Manipur People's Manifesto for 16th Lok Sabha election of Manipur 2014

Civil Society Of Manipur *

MANIPUR PEOPLE'S MANIFESTO

We the civil society of Manipur having deliberated upon the various pressing issues of Manipur in a series of round table meetings culminating in a State level consultation on 6 March 2014 draw up the following People's Manifesto for the forthcoming 16th Lok Sabha election of Manipur

1. Acknowledging that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 clearly violates human rights as well as international humanitarian laws and also realizing that security of the nation emanates from the security of the people and not otherwise;
The Armed Forces Special Powers Act should be repealed.

2. Considering the existence of a complex and protracted armed conflict situation around the issue of the right to self-determination;
A humane, inclusive, transparent and sustainable peace process should be initiated by constituting a statutory Peace-building Commission.

3. Concerned that the historically evolved boundaries of Manipur and its territorial integrity are repeatedly threatened;
The inter-State and international boundaries of Manipur should not be compromised under any circumstances.


4. In the light of India's Look East Policy manifesting itself with the opening up of the Trans-Asian Highways and Railways, signing of Free Trade Agreement with ASEAN, pushing for the border trade; Appropriate legal and administrative safeguards should be provided to protect the rights of the indigenous population within the framework of the United Nation's Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples, in particular:

a. their rights over the natural resources including land, water, forest, mines and minerals,
b. their right to check uncontrolled immigration posing serious demographic threat to the indigenous population,
c. their right against exploitation and human trafficking, particularly that of women and children.

5. Considering that many deserving indigenous communities, as per the criteria evolved, are not given the constitutional status of Scheduled Tribes;
The list of Scheduled Tribes should be reviewed to include the willing and deserving communities of Manipur.

6. In the light of the pervasive racist attacks on the people from the North East in the metropolitan cities on the basis of their distinct racial features, their unique cultural attributes and recognizing their lived experience of imposed alienation, isolation and exclusion;
The policy discourse on Minority in India should be expanded to include the concept of the National, Racial and Ethnic Minorities over and above the Religious and Linguistic minorities, to provide them protection under the frame work of the International Convention on Elimination of Racial Discrimination ratified by the Government of India in 1968.

7. Considering the high incidence of violence against women and children, such as conflict widows and orphans, victims of sexual assault, victims of human trafficking and other marginalized and excluded communities generated by the ongoing armed violence;
A Manipur Woman and Child Welfare Fund should be established to promptly provide interim relief to the victims of violence.

8. Disappointed by the utter failure to meet the Millennium Development Goal (6th goal) of 'Halt and reverse' of HIV Infection and universal access to treatment in Manipur, despite multiple policies and programs, primarily due to high level of corruption and total lack of accountability structures;
A central legislation should be enacted to ensure that universal access is made a legally enforceable right for all People Living with HIV.

9. Outraged by the total lack of any policy or program to deal with Hepatitis-C epidemic despite its high prevalence (~ 90%) amongst the Injecting Drug User communities and its rapid spread to the general population in Manipur and other North Eastern States;
The Hepatitis-C epidemic should be declared a public health emergency and necessary befitting remedial measures should be taken up on a war footing.

10. Considering that mass poppy plantation, drug trafficking and drug abuse have become a chronic menace in Manipur
A State Drug Policy should be framed through an inclusive process.

11. As mandated by the UN Convention on Rights of Person with Disability ratified by Government of India,
Every public office and institutions in Manipur should be made 'barrier free access' for people with disability.

12. As Children constitute 40% of the total population,
The budgetary allocation of children, in the Union Budget should be increased to at least 10%.

13. Considering the utter failure of the centrally sponsored Flagship Programs due to lack of awareness and lack of people's participation;
All the Flagship Programs should be widely publicized through the active involvement of civil society, and by installing disclosure Board in all the villages.
Legally enforceable accountability structures should be established for all the flagship programs.

14. Noting that the government is giving tourism a major thrust in Manipur today, it is cautioned that tourism should not be defined by five star corporate culture and standards but it should be defined by the communities themselves;
Tourism promotion should be done only through a proper environmental and social/gender impact assessment so as to ensure that the rights of the indigenous peoples are respected and protected.
Tourism industry should be developed to ensure greater community participation, ecologically friendly and culturally correct alternative model should be explored.

15. Ensure food sovereignty of the people of Manipur
By adopting appropriate agricultural land and water policy as well as an appropriate Farmer's Policy to ensure enhanced and self-sustained production,
By adopting an appropriate Manipur Food and Nutrition Policy to ensure uninterrupted supply, enough food stock and access to public distribution.

16. National Food Security Act should be implemented by enacting appropriate state rules at the earliest with special focus on marginalized sections of society i.e. BPL, PLHIV, disabled, conflict widows and orphans, LGBTI and other disadvantaged populace.

17. Considering the need for respecting the distinct gender identity of the LGBTI community the public officials should be sensitized to allocate sufficient and appropriate budgetary provisions to give due recognition to protect them from violence and discrimination.

The Census should include gender 'O/TG' as a separate category for enumeration.

18. Ensure and encourage 33% women reservation in all decision making bodies including Village Authority and Autonomous District Council.

19. Ensure revival and effective functioning of Manipur State Human Rights Commission and the Information Commission, Manipur State.

20. Ensure adequate infrastructural development, such as road, bridge, electricity, water supply, etc. in both hills and valley districts.

21. Ensure conservation and protection of forest and wild life.

22. Ensure creation of appropriate and equitable employment opportunities for youth including the LGBTI community.

23. Ensure 24 hours power supply throughout the state, with more investment on small hydro projects and solar power.

24. Ensure proper implementation of RTE Act and eradicate the culture of proxy teachers in Govt. Schools towards inclusive quality education.

25. Enact the law to regulate the private schools operating in the State.

26. Ensure Local Area Development funds of MLAs and MPs should be made transparent and accountable to the public through regular social audits and RTI Act.

27. Ensure effective and accessible health-care services to all the villages of the state with adequate infrastructure, Human Resource, equipments and medicines and enact a separate law to check the predatory commercialization of health-care services.

28. Develop a Policy of Green Manipur.

29. Ensure equal budget allocation and distribution of SC/ST Sub-plan budget.

30. Set up Family Court in all the District Headquarters.

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