CIRCA insists on pre-merger status
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 11 2015:
As a part of its month-long agitation against the Merger Agreement, the Coalition for Indigenes' Rights Campaign (CIRCA) held public discussion programmes on pre-merger political status of Manipur at Pukhao Khabam, Pukhao Ahallup, Keibi, Huidrom, Pungdongbam, Waiton, Khongman Zone V, Khurai Salanthong, Khurai Thoudam Leikai, Singjamei Liwa Lambi, Langlongei Mantripukhri and Thangapat where the flag of Manipur was flown at half-mast.
The public discussion programmes highlighted the negative impacts of modernization and development programmes such as construction of dams, exploitation of natural resources including petroleum and extensive militarization.
Speakers pointed out that indigenous people of Manipur did not get a single paise even as the Government of India has been earning Rs 15 crore every day from power generated by Loktak Project for which the people of Manipur sacrificed several thousand hectares of paddy fields.
The contemporary issue of influx is closely related with the survival or extinction of indigenous people.
Total domination of trade and commerce as well as the labour market by non-local is a very serious issue.
Notification issued by the Government of India which allows permanent settlement of non-local people in Manipur is a direct challenge to the survival of indigenous people.
The greatest challenge would come in the form of Act East Policy and it would be more severe than the historic Seven Years' Devastation as and when it becomes fully operational.
All these challenges can be overcome only if the pre-merger status of Manipur is restored and the indigenous people given the right to self determination, conveyed a press release issued by CIRCA publicity and information convenor Ksh Romesh.