ATSUM justifies stir; HAC stand questioned
Source: Chronicle News Service

Senapati, August 06 2022: All Tribal Students' Union (ATSUM) finance secretary Kakai Singsit said that the apex tribal students' body was compelled to impose the total shutdown in the hill districts in protest against the government's failure to implement what was agreed upon between the two sides.

Briefing media persons on Saturday, Kakai condemned excessive action of Manipur police against young students who were protesting against arrest of five ATSUM leaders and demanding their unconditional release.

He said that the five student leaders were arrested for demanding implementation of the agreement and the Memorandum of Understanding that was signed between the government and ATSUM.

The MoU agreed to implement the Hill Areas Committee recommended Bill, 2021 to be tabled in the winter session last year.

However, the agreement signed on August 25, 2021 could not be carried out in letter and spirit as the government failed to abide by its promise.

He said that ATSUM, All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM), Kuki Students' Organization-General Headquarters and federating units of ATSUM asked the government to implement the agreement but it failed to do so and this compelled the student organisations to impose total shutdown in the hills, he said.

The five student leaders were arrested during the shutdown and every tribal student leader was hunted down in their own respective homes by police, he lamented.

Meanwhile, ATSUM, ANSAM and KSO-GHQ have implored Hill Areas Committee (HAC) chairman and members, the vanguards of the tribals in the state of Manipur, to spell out their political stand on the HAC recommended Bill, 2021 and the recent controversial and imposed Bill; The Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils 6th & 7th Amendment, Bill, 2022 within 24 hours' time.

In a joint letter to HAC, ATSUM vice president Vanllalian Khoute, ANSAM general secretary AC Thotso and KSO-GHQ general secretary Stony Seiboi said that the tribal population wants to know their clear position on the said matter.

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