Manipur Tribals demand Separate Administration and President Rule.
36 tribal student unions signed the memorandum submitted to the PM of India.
About two thousands tribal students and youths from Manipur turned out in large numbers at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi today afternoon to protest against the atrocities meted out to the protestors in Churachandpur district on Monday and Tuesday.
Demonstration was held under the umbrella Manipur Tribal Forum, Delhi and the demonstrators demanded for separate administration for the Manipur tribal and imposition of President's Rule in the state.
Students and youths demonstrators shouted slogans and called for immediate resignation of all the 19 Tribal MLAs today afternoon.
Their Banners Read – We never parted even an inch of our land, not even to the Mighty British; We want separate Administration; Respect our History; Rubber Bullets for Valley and Live Bullets for Hills. Our Land Our Rights, Our Identity; Tribal lands, tribal rights".
The peaceful protest condemns the targeted discrimination and Injustice against the Tribal by the Manipur Government.
A total of 36 tribal student unions signed the memorandum, including support from TISS and Civil society organization such as Indian Confederation of Indigenous People.
Calling for immediate intervention of the Prime Minister, the students submitted a memorandum demanding –
i. To immediately impose President's Rule in Manipur
ii. To punish those state security forces involved in the brutal killing of the agitators.
iii. To immediately withdraw the Manipur Police commandos from all tribal areas and if need be, deploy central forces.
iv. Restoration of all villages transferred to valley district to their original hill districts.
v. To expeditiously act on the demands for 'separate administration' for the tribal areas of Manipur. This is a proof, if any more are needed, that the hill tribals and the plain Meiteis cannot live together under one administration.
There were many inspiring speeches from various Student leaders from different tribes. Dr. Chinkhanlun, Timothy, Apam, Sasang Haokip, Atina, K.Zou, Golan Naulak, Lun Gangte, Kim Ngaihte and leader from DMZP, HSA, Zillai, NSUD etc. spoke for the cause of the tribals.
A moment of silence in dedication to the 8 youths who lost their lives for the tribal cause was also conducted.
A press statement issued by the 36 Student Bodies stated that the three bills passed on August 31, taken together, will directly undermine the existing safeguards for the tribal 'hill areas' regarding land-ownership and population influx as the primary threat for the tribal people comes not from outside the state but the valley Meitei people itself.
The tribal people have made their opposition to the Meitei demands clear, but were never consulted the statement said.
Moreover the press release said that the Hill Areas Committee (HAC), comprising of all tribal MLAs, which was set up under Article 371C of the Constitution to protect tribal interests and whose concurrence is mandatory for all legislation affecting tribal areas, was summarily brushed aside.
While condemning the highhanded and deeply biased manner in which the Manipur Government responded to the protests, the press statement asserted that the Manipur police use rubber bullets for the valley protesters, but live bullets were freely used for tribal protesters.
The student bodies in its press release reiterate that the tribal people were never consulted during the entire process of the demand for ILP in the state. Despite that the 'Joint Committee' (of ILP) claimed in their Memorandum of 8 August, which the Government accepted in toto, and on the basis of which the three bills were prepared, that they are speaking 'on behalf of the people of Manipur'. This is misleading and deeply disrespectful of the tribal population of the State, the release said.
Toward the end of the program, the effigy of Ibobi Singh, the Chief Minister of Manipur was burnt to show the resentment against his government.
The Manipur Tribal Forum Delhi also stated that if their demand were not met, they will continue their protest until they are fulfilled.
~ Zogam.com News Network.
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