HNUJD convenes meeting on tribal people's issue
Source: The Sangai Express
Jiribam, October 07 2020:
To consult on the long-pending land issue of tribal people of Jiribam, the Hmar National Union Jiribam District (HNUJD) convened a meeting at Tribal Community Hall, Jiribam, today.
Leaders and delegate of the United Chief Committee, Jiribam, Kuki Students' Organisation, Jiri-Tamenglong, Hmar Students' Association, Hmar Women Association, Jiribam Area, All Jiribam Tribal Union, Kuki Inpi Tamenglong-Jiri attended the meeting, said a joint statement of HNUJD, United Chief Committee, Jiribam, Kuki Inpi Tamenglong and Jiribam, Hmar Students' Association Ghq, Hmar Women Association, Jiribam, KSO Jiribam and Tamenglong and All Jiribam Tribal Union.
The tribal villages who had been paying Hill House Tax for over a century had been denied their right to continue payment since 2017.The matter has been raised many times by tribal CSO leaders to the Government but so far no steps have been taken to address the grievances of Jiribam tribal people, it added.
Saying that tribal land rights are vested in chieftainship rights and the stoppage of right to payment of Hill House Tax is understood as a means to deprive the tribal of Jiribam their land rights, the statement continued that there is no avenue for the enjoyment of tribal facilities as the tribal of Jiribam has been absorbed in the general system.
Therefore, besides the restoration of Hill House Tax, a Tribal Development Block is a necessity for the tribal people of Jiribam, the statement continued.
It maintained that the consultative meeting resolved to continue to spearhead the desire of the tribal populace for the restoration of the payment of Hill House Tax and other tribal rights.