Resolutions adopted by the Consultative Meeting (Conclave) organised by the Manipur Tribals Forum, Mumbai on 10th October 2015.

MANIPUR TRIBALS FORUM, MUMBAI
Flat No. 10, Seasons Corner, Plot-11, Sector-4, Koparkhairane
Navi Mumbai-400709
Ref No.MTFM-Conclave/2015/01
10th October, 2015

RESOLUTIONS

Resolutions adopted by the Consultative Meeting (Conclave) organised by the Manipur Tribals Forum, Mumbai on 10th October 2015.

1. The Conclave once again re-affirms the Unity and Fraternity of all the Tribals of Manipur, and is fully convinced that the present protest/movement in the hills of Manipur is not that of particular districts/communities but that of all the aggrieved Tribals of Manipur.

2. The Conclave condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the 3 anti-tribal Bills passed by the State Assembly of Manipur on the 31st August, 2015. In this regard, the Conclave urges the Tribal Movement leaders, in consultation with legal experts, to file Writ Petition against the Manipur State Assembly in the honourable High Court of Manipur-

(a) For not referring the Bills to the Hill Areas Committee and thereby violating clause 4(2) of the Manipur Legislative Assembly (Hill Areas Committee) Order, 1972 on the wrong pretext of these being "money bills" and "do not affect the hill areas of Manipur".

(b) For wrong interpretation of Article 199 of the Constitution of India which defines "money bills" and stating that these bills are money bills, with the mala fide intention of by-passing the Hill Areas Committee which has been established as per Article 371C of the Constitution of India.

(c) For wilfully denying the fact that the 3 bills affect the Hill Areas of Manipur. The Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015 and The Manipur Shops & Establishment (2nd Amendment) Bill, 2015 clearly state that these Bills shall extend to the whole state of Manipur. Even the Manipur Land Revenue & Land Reforms (7th Amendment) Bill, 2015 can be extended to any of the hill areas of Manipur, by the state government by notification in the official gazette.

(d) For denying the Tribals of their ancestral rights by the very definition of "Manipur People" in the Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015 wherein the base year of 1951 has been taken. The Tribals have lived in the Hill areas since time immemorial and in the year 1951 neither government machinery nor employees existed in or have visited the tribal villages. Therefore, most of the tribals will not find the names of their fathers/forefathers in the National Register of Citizens, 1951, Census Report, 1951 and Village Directory of 1951, and thereby rendering them to be called non-Manipuri.

In view of the above, on facts and in law, the 3 Bills passed by the Manipur Sate Assembly on 31st August, 2015 are unconstitutional, illegal and perverse and as such, they should be declared "null and void."

3. The Conclave condemns the Tribal MLAs for their indifference to the protests resulting in the death of innocent youths and the suffering of the people who have elected them. The Conclave urges the JAC and the various tribal bodies not to revoke the boycott of these MLAs which has been announced earlier. It is also requested the concerned Youth/Philanthropic organisations of the each tribe to boycott their own unrelenting tribal MLAs. The Conclave also thinks that the resignation or otherwise of these MLAs does not have any impact on the movement since they have been boycotted and that they practically do not represent the Tribals anymore.

4. The Conclave wants the Government of India and Government of Manipur to know that the Tribal MLAs who have been asked by their electorates to resign but who have refused to do so have breached the trust of their electorates and that they should be considered that they are no longer their representatives.

5. The Conclave believes that the present movement is a tribal people's movement which has been spearheaded by the people through the JAC/ATSUM/MTF, Delhi and other various Forums formed regarding this movement. In this regard, the Conclave urges the various political organisations and other committees, which existed hitherto, not to try to take undue credit and score certain vested/narrow political mileages out of the movement and on the dead bodies of the Tribal Martyrs.

6. The Conclave urges the various tribal bodies like the UPF and the KNO, the Apex Tribal bodies (Kuki Innpi Manipur, Zomi Council, Manipur, Hmar Innpui, Manipur, etc) and other tribal bodies to give unstinting support to the JAC/ATSUM/MTF, Delhi and other various Forums formed for the present struggle. They are also urged not to meddle with the people's movement against the 3 bills and for separate administration of the Tribals of Manipur.

7. The Conclave, after deliberations, has opined that the talks be held with the Government of India and the Government of Manipur may be a party to the talk only for the purpose of fulfilment of the agreements on its part. The JAC/ATSUM/MTFD be authorised to initiate talk with the Government of India. The present protest may be continued and the dead bodies of the Tribal Martyrs may not be laid to rest unless all the following demands are fulfilled or agreed to be fulfilled in a time-bound manner.

(i) The Honourable President of India may be advised by the Government of India that the bills which were referred to His Excellency may not be approved since they have been passed illegally without any constitutional validity.

(ii) Imposition of President's Rule in the state of Manipur.

(iii) Separate Administration for the Tribals of Manipur within the provisions of the Indian Constitution to be negotiated by the authorised representatives of the Movement.

(iv) Judicial enquiry to the death of the Tribal Martyrs and stringent punishments to the culprits.

(v) Allotment of land for memorial site and dignified and honourable burial for the Tribal Martyrs who have laid down their lives for the protection of their lands.

(vi) Compensation to the affected district(s) in the form of Grants for reconstruction of various government offices destroyed and burnt down during the agitation.

(vii) No cases be registered against any protester for acts or deeds during the agitation and if any cases have been registered, they shall be withdrawn immediately.

(The Forum has opined that a Consultative meeting of JAC/ATSUM/MTFD and other Tribal Forums formed in various cities of India may be called to deliberate on the SEPARATE ADMINISTRATION and other issues regarding the Tribal Movement)

The above agreement shall not come in the way of the political demands of the UPF and KNO who are parties to the Suspension of Operation (SoO) since 2008.

8. As a mark of solidarity to the Tribal Movement and condolence to the Tribal Martyrs, the Conclave urges all the Tribal Apex bodies and groups not to organise any kind of celebration/festivals in the form of KUT/PAWI/RUOI and others until the bodies of the Tribal Martyrs are laid to rest. In this regard the Conclave urges the organisers of the State sponsored State Level Kut Celebration, 2015, the Khuado Pawi Delhi, 2015 and any other scheduled celebrations of Manipur Tribals to kindly cancel their scheduled programmes in the interest of the Tribal Movement.

9. The Manipur Tribals Forum, Mumbai, will continue to extend full support and cooperation to the Tribal Movement and will continue to organise/undertake/take any possible actions/activities on its part to fulfil the aspirations of the aggrieved Tribals of Manipur.

Sd/-

(T. ROUMUAN PAITE) (VANLALMUON HAOKIP)
Meeting Chairman Recording Secretary

VANLALMUON HAOKIP)
Secretary,
Manipur Tribals Forum, Mumbai

Copy to:

(a) Chief Convener, Joint Action Committee
(b) Convener, ATSUM Coordination Committee
(c) Convener, Manipur Tribal Forum, Delhi
(d) Administrators of various Manipur Tribals' Social Media groups