Inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in ST list a must: STDCM
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 09 2022: Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM) observed International Day of The World Indigenous Peoples at Ima Khunthokhanbi Shanglen located within DM University campus here on Tuesday.

The observance was attended by STDCM president Dhiraj Yumnam, chief patron Moirangthem Naodalenkhomba and Thangmeiband United Club president L Pratap as presidium members.

Delivering the keynote address, STDCM general secretary K Bhogendrajit stressed the need for inclusion of Meitei/ Meetei in Scheduled Tribe list so as to give constitutional safeguard to the indigenous community.

The committee has been demanding the inclusion and will continue to do so until the demand is fulfilled, he asserted.

Explaining how observance of International day of the world indigenous peoples began, Bhogendrajit informed that Working Group of The United Nations on the Promotion and Protection of Rights of the Indigenous People convened its first sitting on August 9, 1951.United Nations general assembly held in December 1994 adopted August 9 as International Day of World Indigenous Peoples and it is being observed since then with the objective of raising awareness about protecting the rights and respecting the dignity of indigenous people.

Member countries of United Nations recognised indigenous communities.

However, the word indigenous is not found in Indian constitution, he lamented, while adding that there is scheduled tribe list which have more than 700 communities under Article 342 (1) of the Indian constitution.

The communities included in the list are given constitutional safeguard.

A Supreme Court ruling mentioned that tribal people (Schedule tribe/Adivasi) are the indigenous people of India and eight per cent of the total population are indigenous while the remaining 92 per cent are offspring of immigrants like America.

As Meetei/Meitei is not included in ST list, the community is included as offspring of immigrants.

As such, inclusion of'Meetei/Meitei in the ST list is a must, he reasoned.

Meanwhile, as a part of World Indigenous Day, Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipur along with Leibi Village Authority organised an awareness programme on indigenous peoples' rights, environment, health and on POCSO Act at Leibi Village.

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