Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Imphal, December 05 2010:
Committee on Protection of Tribal Areas, Manipur (CoPTAM)'s proposed Manipur bandh of December 7 has been postponed to December 15 .
According to CoPTAM leader Thangkam Lupheng, owing to appeals from various organisations to postpone the proposed bandh in view of the Orange Festival, Hmar Gospel Centenary Celebration, Kuki Baptist Churches Youth Assembly and Manipur Catholic Congress, the 60-hour Manipur bandh which was slated to begin at 5 pm of December 7, has been postponed to 5 pm of December 15 .
It is pertinent to note that CoPTAM had announced to start agitation in protest against the alleged Manipur Government's relentless indifference to the plight of the tribal population in Manipur.
Condemning the government on the policy it pursues in "exploiting the tribals and alienating" their rights by conducting the "controversial overlapping census", the tribal rights body alleged that, "overlapping census is a result of revenue collection in some parts of hill districts whose land records are maintained by the valley districts.
This led to distorting the original boundaries" .
CoPTAM has demanded for the transfer of land records and restoration of original district boundaries, and also for rolling back the proposed redrawing of Jiribam district which is set to affect some parts of Churachandpur and Tamenglong districts.