Give commitment or face mass uproar : JCILPS
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 01 2017: A people's convention held today at Lamyanba Shanglen, Palace Compound under the aegis of JCILPS resolved to launch intense modes of mass agitation if the State Government does not give a clear commitment to pass a Bill during the forthcoming winter session of the State Assembly which can effectively protect all the indigenous people of Manipur from the onslaught of incessant influx .

The second resolution reads that all the hill people and plain people of Manipur would struggle collectively for enforcement of ILPS or a similar mechanism in the State .

The State Assembly, during the forthcoming winter session, must pass a Bill similar to ILPS and acceptable to all communities of the State .

The State Government must give its commitment by December 8 to pass such a Bill during the forthcoming winter session .

In case the Government fails to give its commitment within the given deadline, intense modes of mass agitation would be launched from December 13, reads another resolution adopted at the public convention .

Give commitment or face mass uproar : JCILPS

It further resolved to entrust JCILPS the task of submitting a memorandum highlighting all the resolutions to the Chief Minister .

Leaders of different communities and CSOs spoke at the public convention presided by JCILPS convenor Arjun Telheiba and moderated by Impact TV News Chief Editor Yumnam Rupachandra .

Giving key-note address of the convention, JCILPS co-convenor Ng Deva said that there has been incessant influx of outsiders into Manipur since Chief Commissioner Himmat Singh abolished Inner Line Permit System (ILPS) in 1950 .

Between 1951 and 2011, around 10 lakh outsiders migrated into the State.

Such huge influx has now turned out to be a serious challenge to the identity, culture, traditions as well as livelihood of the indigenous peoples, Deva said .

There have been many instances of smaller communities overwhelmed or swallowed by bigger ones.

The cases of indigenous peoples of Tripura, Assam and Sikkim are only a few examples .

As a result of sustained mass agitation spearheaded by JCILPS to avoid such a situation in Manipur, the Manipur Legislative Assembly passed three Bills in 2015 .

Whereas the Protection of Manipur Peoples Bill 2015 was withheld by the President of India, the Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (7th Amendment) Bill 2015 and the Manipur Shops and Establishment (2nd Amendment) Bill 2015 were swept under the carpet .

On the other hand, there were many objections and protests against the three Bills.

Yet, JCILPS is still committed to get a Bill passed which can effectively safeguard indigenous peoples.

It was with this commitment that a public convention was organised today to pave the way for a Bill which is a acceptable to all communities, Deva said .

Arjun Telheiba said that any legislation or measure to protect indigenous people would be rendered futile if it does not encompass land.

The same legislation would be rendered ineffective if outsiders are allowed to use lands belonging to indigenous people in the way they choose .

In tandem with the Government of India's Act East Policy, the Government, MNCs and private firms are poised to acquire lands for different purposes.

But the moot question is; who would provide them land, Arjun Telheiba said .

The indigenous people must have full rights over their land.

Any legislation aimed at protecting indigenous peoples should have ample scope and provisions about indigenous people's rights over their land, and such a legislation and its provisions must be acceptable to all communities .

Apart from Government officials, experts, scholars and leaders of different communities should be inducted as members of the committee which would draft the Bill .

There is no harm in adopting 1951 as the cut off base year for identification of non-indigenous people but there is a confusion over which document should be used as reference document, Arjun Telheiba said .

There is the national Population Register of 1951 and the electoral rolls of 1948."We may search these documents but it is the duty of the Government.

We will only submit a proposal but no final proposal has been decided", said the JCILPS convenor.

JCILPS and UNC held several rounds of talks and the two organisations have reached an understanding.

JCILPS has also talked with the Churachandpur JAC and CSOs of 13 communities .

Now there is a broad consensus on the growing urgency for protection of indigenous people, he informed the gathering.