UNC objects to new land policy
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN
Senapati, July 04 2014 :
United Naga Council (UNC) has taken a decision during its 'presidential council' meeting on July 3 that no new no new policies, laws or notifications on land and resources would be welcomed by the Nagas till such time an alternative arrangement outside the system of the Government of Manipur is put in place, which is being pursued in the democratic process of tripartite talk.
The meeting affirmed that the respective tribe councils and regional organisations will therefore abstain from the district level stakeholders consultative meetings on the New Land Use Policy (NLUP) being organised by the Government of Manipur to ensure that opportunity to legitimise the same is not given, according to the United Naga Council (UNC) press communiqu�.
It said that the Government of Manipur has attributed the underdevelopment of the tribal hill areas in the present state of Manipur to unfavourable law and order situation and to the absence of land laws.
"But the fact of the matter is that there are more than 20 militant groups operating in the Imphal valley and this could be the reason for Imphal valley's over development vis-a-vis the tribal hill areas.
With regard to the second attribute, it is a fact that the tribal hill areas do not come under the purview of the Manipur Land Revenue & Land Reforms Act of 1960, but the Nagas and tribals have their own land holding system as per the customary laws of the respective tribe," the UNC press note stated.
According to the UNC, the New Land Use Policy of Manipur (2014) (NLUP) based on the Mizoram model is being taken up by the Government of Manipur ostensibly to improve productivity and minimize demand on land resources.
The Naga body also said that Mizoram has 100% tribal population and their experience therefore will be universal in terms of legal implication on ownership of land.
In the state of Manipur, where 41 % of the population is tribal, who owns 90% of the geographical area of the state, the NLUP is just another ploy to dilute the land ownership of the tribal people.
The UNC then stated that the NLUP is roping in the Village Development Committees, the newly conceptualized instrument forabolishing the village republic system of the Nagas and the tribals.
In protest against the unabated communal actions and policies of the Government of Manipur to legitimise the usurpation of the lands of the tribals and destruction of their traditional institutions, a 48 hours total bandh had been observed in Naga areas w.e.f the midnight of June 16, 2014, it reminded.