TRI JAC seeks support of tribal CSOs
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, July 30 2022: The JAC of 12 CSOs and student bodies on Tribal Research Institute (TRI), Manipur & its units, has urged all the tribal civil society organisations to lend unconditional support to the on-going effort for restructuring and strengthening TRI in the larger interest of all tribals of Manipur stating that the Institute has great potential to work for the development of tribal society.

The JAC consists of All Manipur Tribal Union, All Tribal Indigenous Peoples' Organisation Manipur, All Tribal Disabled Union Manipur, All Tribal Rights Protection Forum Manipur, Federation of All Tribal Youth Club Manipur, Rongmei Naga Youth Organisation, Rongmei Naga Council Manipur-Imphal Longlian, All lnpui Naga Students' Union, Rongmei Naga Council Manipur - Ntaiphai Longlian, Rongmei Naga Luphuam-Imphal Longlian, Rongmei Naga Council Manipur-Ntaiphai Longlian and Rongmei Luphuam (Assam, Manipur & Nagaland).

In a release, JAC convener W Shinglai mentioned that it would leave no stone unturned in exposing all loopholes, discrepancies, misappropriation of funds and failure to organise the Annual State Level Tribal Festival for the past four years; non-compliance of the orders issued by the AD (Tribal Affairs & Hills), in respect of the incumbent joint director and also preventing regularisation of his service by sending wrongful memorandum to the state cabinet, contradictory to the genuine information of the Institute itself and to the Department of Tribal Affairs and Hills with regard to his service matter to mislead the state cabinet, etc., by the officials of TRI, Manipur.

Unfortunately, due to the aforementioned factors, the TRI has miserably failed to take up many needed new projects for the welfare of the tribals of the state.

To mention a few, TRI has failed to tap sufficient funds from the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs as the Institute did not send any Detailed Project Reports (DPR) or proposed new projects to the Ministry; enough effort was not made to increase the funds of TRI under the State Plan/Budget; failing to offer free-coaching for all levels of competitive examinations by using funds from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs; it overlooked the necessity of researching whether there are any more unsung tribal freedom fighters besides Rani Gaidinliu; failed to offer MPhil, PhD programmes and post-doctoral and senior research fellowships to do more research on various issues of tribal society, the JAC said.

TRI has also failed to promote community/village level tourism with financial assistance for economic/sustainable development; recruit at least 15 research positions in the Institute which is necessary for the Institute to serve as a 'Body of Knowledge and Think Tank' of tribal society as directed and desired by the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs, in its operational guidelines for TRIs, it alleged.

The JAC has also learnt from reliable sources that one officer (administrative officer- cum-research officer) of TRI, Manipur is opposing and challenging the genuine demands of the JAC by campaigning with some influential individuals and leaders of some tribal CSOs against the larger interest of the whole tribals of Manipur.

Therefore, now the JAC will seriously investigate into the officer's integrity, reputation, professional ethics and his service matter too, in order to find out the reasons why the officer is campaigning against and challenging the genuine demands of the JAC.

The JAC further appealed to all concerned not to pay any attention to the campaign of the said TRI, Manipur officer.

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