‘Fight for our rights, and struggle for self-self-determination far from over’
Newmai News Network
Imphal | June 24
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) against Anti-Tribal Bills will be organizing a mass mourning cum prayer programme on June 26 to be attended by tribal people from across Manipur to mark the 300th day of the tribal movement, according to a statement released on Friday.
“June 26 (Sunday) will mark the 300th day of the tribal movement, our unwavering fight for protection of our ancestral tribal lands, our rights and our identity from the covetous hands of the dominant valley-dwelling community jointly which is backed by the communal government and CorCom, a conglomerate of proscribed Meitei underground groups,” the statement said.
The resentment and gash between the hills and valley people is a clear indication that the tribal people of Manipur no longer see any safe and promising future under the present Manipur and hence the tribal people look forward to a separate destiny for themselves, it said.
With the mortal remains of “our nine tribal martyrs still awaiting an honourable burial, our fight for our rights, and our struggle for self-determination is far from over,” the JAC said.
“To mark the 300th day of the protest and mourning, the JAC would like to humbly request all Manipur tribal churches and fellowships across the globe to observe it as a worldwide mourning day by organizing mourning programme cum mass prayer at their respective churches/congragations,” it informed.
The joint committee made a heartfelt plea to all tribal brothers and sisters across the globe to join in prayer on the day.
At the epicenter of the movement, Lamka, the joint committee will be organizing a mass mourning cum prayer programme to be attended by tribal people across Manipur starting 1pm of June 26 at the YPA ground headquarters hall, Hiangtam under Lamka. There shall be no shutdown or bandh to enable free movement of vehicles on this day.
The JAC informed the public that the earlier plan to send a delegation to Delhi comprising of tribal chiefs and family members of the “tribal martyrs” to coincide with 300th day of the movement has been postponed for a later date.
