ATSUM stir
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 22 2013 :
Putting up various demands, the All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM) has announced a Statewide 'intense agitation' for 38 hours from 5am of June 3 to be followed by a 'sustained agitation' for 38 days.
This was announced to the media by President of ATSUM, Muan Tombing during a press briefing at the union office at Nagaram here today evening.
Tombing said the agitation would be launched under the code name ROTO (Reckoning of Others) while cautioning that the State Government would be held responsible for any untoward incident.
Elucidating that ATSUM is not keen in fomenting trouble by resorting to agitation, Muan Tombing said the situation and turn of events have compelled them to resort to launching agitation.
The ATSUM's charter of demands included appointment of adequate staff in school, developing infrastructures to schools, setting up of B Ed centres in hill areas and issues pertaining to IGNTU, according to the ATSUM president.
Making all health centres in the hill functional, providence of relevant equipments and doctors; separate Commission for ST; Effective governance in hill areas; unbiased promotion and reservation in Government services; issues of tribal rights on land and natural resources and imposition of MIL (Meetei Mayek) in Class IX are the issues the tribal students' body has been demanding, Tombing said.
The ATSUM president said 38 hours and 38 days agitation denoted the 38 tribes of the State.
Significantly, fielding a question from the press, Tombing equaled 'intense agitation' with 'total bandh' while also adding that 'sustain agitation' means normal agitation without causing disturbance though with the potential to act of sabotage.