Peoples' parliament concludes
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 12 2015 :
The first North East Peoples' Parliament (NIPP 2015) organized jointly by the Coalition for Indigenes' Rights Campaign, Manipur; Assam Sanmilita Mahasangha and Assam Meitei Apunba Lup concluded today after its sixth and seventh session were held at Kangshang, Khuman Lam-pak Sport Complex.
A working committee representing all the participating communities was formed after the sessions consisting of 18 members - Dr John Pu-lamte, GH Newmeh, Mal- swam Chothe, Tapor Taboh, Prafulla Hafila, Nikunja Patir, Ajit Moran, RT Akhel Aimol, Adibo Newmei, Rana Prasad Deori, Ramsing Ka-thar, S Michael Kom, Sunanta Jamatia, Sanjoy Chetia, W Saratchandra, Matiur Rah-man, Somorendra Thokchom and Erwin Syiem Sutnga.
Department of Anthropology, Manipur University Professor W Nabakumar, chaired the sixth session as speaker while journalist and educational rights activist Grace Jajo was the key mover on the topic "Fundamental Rights: Culture, Education and Language" .
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The attending delegates addressed myriads of problems ranging from existential crisis to reduction as lesser citizens in their own homeland, the need to change education system and issues of assimilation among different smaller communities residing in the Northeastern States.
Professor Ak Bimol of JNU, chaired as speaker of the seventh session.
LMS Law College Lecturer Dr Sapam Dilip, was the key mover of the session on the agenda "Fundamental Rights: Political & Economy".
It was followed by a session on consolidating recommendations of all the seven sessions held in the last three days on Challenges and Survival of each Tribes, Human Rights and Human Security: AFSPA 1958, Economy and Development: Look East Policy & Foreign Direct Investment, Population influx & Identity crisis, Fundamental Rights: Culture, Education and Language and Fundamental Rights: Political and Economy.
Delegates from Bodo, Jayantia, Tripuri, Reang (Bru), Deori, Karbi, Khasi, Moran, Kom, Aimol, Vaiphei, Liangmai, Thadou, Kom, Kabui, Chothe, Kharam, Hmar, Khoibu, Purum Zeme, Chiru, Meitei Pangal, Paite, Koireng, Meitei and other indigenous tribes from North East India attended the first of its kind indigenous people's parliament.
The parliament was organized with an aim to open a new chapter in the struggle of indigenous people of Northeast India for their rights, dignity and identity.
A collective movement encompassing all indigenous people at regional level has been long overdue, given the ineffectiveness and failure of isolated movements which are predominantly ethno-exclusivist in character.