COPTAM's bandh in the hills starting June 24
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: June 22 2011 -

The Committee on Protection of Tribal Areas Manipur, COPTAM, has called a 60 hour bandh in the hill areas of Manipur starting at 5 pm on June 24.

What are the demands? COPTAM says the government has not given legislative, judiciary and financial powers to the ADCs without which the ADCs are devoid of true autonomy.

It has also mentioned that it would be incorrect and premature to abolish the institution of chieftainship 'without providing constitutional safeguards'. Next the areas the government has declared reserved and protected forests be returned to their 'rightful owners'.

Further that the government has manipulated census figures 'with the intention to intrude tribal lands'. COPTAM has also demanded transfer of tribal land records which are till date being maintained by 'neighbouring valley districts'.

Lastly the definitive status of Moreh be transferred back as tribal land because tribals have owned managed the land according to their customs 'for ages'.

Would the People's Republic of China have entertained such views ? The answer is a clear NO.

Within the blink of an eye the masterminds of these inane outbursts would have landed sweeping the steppes for the rest of their lives somewhere in the remotest corners of Inner Mongolia.

And yet why is it that they posture and rave in the manner they do ? It is because of the 'democratic set up' which India espouses ?

Without having an iota of knowledge of the land, social, cultural and economic realities of the region and with a mechanical interpretation of how justice and democratic norms ought to be enforced as per its most democratic of constitutions. New Delhi's rule has damaged established social norms in the Northeast.

Further in its bid to show the world that it deals fairly with a subject which it is hopelessly ignorant of, it has also created a new super caste, euphemistically termed as 'Scheduled Tribe'.

To get back to the charter of demands.

Why is COPTAM airing out the 'grievances' of the ADCs ? Have they usurped their powers through a coup ?

Regarding the chieftainship issue, as far as the intentions of the Government of India is concerned, it wishes to streamline tribal social structure, that is, upto the best possible level, to be based on a broad democratic structure.

Further there are many tribal communities who do not permit a social set up which perpetuates a prerogative right to rule by a family.

So please speak for yourselves.

And what is this rejoinder of 'providing constitutional safeguards' ? Does it mean the permanent right to practice petty tyranny.

Then, the demand to declare Moreh as tribal land. This will surely hurt the intelligence of many people who are clearly aware of what the demographic character of Moreh was in the late 60s and early 70s.

And to say tribals 'have owned and managed the land according to their customs for ages' is to say the least, mind boggling.

Anyway, whatever changes are being intended for Moreh caters to the entire population of the state, in the first instance, and to the populations of India and the ASEAN bloc.

And to call a 60 hour bandh for all this ? What can we say except 'As you sow, so shall you reap'.