ATSUM warns against Alt Eng scrapping, police boundary
Source: The Sangai Express

Kanggui, March 15 2014 : The All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM) has decided to launch various forms of agitation including holding a massive rally if the Govt fails to address complicated issues of the tribal people in the State at the earliest.

The apex tribal students' body held a consultation with the representatives of all the District Private School Associations and village Chiefs/Chairmen's of villages regarding abolition of Additional English as one of the optional subjects in the new BSEM syllabus of Class IX & X and police jurisdiction and district boundaries at its Information Centre, New Lambulane today.

Observing that abolishing Additional English from the syllabus is a grave injustice to the tribal people whose languages are not yet recognised and it is a sinister design to impose Manipuri Language and Meetei Mayek to the tribals, the consultation meet urged the authorities concerned to revoke the order of abolishing Additional English in BSEM syllabus.

"Every tribal language should be recognised and due care should be taken to publish enough quantity of text books and also to recruit language teachers wherever necessary", asserted Kakam Haokip, Education Secretary, ATSUM while adding that piecemeal negotiation or short term remedy will not serve the interest of the tribal students.

If Additional English is not introduced as a long term policy rather than for a one year period, ATSUM will take that the Government is trying to infringe on the rights of the tribal students for which ATSUM will not back an inch in getting justice for the tribal students, added Kakam Haokip.

In the meantime, Marahang Ngiimai, Secretary ATSUM asserted that the State Government should maintain status quo and keep in abeyance the Notification of April 15, 2011 and June 14 & 15 , 2011 issued by the Govt where many hill villages are included in the jurisdiction of valley police stations.

"ATSUM is very sorry to say that Dy Chief Minister who is also in charge of Home has not kept his promise with regards to Police Jurisdiction and District Boundaries and in spite of various reminders he has failed to address the issue though it merit careful tackling as it hurts the sentiment and emotions of the tribal people, pointed out Marahang.

The ATSUM Secretary said that the consultation today decided to organise mass rally in all the Hill districts and submit a memorandum to the Chief Minister as the first step.

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