Govt to hold talks with JAC today
Source: The Sangai Express
CCpur, November 08 2015:
A week after the State Government performed the traditional Hiamkhaam as preconditioned by the J AC to precede any talks, the JAC along with several other stake holders in the tribal society is finally setto hold talks with the Government tomorrow, two months after three Bills passed by the State Assembly incited a public unrest that left nine youths dead.
The talks said to be held around noon tomorrow will be attended by representatives of the JAC, tribe leaders, the Joint Philanthropic Organisations and women groups, according to a source in the JAC.
The JAC had during the Hiamkhaam claimed that they will have to first consult several stake holders before holding talks despite the Govemment proposing that talks be held on Saturday (7 November) .
As the consultation exercise, which is believed to have been held for the past several days more or less making a final call on the demands to be tabled before the Government, the talk, which is to be the first since the public unrest will be held tomorrow.
JAC Convenor H Mangchinkhup however fell short in detailing the demands when requested, saying it will be placed in the public domain by tomorrow.
It may be recalled here that nine protesters who were killed during the unrest and are now declared 'Tribal Martyrs' are still lying at the hospital mortuary without any deep freezer awaiting their last rite for more than two months now.
Normal life has been a far cry ever since the State Assembly passed the three contentious Bills on August 31 evoking outrage from the public.
The houses of 6 MLAs and an MP, besides a rebel leader, have been torched and the unrest seized the district for over a month.
Schools and educational institutions were opened after a month long closure but to this day they still need to wind up by noon, while all business activities wound up by 2 pm as a mark of protest and to condole the martyrs who are still awaiting their final rites.
Traffic movement were also restricted after 2 pm but withdrawn after the Government pleaded before the JAC and conducted the traditional Hiamkhaam only had a minimal bearing on restoring normalcy as free movement with shops closed and streets left deserted.
Meanwhile the Tribal Youth Council along with Tribal Lawyers' Association, Manipur and All Tribal Disable Union, Manipur today visited the hospital mortuary and extended their condolence to the families of the nine martyrs and extended monetary assistance through the JPO.
Taking the initiative of attending those injured and killed during the unrest, the JPO has so far received nearly Rs 60 lakh in donation from far and near both individually and collectively.