Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 05:
The Movement for Tribal Peoples Rights, Manipur (MTPRM) has demanded that the Manipur Government should first understand and feel the pulse of the tribal people living in Manipur before taking any decision on the implementation of Meetei Mayek in Manipur.
In a statement made available to Newmai News Network today, the tribal rights body said that the views and opinions of the 20 tribal Ministers and MLAs in the Manipur Legislative Assembly should be taken into consideration as they represent the tribal people of Manipur adding the mandates of the tribals had been reposed on the 20 legislators.
The MTPRM statement however, added that before the 20 tribal MLAs and ministers give their opinions and views to the Government with regard to the issue of the Meetei Mayeks, these representative should go to the hill areas and seek the opinions and views of the tribal people who had given their mandates.
The MLAs/ministers, in turn, should convey to the Government the opinions they had collected from the hills people, said the statement of the rights body of the tribals.
It further said that without thorough consultations among the tribal people by those concerned authorities things would not be done in a rightful manner.
It also commented that the issue of Meetei Mayeks affects the interest the tribals and thereby attracts Article 371(c) of the Constitution.
The particular Article clearly stated that matters which affect or infringe the tribal people and their rights be discussed by the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) so the issue of the Meetei Mayek should be taken up by the HAC, said the statement.