ATSUM (T) threatens to impose eco-blockade
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN

Imphal, November 22 2013 : The agitating All Tribal Students Union, Manipur (ATSUM-Muan Tombing) has threatened to intensify its movement by imposing indefinite economic blockade.

"How can the government of Manipur busy courting the south East Asian countries while the state is sick," said the ATSUM (T) .

According to ATSUM (T), students in the hills are writing their promotion examinations without science and mathematics teachers.

"We have been demanding the postings of regular teachers in the hill schools," stated the tribal student body.

"Our constitutional rights should be with us.

Unless the government address our demands the fight for our rights will continue," said ATSUM(T), adding, "Students are facing hardships because of the the anti-tribal education policy of the state government" .

The All Tribal Students Union, Manipur (ATSUM) under the 'leadership' of its president Muan Tombing is in its second phase agitation under the code name 'Reckoning of the Other' (ROTO) from midnight of November 11 has banned all national projects in Manipur including the ongoing railway line construction in Tamenglong district.

ATSUM's demands included improving the condition of educational atmosphere in the hill districts by appointing or recruiting adequate teaching and non-teaching staff and taking care of necessary infrastructure for schools in the hill areas including setting up of B.Ed centres in the hill districts, early solution to the crises in Indira Gandhi National Tribal University (IGNTU), improvement of healthcare in the hill districts by making all PHSC, PHC, CHC and DHC functional through posting of the required specialist doctors and nurses in the district hospitals of the hills and equipping them with necessary medical equipments, establishment of a separate state Commission for Scheduled Tribe (ST) in Manipur, adherence to the ST reservation norms as per the latest roster, equitable development through special economic package for the hill areas of Manipur and ensuring effective governance of the hill areas.

According to ATSUM, to have effective governance there are certain areas that need to be revamped.

Securing the proper functioning of the Hill Area Committee (HAC) and requiring the Governor of Manipur to discharge his special responsibilities under 371-C of the Constitution on India is one area.

To bring the present Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) in Manipur at par with other ADCs in the North-Eastern states of India is another area.

Furthermore, ATSUM said that re-organisation (Delimitation) of assembly seats on the basis of the latest population census and sharing 30/30 seats between the hills and the valley is one area that should be done for the effective governance.

Lastly, ATSUM demands for the protection of tribal rights on land and natural resources.

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