Tamenglong CSOs denounce Govt's land order, demand immediate revocation
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 06 2025: Civil society organizations (CSOs) of Tamenglong have denounced a recent notification of the Land Resources Department issued on September 18 regarding procedure for sale, purchase, and registration of land in the State.

The September 18 notification/order of the Government is a "direct assault" on the Constitutional rights and traditional land holding systems of the tribal communities in the hill areas of Manipur, said the civil society organisations.

The CSOs include INUTZ, LNCM-TZ, RNCM-TL, ZNCM, JTWA-TZ, CSAT, & VACC-Tamenglong, Tamei, Tousem.

The order, which seeks to impose a uniform land revenue system across the entire State, blatantly contravenes the special protections guaranteed under Article 371C of the Indian Constitution and the provisions of the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) Order of 1972, asserted the CSOs.

They emphasised that the tribal land in the hill areas are governed by age-old traditional and customary practices, with ownership vested in individuals, communities, clans, and chiefs.

The Second Schedule of the Manipur Legislative Assembly (Hill Areas Committee) Order, 1972, explicitly places matters concerning land in the hill areas within the purview of the HAC, they said.

The State Government's notification is unconstitutional and illegal.

By bypassing the HAC and ignoring the distinct socio-cultural and land tenure systems of the tribal people, the Government is attempting to undermine the very fabric of "our society".

This move is seen as a precursor to the dispossession of tribal lands and the erosion of "our identity", they said.

Implementation of such a notification, without regard for the Constitutional safeguards and tribal land rights, will inevitably lead to severe social unrest, instability, and conflict within the State, they warned.

The CSOs said they unequivocally endorse the memorandum submitted by the United Naga Council (UNC) to the Governor on September 25, 2025 regarding the matter.

The Tamenglong CSOs urged the State Government to immediately cancel the September 18 notification of the Land Resources Department, and uphold the provisions under Article 371C and the Hill Areas Committee Order, 1972.The Government should refrain from introducing any land-related policy without prior consultation and explicit consent of the tribal communities through their constituted bodies, the CSOs said.

The bodies urged the Governor to intervene in the matter to protect the rights of the tribal people and ensure peace and harmony in the State.

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