Will not hold talk with Govt, says ATSUM
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 13, 2013:
The All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM) would neither negotiate nor sign any kind of Memorandum of Understanding with the Govt until the Govt agrees to the demands of the students' union, asserted ATSUM's President Emboi Serto today.
Emboi Serto said this on the sideline of the public mobilisation and poster campaign at Churachandpur district headquarters.
ATSUM has been patiently waiting for a positive response from the Govt but the Govt fails to fulfil the promises.
As such, the student union has been compelled to impose the indefinite economic blockade in all the National Highways of the State, Serto said.
There is no point of entering into negotiation with the State Govt until it (the Govt) comes out with a white paper to the ATSUM demands for the welfare of the tribal people, he added.
In the meantime a joint press statement issued by the Hmar Student Association (HSA), Komrem Students' Union (KRSU), ZILLAI (Vaiphei Students' Union), Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) and Thadou Kuki Student Union (TKSU) stated that they will fully support and cooperate with the indefinite economic blockade called by ATSUM from Feb 16 onwards in protest against the non-fulfilment of its demands by the Govt. The joint press statement further stated that Churachandpur District Students' Union (CDSU) is no longer in existence and the so called CDSU members are some people with vested interest for their own gain and that they should stop using the name of CDSU as CDSU had been defunct with major constituent units such as KRSU, TKSU, ZILLAI, HSA and MZP leaving the body.