AMTU urges to elect leaders who will strengthen HAC
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Imphal, January 17, 2012:
All Manipur Tribal Union (AMTU) today urged upon the tribal people of Manipur to elect leaders in the ensuing Manipur general elections who can strengthen the Hill Area Committee (HAC), a sole institute which constitutionally protects the interest of the tribals, saying that the Government of Manipur is attempting to reduce them to victims of feudalism.
For example, the Reserve Forests in the district of Chandel were just declared in the year 1939 when the British colonial regime forcibly made the declaration under Indian Forest Act 1927 without the consent of the tribal chiefs, AMTU general secretary Romeo Bungdon stated while adding that the Manipur Forest Rules 1971 classified the forests of Manipur into three Reserve Forest, the Protected forest and the Unclassified Forest or Open Forest.
He said the State Government's another policy is to transfer power in recognition of a village while establishing revenue department under the cabinet decision, most probably by overruling the Hill Area Committee.
The Government under its ambiguous policies will take up various land policies and land reform against the aspiration of the tribal people, AMTU said, while adding that land grabbing and village displacements have already begun which is a gruesome violation of Article 371 of the Indian Constitution.