2nd decade of ILP movement celebrated
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 18 2017: The 2nd decade celebration of ILP movement in Manipur was held today at Manipur Press Club.

H Ibotombi Khuman, chairman, Celebration Committee 2nd Decade of ILP Movement in Manipur (Kangleipak), Yumnamcha Dillip, president PANDM, Rh Chingkhei Luwangcha, president IPSA, Ksh Somo-rendro, co-convener JCILPS and president ACOAM-Lup, Y Leirik Leima, president of Kanglamei and RK Sana-hanbi, president Kanglei Ima Lup attended the programme as the presidium members.

Speaking at the occasion, Yumnamcha Dillip recounted that the first movement against influx of immigrants in the State was started during the late 1980s with the formation of an association called 'Poram-len Apunba' .

Poramlen Apunba was led by Nameirakpam Bishe-swor as its chief adviser.

The members/volunteers of Poramlen Apunba were guided and inspired by the feeling of the urgency to protect and preserve the identities, traditions, cultures and other inherent values of the indigenous people against the onslaught of incessant influx, he said.

The volunteers even stopped Manipur bound non-locals at Dimapur and issued documents after duly checking their antecedents, he said.

Poramlen Apunba had also organised public meetings at different parts of the valley districts to sensitise the people on the danger of unchecked influx of non-locals into the State and the unprecedented rise in their population, Dillip recalled.

The organisation also brought out a compilation in book form after collecting ILP related materials/documents from Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act which was implemented in Assam province during the British rule.

The book served as an eye opener to the people of the State, Dillip added.

Later, ILP movement started receiving public support.

He pointed out that the movement subsided like any other movements while stressing the need to keep the movement alive consistently.

Dillip further said that the uproar in Churachandpur in 2015 in connection with the three Bills passed by the State Assembly happened as the people were misled by propagandists.

Exuding strong confidence that the ILP movement will surely be successful one day, Dillip urged all concerned CSOs and public to join hands in the collective efforts for protection of Manipur's posterity.

Giving the keynote address, general secretary of IPSA Kh Athouba said the ILP movement in the State completed 20 years since this movement was started by IPSA and like-minded organisations on Nov 18, 1997 .

He said that Inner Line Permit Demand Committee was formed by seven organisations at the office of International Peace and Social Advancement (IPSA) located at Keishampat Moirang Ningthou Leirak on July 2, 2006.Sapamcha Jadumani and Yumnamcha Dillipkumar were appointed as the joint-convener of ILP Demand Committee along with Ibotombi Khuman as the consultant.

The committee organised various awareness programme and public meeting on ILP.

It submitted a representation to the Prime Minister on Sept 18, 2006 demanding implementation of ILP system in Manipur like it has been done in other neighbouring States.

However, the committee remained passive for a while due to engagement of the members to their parent organisations.

Later, the ILP Demand Committee handed the responsibility ILP demand to FREINDS.

Since then, the pressure on Manipur Govt for a legislation to protect the indigenous people of the State began in consultation with intellectuals and legal experts.

The issue of ILP system implementation in Manipur was raised on many occasions in the State Legislative Assembly.

To give more impetus to the demand, the Joint Committee on ILPS was formed at the office of HERICOUN, Palace Compound on July 4, 2012 by different civil society organisations of the State with Sapamcha Jadumani as its first convener.

The demand for implementation/formulation of a mechanism to check migrants influx became more aggressive and the movement goes on, he said.

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