JCILPS announces next course of agitation
Public urged to suspend daily activities, stage protest demonstrations and torch rallies today
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 19 2015 : Announcing the next course of agitation in pursuit of the popular demand for enforcement of ILPS or a similar mechanism in the State, the JCILPS has called upon all the people to suspend their daily activities, stage massive protest demonstrations, form extensive human chains and take out torch rallies tomorrow (July 20) .

It further called upon all the people to carry out different democratic forms of agitation every day and night.

The MRVTMW Bill 2015 passed by the State Assembly on March 16 did not mention anything about the three main points suggested by JCILPS.

The three points suggested by JCILPS, according to a statement issued by its assistant media coordinator Md Kheiruddin Shah Moijingmayum, were adoption of 1951 as base for identification of non-local people, identification of non-local people and prohibition of land ownership right to non-locals.

Rather than protecting the common interests of the indigenous people, the MRVTMW Bill was basically aimed at ensuring safety and security of non-local people.

A human chain formed at Khurai to demand ILPS implementation

Even as there were sustained mass movements for protection of indigenous people, the Chief Minister was openly questioning who were indigenous people and who were non-indigenous.

"Claiming that we are all Indians, the Chief Minister was projecting the JCILPS as mean-minded, xenophobic and Constitution illiterate", it said.

Out of the State's reported total population of 28 lakh people, the combined population of hill and plain people is just around 18/19 lakhs while non-locals make up more than 10 lakh.

This is rather alarming to JCILPS, it conveyed.

The term non-locals cover immigrants from Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar as well but there is a separate law to deal with foreigners.

The State's failure to implement it purposefully is another matter.

There are valid reasons for assuming that people coming from different parts of India pose greater threats to the indigenous people.

The incessant influx has serious impacts on the socio-economic and political landscape of the State.

For all these reasons, the indigenous people of Manipur need a Constitutional safeguard in order to protect themselves from the incessant influx from other parts of the country.

Just as Bengalis have completely dominated indigenous Tripuris in Tripura and the fate of indigenous Assamese is growing more and more precarious with each passing year, there is strong likelihood of the same thing happening to the indigenous people of Manipur.

There is an urgent need to enact a legislation which can safeguard indigenous people of Manipur before they are completely wiped out from the planet, it said.

The demand to enact a legislation for protection of indigenous/minority communities does not contravene any Article of the Indian Constitution.

In fact, the demand is about exercising the provisions and legal instruments guaranteed by the Constitution and the UN to protect minority communities.

While conveying gratitude to all the people who participated in the mass protest movements, the JCILPS informed that a befitting commemorative function would be organised in honour of Lamjing Meira Sapam Robinhood at a right time.

It appealed to all doctors and nurses to attend to wounded protesters with care and dedication.

It also appealed to the general public to provide monetary assistance to the wounded protesters.

There was nothing to rejoice when a Bill already rejected by the masses was withdrawn.

"Our people may be exhausted but we cannot be complacent at this moment.

We must struggle to ensure not only our survival but also our dignity and prosperity", it asserted.

People should not simply put their faith in the State Government's announcement to introduce a new Bill within three months and if possible within a month.

If the Chief Minister is genuinely determined to protect indigenous people, 15 days is too long a time.

The JCILPS has already suggested five key points.

As such, drafting a Bill can be done in one night, it asserted.