Half of delegates return from Delhi
Source: The Sangai Express
CCpur, October 20 2015:
About half of the JAC and ATSUM team that have been camping in New Delhi for the past couple of weeks to raise the various demands of the State tribal returned today amid reports of the team receiving assurances from Central leaders that their concerns will be attended to positively.
The team comprising of JAC Churachandpur and Jiribam representatives and also from Coordination Committee ATSUM left on October 7.They met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju and Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Jual Oram among others, according to JAC's media in-charge Paul.
The President who was said to be out of station for most part of these past weeks however could not be not personally met by the team.
Nevertheless, the joint team is understood to have met and held several rounds of discussions with several top officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs including Ashok Prasad � a man already deputed by the Ministry to get a first-hand account of the tribals' unrest in the State.
'The joint team in a co-ordinated move with Manipur Tribal Forum, Delhi met various officials and Ministers of the Central Government since their arrival at Delhi on October 7, 2015.All officials and Ministers met by the joint delegation team were found to be well-informed about the issues regarding the Bills and were ready to hear the views of the tribals.
The responses from the Central Government officials and Ministers were positive, and they even went to the extent of giving verbal assurances that the concerns of the tribal will be addressed', stated the JAC.
It is also learnt that the team has requested a written assurance from the Central officials but were told it would take some more time as it needs the approval of various departments at numerous levels.
The five member team led by JAC co-convenor Lalkhohao Chongloi which returned today are schedule to address the press tomorrow.
As many other members are still in Delhi under the leadership of H Mangchinkhup, the JAC convenor could be waiting for a written assurance or the realisation of a tripartite talk between the SoO signatories and the Government which an informed source told this paper could happen as early as next week.
When contacted this evening, the convenor said they will be meeting a few more Ministers, officials, lawyers and Constitutional experts before joining their folks here and take the tribal movement forward.
Meanwhile, the convenor of Joint Philanthropic Organisation (JPO) Mangcha Thangjom has today formally launched JAC's official website: tribalunity.in today at the JAC office located at KKL complex.
The website asserting to be the 'voice of the downtrodden hill tribes' is intended to relate the social, political and economic aspiration of the Manipur hill tribes.
It also called for a separate administrative and political arrangement for the tribes under the Constitution of India; immediate withdrawal of the three anti-tribal Bills; and non-burial of the 9 martys until the Central Government gives its assurance in writing that the above demands will be fulfilled in a time bound manner.
It contains various activities of the JACs and the statements they have issued as well.
The JAC has additionally called on all right thinking and responsible persons to desist from carrying out activities that will be detrimental to the cause of fighting the three Bills passed by the State Assembly; a responsibility that has been mandated to the JAC.
They further claimed that the on-going movement is directed against three Bills and that no organisation, group or association is allowed to conduct any activity without the permission of the JAC.
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