TNWL tightens stand against poppy cultivation, deforestation
Source: Chronicle News Service / R Lester Makang

Ukhrul, March 16 2023: In a press statement issued by its president SA Ramnganing on Thursday, Tangkhul Naga Wungnao Long (TNWL) has reaffirmed and strengthened its stand against poppy cultivation and associated deforestation across its jurisdiction.

The statement came in the midst of reports of continued cultivation of illegal poppy plants in certain parts of Ukhrul and Kamjong villages under its jurisdiction, which has been linked to increased deforestation in the region.

Taking serious note of this, TNWL, during its Annual Assembly organised on February 22, held a series of serious deliberation, and came up with another resolution, reaffirming its standing resolution against illegal poppy cultivation and rampant deforestation in all villages under its jurisdiction, he stated.

He also mentioned that as per the latest resolution, TNWL has endorsed the headmen of each village to oversee and enforce the collective resolution to ensure that poppy cultivation and its resultant destruction caused to the forest and environment do not continue in their respective villages.

According to Ramnganing, TNWL has been working relentlessly for the welfare of Tangkhul community as well as other tribes settling in Ukhrul and Kamjong districts.

"In recent years, it has taken up several initiatives to tackle varied social issues confronting the society.

One such is the movement launched and spearheaded by TNWL in collaboration with other Tangkhul CSOs in line with the state government s 'War on Drugs' campaign," he said.

He continued that under the initiative, the organisation had taken a firm stand to eliminate illegal plantation of poppy and wanton destruction of forest and natural resources for the illegal purpose.

"In its Annual Assembly held on February 22, 2021, the apex Tangkhul Awunga, (headmen's) body had unanimously resolved that poppy cultivation and drug abuses in any form and wanton destruction of natural lands and forest for the same purpose be strictly prohibited in its entire jurisdiction with immediate effect (vide Resolution No.7/ TNWL General Assembly dated February 22,2021)," he recalled.

Accordingly, TNWI launched an awareness campaign and conducted mass awareness ac tivities across villages under its jurisdiction to educate the villagers about the harmful effects of poppy cultivation on human population and the forests.

It had issued a collective directive of TNWL and other Tangkhul CSOs to all villages for imme diate cessation of all activities related to poppy cultivation.

However, during the course of its campaign and implementation of its resolution, it was observed that certain villages had failed to comply with the collective directive and contin ued the illegal poppy plantation causing unrestrained damage to the forest and environment.

This led TNWL to adopt another resolution to reaffirm its standing resolution to eliminate poppy cultivation and associated deforestation, he added.

Meanwhile, in the same statement, TNWL has clarified the stand of the Tangkhul tribe vis-a-vis the so-called Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) which organised a public rally in certain parts of the state, stating that Tangkhul tribe is not party to the Forum.

"TNWL is compelled to issue this statement to clarify the position of the Tangkhul tribe with regard to the so called Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) so as to avoid public confusion," it said.

It mentioned that ITLF had circulated a statement dated March 9 using its letterhead with a caption Conglomeration of Recognised tribes in Manipur' to invite public participation in its recently held public, rally to voice their grievances.

"Here, the tag of 'Recognised tribes, in Manipur' could create a misleading impression of involvement of all recognised tribes of the state.

Hence, we would like to state that there had been no consultation whatsoever with the Tangkhul tribe to be part of the Forum and in light of this fact we are to clarify that the Tangkhul tribe is, in no way, party to the conglomeration," it added.

It further conveyed that if, in any case, the Forum by taking the name of all the recognised tribes of the state had given a wrong impression, "Tangkhul tribe stands resolute that the Forum had never sought our consent." "We consider the use of this particular term 'Recognised tribes in Manipur' without the consent of the respective tribes is nothing but a misnomer," it asserted.

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