Citing the history of failed promises on Sadar Hills...SHDDC rejects Home Minister's appeal
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 05 2011: Sadar Hills Districthood Demand Committee (SHDDC) has rejected the appeal of the Union Home Minister to lift the over two months long economic blockade along the National Highway.

In a representation submitted to the Union Home Minister, SHDDC maintained that the appeal could not be considered in view of the political exigencies in the State.

Lifting of ongoing economic blockade enforced by Sadar Hills Districthood Demand Committee would be at the peril of losing inauguration of Sadar hills as a full-fledged district which has been in the cold storage of the State politics, the representation contended.

The representation jointly signed by SHDDC president Ngamkhohao Haokip and general secretary Tonghen Kipgen observed that the Chief Minister of Manipur has not honoured the earlier directions given by the Union Home Minister for early settlement of the Sadar Hills issue.

The representation asserted that the Chief Minister of Manipur constituted a Committee on Re-organisation of Administrative and Police District Boundaries in total disregard to the demand of the people of Sadar Hills.

A rally staged on August 5 in support of district status on Sadar Hills

Three similar committees have been constituted by previous State Governments but the recommendations of the committees have not been implemented.

The Manipur Administrative boundaries have never been an issue or under question during the last 39 years.

But, Committees on Re-organisation of District boundaries have automatically come up whenever the demand for inauguration of Sadar Hills as a full-fledged district arises.

Ironically, it has also never been an issue when the existing nine districts were created, the representation pointed out.

The representation went on to point out that re-organisation of district boundaries in Manipur, especially amalgamating hill areas/pockets into valley areas is a herculean task and shall never be politically practicable.

This is the bond of unity among the Manipur tribals.

By an order of the Chief Commissioner of Manipur Administration dated January 25, 1962, Sadar hills area was declared 'hill areas' for the purpose of giving protection to tribal, which at the same time, is intended to provide exclusion of hill areas in the administrative subject of the valley areas of the State, the representation observed.

In spite of being quite aware of the social and political conditions besieging the State, the Committee on Re-organisation of Administrative and Police District Boundaries has been inviting public opinions, suggestions, claims and counter-claims on re-organisation of district administrative boundaries only to pave way for more problems and defer inauguration of Sadar hills as a full-fledged district.

The Committee is a means to flare up communal hatred and should its findings be implemented, there is every possibility of Government of Manipur involving in communal violence, which otherwise is not expected, the representation alleged.

Citing past experiences and fooling the people on the pretext of 'looking into the matter' has made the people to Sadar hills to lost their faith in the nature of governance in the State, the representation said, adding categorically that economic blockade or other forms of agitations over Sadar hills district demand could not be compromised under pressure from the State Government.