FH bats for BEFR 1873
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 31 2019:
The Federation of Haomee submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, demanding im-plementation of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873 in Manipur so as to safeguard the indigenous people from the threat of migrants who have swarmed the land.
It mentioned that Mani- pur is one of the small Sta-tes which are being threatened by uncontrolled influx of non indigenous people leading to overpopulation and violation of indigenous people's rights.
Stating that it is high time for the Central Government to provide protective measures for the indigenous people, it mentioned that the Government has enacted Acts and policies for the protection of plants and animals but there are not stipulated plans or particular regulations for the enthnic groups and population who are facing possible extinction.
The Central Government has a bounden duty to ensure implementation of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation 1873, it added.
The memorandum narrated that in the past, Mani- pur had a permit system to regulate entry and exit of migrants from outside the State and it was enforced till November 17, 1950 before Himmat Singh, the then Chief Commissioner of the State arbitrarily abolished the permit system on November 18 (the same year) .
It mentioned that now, as per the census reports, the number of migrants have exceeded the indigenous scheduled tribes in Manipur causing demographic imbalance and added that over and above, there is unchecked influx of foreigners from Myanmar, Bangladesh and Nepal.
The population of Manipur is hardly 28 lakhs according to the 2011 census report and out of this total population, 8 lakhs are either foreigners from the said countries or people from other States, it claimed.
The memorandum explained that Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram have implemented the said regulation and as such, they do not face any serious risk but Manipur has been demanding for implementation of such a permit system for the last 25 years.
There is no way to control this problem of unchecked influx of foreigners in the State unless the Central Government adopts the system in the State, it reasoned and appealed the Prime Minister to move the Union Home Ministry for ensuring implementation of the BEFR 1873 with immediate effect in Manipur.