Counter blockade communal : ATSUM
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 24 2015 : Terming the alleged 'communal rhetoric' and action of the Meetei Youth Front (MYF), South East Asia and International Meetei Forum (IMF) as 'unfortunate,' the All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur (ATSUM) said that the imposition of counter-blockade by these two organisations may stoke unwarranted incidents.

Addressing a press meet today at its office located at Nagaram, ATSUM president Muan Tombing said that the students' body is pursuing demands pertaining to legitimate and unbreachable rights sanctioned by the Constitution.

Based on the Constitutional validity of the demands, ATSUM has been holding talks with the Government on the matter since the past many years.

The Govt has given its assurances to fulfil the demands although the same are yet to be translated into action, Tombing said.

It was very unfortunate that the MYF SEA and IMF, instead of supporting the genuine demands of ATSUM, have interpreted the issue on communal line by imposing counter-blockade on National and State Highways, Muan Tombing said.

The ATSUM president said that they are not crying for the moon, nor resorting to activities for the disintegration of the State.

They are only raising legitimate demands, he said.

The tribal apex students' body would not tolerate the unfounded charge that it is spearheading demands for protection of foreigners, he said while also categorically asking the motive behind branding indigenous people as 'foreigners' .

The IMF and MYF apparently lost sight of the ATSUM demand for transfer of land records of hill districts presently maintained in the valley districts to their parent districts, Muan said.

He clarified that the demand for transfer of land records does not imply demand for land.

Romio Bungdon, general secretary of All Manipur Tribal Union (AMTU) said that it is to the knowledge of all that the MLR&LR Act and Rules are not enforced in the hill areas.

Since the past many years, tribal land owners in the adjacent areas of the hill and valley have generally recorded and maintained their land ownership document (patta) at respective valley district administrations.

Although these documents are in the custody of the valley district administrations, these areas are included in the hill districts, Romio elaborated.

John Pamei, president of All Zeliangrong Students' Union (AMN) said that the communally interpretating of the tribal body's demands by the MYF and IMF has belittled the 'hill-valley unity' slogan.

ATSUM has been imposing indefinite economic blockade on National Highways in pursuit of various long pending demands pertaining to tribal rights.

MYF SEA has been imposing indefinite counter-economic blockade on National and State Highways restricting goods carrying vehicles on roads connecting hill areas of the State since last midnight.

Meanwhile, suspected ATSUM economic blockade supporters have burnt down a truck loaded with iron rods today at Sapermeina along Imphal-Dimapur highway in Senapati district today around 2 pm.

Sources said that the truck is carrying the iron rods from a factory at Taphou.

The front portion of the vehicle was burnt.

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