Existing laws enough to protect tribal land & rights: ATSUM
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, August 27 2015: All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM) submitted a memorandum to the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) Chairman on Thursday demanding protection of tribal lands and rights vis-�-vis the agreement signed between the Government of Manipur and Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) on August 25 .

The memorandum jointly signed and forwarded by ATSUM president Muan Tombing and general secretary Vareiyo Shatsang said the recent unfolding of events in the Imphal valley have clearly shown that the tribals of Manipur are at a crossroad.

"ATSUM has been pushed to a point where our very existence and distinct way of life hangs in a balance, "what we do and how we act out now will have far-reaching implications for generations to come " .

The State Government has signed an agreement with the leaders of the JCILPS on August 25, 2015 according to which the JCILPS has demanded that three bills be passed in the Manipur Legislative Assembly to be applied in the entire State which incorporated their demands such as " The Protection of Manipur Peoples Bill, 2015" "The Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2015" and "The Manipur Shop and Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015" .

The apex tribal students' body urged the HAC and tribal MLAs to exercise utmost caution and restraint when the said bills, especially the first two bills, are being introduced in the Manipur Legislative Assembly, and to refrain from approving their enactment as this would tantamount to giving legal approval for grabbing "our ancestral tribal lands" by the majority non-tribal community of Manipur.

ATSUM claimed that the existing laws have enough to protect tribal land and rights, and the only thing pending in most of these cases are their complete enforcement in the State of Manipur.

The tribals of Manipur do not need an additional Inner Line Permit as Article 371C of the Indian Constitution has already granted enough protection through the Hill Areas Committee of the Manipur Legislative Assembly.

The Government of Manipur which has often twisted the laws and acts under the Indian Constitution that is being laid out to protect our interests as tribals because we have chosen to remain meek and silent in most of the cases.

ATSUM said the JCILPS has outlined and incorporated in their proposed bills that the 1951 Census would be used to classify residents of Manipur as locals and non-locals/migrants.

It may be noted that in 1951, a majority of the tribals in the hills of Manipur were not even aware that they were a part of this State called Manipur, and most of the tribal villages were not even registered under the Government of Manipur as the headmen/chiefs (khulakpas/hausas) of these villages felt it totally unnecessary.

A majority of the tribal villages were never visited by any Government machinery then, including those involved in the population enumeration exercise in those days.

In case there is a move by the JCILPS, or any other organization for that matter, to use the 1948 electoral roll instead of the 1951 Census data, be aware that almost all the tribal populace of Manipur have not been entered into the electoral rolls then.

Moreover, the first-ever elections in Manipur were held only in 1972 .

The Bills and amendments to existing acts will be proposed by various organizations and committees in the guise of protecting the State's integrity and harmony.

However, the ancestral tribal lands and our rights would be resolute and insist on making no changes without the prior approval of our respective Autonomous District Councils, our very own grass root governments, on issues relating to our tribal lands, ATSUM said.

ATSUM further said "The coming days will indeed be crucial and decisive for the tribals of Manipur; it may well be the beginning of the end for us if necessary actions are not taken at appropriate time.

What we do now collectively will go a long way in determining our very existence in future.

This is more so for elected tribal representatives who have been trustingly placed in the respective positions by your tribal brethrens" .

ATSUM also demanded to explain why pockets of tribal villages in Chandel District and the entire Lamka town of Lamka/Churachandpur District pays both land revenue (under the Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms Act, 1960) as well as Hill House Tax to the State Government.

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