CCpur JAC apprises CM of demands for talks to be initiated

IFP | CHURACHANDPUR, November 9: The leadership of the Joint Action Committee against anti-tribal bills met the Chief Minister today and submitted a charter of demands.

The charter of demand was submitted to the Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh and his cabinet ministers excluding the tribal MLAs.

It has also been submitted to the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of State Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju, Centre's interlocutor for the talks with NSCN (IM) RN Ravi, special secretary Ministry of Home Ashok Prasad and joint secretary in charge North East MA Ganapathy.

The team which also included leaders of the ATSUM JPO demanded that for talks to be initiated, the government must first ensure that the three bills are recalled within five days from now.

The demands also include that both the State government and the Ministry of Home should give in writing within five days that the talks will be held in the presence of some representation who is not lower than the joint secretary rank from the MoH.

The JAC has also demanded the State government to give 'Luangman' or the price of killing for the nine dead, and 'Etkolna/ Kepna' for those injured during the recent agitations so as to fulfil the tribal customary law and traditional practice as the government has already performed Hiamkham on November 2 acknowledging that it was wrong.

The JAC has also included in its four page charter of demand that the government should cancel any such previous orders made between February 22, 1962 to November 14, 1978 regarding the Manipur Land Revenue and Revenue Act. 1960 currently extended to villages under Autonomous District Council, mainly the five points that include 89 villages in Churachandpur Sub Division , 92 villages in Jiribam, 14 villages in Sadar Hills of Mao Sub Division, Makhau Tampak of Churachandpur district and 809 Hectre of land in Khoupum village of Tamenglong district.