Ban Census enumerators from other dists : COPTAM Unpleasant tidings greet Census 2011
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Imphal, February 08, 2011:
The Committee on Protection of Tribal Areas, Manipur (COPTAM) has today expressed strong reservation against the intention of State Government pertaining to the Census exercise of tribal population of the State and has asked village chiefs and public leaders not to entertain census enumerators and supervisors coming from other districts.
"COPTAM appeals to the village chiefs, public leaders and other concerned (individuals) not to entertain Census enumerators and supervisors coming from other districts," Thangkam Lupheng, secretary of the tribal body said.
Going full blast against the policy of the State Government to enforce a fixed decadal growth rate for the tribals of Manipur, Lupheng said that there could be an agenda behind this.
Expressing its wishes for the smooth completion of National Census 2011 and urging all concerned to create a conducive atmosphere to that end, COPTAM articulated its apprehension "over the negligence of the State Government of Manipur to its rightful and genuine demands and for remaining silent till today".
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Condemning the Government for the policy it has pursued to exploit the tribals and alienating their rights by conducting a controversial overlapping Census (during the first phase of the ongoing Census operation), COPTAM had earlier alleged that, "overlapping Census is a result of revenue collection in some parts of hill districts whose land records are maintained by the valley districts giving rise to overlapping of district boundaries i.e.distorting the original boundaries".
Therefore, CoPTAM had demanded for the transfer of land records and restoration of original district boundaries had demanded the Govt to maintain the original Hill District Boundary on the basis of village boundaries falling within the jurisdiction of the hill district for all practical purposes.
It has also been demanding for the conduct of Census operation to be undertaken by the respective Hill District administration for all villages which comes under their jurisdiction.
Through a statement today, it has asked the government to stop forcible imposition of urbanization in Moreh, an Indo-Myanmar border town, against the interest of the majority local tribals.
But all the while the tribal body has expressed its preparedness to intensify its demands through an all out agitations in the nearest possible time with the support of the people and various social and students' organizations until it is fulfilled.
With the second and final phase of the ongoing national census operation 2011 to begin tomorrow, COPTAM has firmed up its stand by appealing to the village chiefs, public leaders and all concerned not to entertain census enumerators and supervisors coming from other districts.