Of stalemate, assertion & demands
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: July 23 2015 -
Amidst the palpable demonstration of solidarity extended to the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) by people from all walks of life at least in the entire valley region, the current intention of the Government of Manipur can be read in many ways.
There are ample reasons to suggest that the recent belated attempt made by the State Government on drafting a new Bill for the protection of the indigenous communities of the State has a lot to do with salvaging the ruined image of a ruling dispensation rather than actually considering the points made by the JCILPS.
The State Government has expressed its willingness to have a wider discourse on the issue while retaining certain conditions that had crippled itself even in the earlier attempt.
Perhaps, the act of closing one’s mind, eyes and ears was responsible for the current stalemate. The Government should have anticipated and felt the pulse of the people rather than react to situations.
Despite the Government’s claim on having wider consultation with all stake-holders, there have been no clear cut formalised technicalities or mechanisms to concretely note down suggestions even after few emergency sittings.
Perhaps, this is what incensed the JCILPS members for they had already experienced the reluctance of the ruling dispensation.
Moreover, the fate of the proposed new Bill for protecting the indigenous communities and tribes of Manipur is not yet clear.
Despite the claims of the State Government that it has invited members of Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) to be part of the new drafting committee, the body spearheading the current movement has over time and again expressed that it has lost all faith in the ability of the Government to come out of its reluctance on considering the points that need to be incorporated in the draft.
JCILP has been asserting that the current stalemate had been caused by the failure of the State Government to actually consider its demands as suggested earlier.
While stressing on the need to be vigilant about every move being made by the State Government with regard to the new proposed Bill, JCILPS has made it clear that the Manipur Government had already betrayed the cause.
Sensing the need to review the actions or inactions of the Government, the committee had also stated that there was a need to take a firm resolution on the issue based on the pulse of the people.
It had also cautioned the people that the State Government could once again belittle the movement and that the people should be ready for an all out fight based on democratic principles.
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