ACCA resents Govt's silence on Thonglang issue
Source: Chronicle News Service / Newmai News Network

Imphal, September 09 2022: The Ahangruak Chief and Chairman Association (ACCA) accused "some self-styled Nepali leaders" of playing with fire and are trying to flare up communal situations in Thonglang areas.

In a statement on Friday, the ACCA said, "As law-abiding citizens of this country, we have patiently anticipated with faith in the state machinery for equitable justice.

However, the concerted entreaty of the indigenous people is landing on the deaf ears of the government".

According to the ACCA, some "fringe elements" have obstructed the "righteous" efforts of Thonglang Akutpa villagers to preserve and protect their historical sites and monuments.

The statement also said that the 'fringe elements' have constrained and misled district administration to remove the name-boards of these historically significant sites and monuments.

While reminding that Thonglang Atongba village is a Scheduled Tribe (ST) village recognised by the governments of India and Manipur, it said land belonging to ST in the hill areas comes under scheduled-I of Article 371(C) of the Indian Constitution and is administered as per the Village Authority Act of 1956" .

As land under schedule-I is not transferable to any outsider, the preceding governments have never acquired or allotted any land to the Nepali grazers, except by way of granting permission for grazing purpose.

"They were permitted by the government to stay as tenants for grazing purposes only," the ACCA said, adding that "Nepali grazers" have been paying grazing tax to the government and Rampon (Lousal in Manipuri; a rent for the use of land) to the traditional land owners of the village to date.

The ACCA then said that Nepalese who came to Manipur state sometime in the third decade of the twentieth century were ordered to move to Thonglang areas by the then political agents to rear cattle.

Since then, they have been settling in region as tenants and paying "Rampon" (Lousal) regularly, the ACCA also said.

"The immutable accepted norms, in the form of declarations, Act of undertakings, agreements and assurance by the tenants/occupiers that, they shall adhere to and abide by the customary laws and practices of the land and its owners is pertinent," the ACCA added.

According to the association, the boundaries between Thonglang and other Liangmai villages are well defined and distinctively demarcated by hills, ridges, rivers, streams, enduring landmarks and historical monuments with distinctive names and meanings, symbolising traditional beliefs, myths and legacies with strong emotional and religious attachments.

It also said that there is no "No man's land" in any Liangmai land.

The land either is owned by a family, clan/clans or belong to the whole village called "Namram" (village land), the ACCA added.

"Each monument within our village jurisdiction and boundary is of great historical significance to us arid they are our history, identity and pride," the association further said.

It then said that, while the state itself is fighting illegal influx, encroachment, settlement and renaming of age-old lands and monuments, the "indigenous people of Thonglang and Tapon areas strongly urge the state government and its officials to stop taking undue advantage of our guileless nature for vested interest and protection of outsiders at the cost of the indigenous tribal population".

The statement added that the "naive attitude" of the government will only impinge both the state and the indigenous population.

The ACCA then said that the hill indigenous people of Thonglang arid Tapon areas have been facing nightmares of being ruled by alien people who have no understanding of their traditions, customs and culture, which had resulted owing to the mistake by allowing the Nepalese to contest in the ADC elections which has been exclusively set up for the "hill tribal people" to protect their land, property, customs, traditions, culture and their identity.

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