, in the 1930s the then British regime, without consulting the tribal land owners, permitted the Nepalese entry to Irang areas for a "limited purpose". The said arrangement was for Nepalese to temporarily stay on payment of tax to the government wherein the villagers of Thonglang were authorized to collect the tax from the Nepali households. "Concurrently, they also paid land tax to the surrounding Liangmai Naga villages viz Thonglang Akutpa, Thonglang Atongba, Tapon Naga, Harup Naga and Makui as per tribal customary law for their settlement," the LNC-M added. The Council stated that it had learnt of the then British India Government rejecting the request for allotment of land for settlement since the permission was a temporary arrangement and more importantly for the reason that it could not allot tribal land to non-tribal as per stringent laws. Cautioning the Government of Manipur against interfering in the “well-established and recognized” practice of tribal rights over their land, LNC-M stated that it will oppose “tooth and nail” any measure that attempts to infringe the rights of the tribal. “However, we will continue to maintain the age old harmonious relationship with the Nepalese if they abide by the tribal customary laws,” it added. LNC mentioned the Panchayati Raj being scrapped from the Sadar Hills areas as it contradicts the provision of the constitution under article 243(M). “The sanctity of the tribal customary laws cannot be disturbed and defiled," it asserted.
