KIM, KSO allege police high-handedness
Source: Chronicle News Service
Kangpokpi, March 12 2023:
Denouncing alleged injustice done by the BJP government under the leadership of N Biren towards tribal land rights and policies, mass rallies were taken out on March 10 in Kuki inhabited areas of some hill districts including Kangpokpi, Churachandpur and Tengnoupal.
In Kangpokpi district, mass rallies were held at Kangpokpi district headquarters, Saikul, Phailengmol, Twibul, Moltam, Twilang, Chingdai Khullen and Bungpi areas.
However, the rally at Kangpokpi town turned violent when security forces tried to stop the rallyists from proceeding further for handing over a memorandum addressed to the Governor to the DC office, Kangpokpi.
Police fired tear gas shells to disperse the rallyists while the latter responded by pelting stones thereby resulting in a fierce confrontation between the two sides.
It is reported that some security personnel and rallyists were injured in the confrontation but could not confirm the exact number of injuries.
The confrontation ceased after Kuki Inpi Kangpokpi district leaders were allowed to handover the memorandum at DC office Kangpokpi.
The memorandum addressed to the Governor of Manipur was received by additional DM/ADC Kangpokpi.
Regarding the rally, Kuki Inpi Kangpokpi District president Thangminlen Kipgen told media persons that tribal population of Manipur have been subjected to various discriminations and subjugation on the pretext of Reserved Forest, Protected Forest, Protected Sites, Wildlife Sanctuaries and MLR Act.
To air grievances and opposition to such acts of the incumbent government; information for organising a peaceful mass rally was conveyed to DC Kangpokpi but the latter imposed Section 144 of CrPC thereby curtailing the rights of tribal people as enshrined in Article 19 of the Iridian Constitution.
Strongly condemning the attempt to disrupt the peace rally by the state forces, Thangminlen Kipgen said that imposing CrPC 144 by the district administration only testified the ill motive of the incumbent government.
Meanwhile, Kuki Inpi Mani pur and the Kuki Students' Organisation general headquarters condemned the incident that took place at Kangpokpi district headquarters.
The two organisations said that Kuki civil society organisations organised peaceful mass rallies in all the hill districts of the state in accordance with Constitution Article 19(1) (b) of Indian Constitution.
However, the rally at Kangpokpi town turned violent and the ugly scenario in Kangpokpi was truly unfortunate.
The high handedness of the district police left many people injured, the two Kuki apex organisations said, adding that the incident could have been avoided had the district administration respected and upheld the fundamental rights of the people to assemble, to register their grievances to the government through rallies and protests.
The rally participants at Kangpokpi town held placards some of which read 'Respect tribal land rights & chief rights', 'Respect the customary rights of the tribals', 'Reserved forest, protected forest and wildlife sanctuary without our consent is not acceptable', 'Respect and honour Article 371 (c) of the Indian Constitution', 'Scheduled matters under article 371 (c) should rightfully be under HAC', 'Respect the Constitution of India', 'Our land is our right', 'No encroachment', 'Quash all RF, PF & WLS declared without proper notification, enquiry and consent of tribal people', 'Follow the specified provisions before notifying RF, PF & WLS in the hill areas of Manipur', 'RF, PF & WLS in the hill areas of Manipur were fraudulently and discreetly notified', 'Empower HAC in administrative, finance, judiciary in the scheduled hill areas of Manipur', 'Restrain SDO/SDC of Thoubal, Bishnupur, Imphal East and West, and Kakching from encroachment of scheduled hill areas of Manipur', 'Stop preparing documents stealthily to transfer land rights from the tribal chief in the garbs of RF, PF, WS, PS and LR', 'Stop land survey by various departments in the scheduled hill areas', 'Withdraw all the show cause notices issued illegally & unconstitutionally by various departments in scheduled hill areas of Manipur' etc.
Meanwhile, in the memorandum submitted to Governor Anusaiya Uikey through DC Kangpokpi, Kuki Inpi Kangpokpi highlighted various grievances of tribal village chiefs and villagers and sought her intervention on issues related to Reserved Forest, Protected Forest, Protected Sites, Wildlife Sanctuaries and extension of land revenue in the Scheduled Hill Areas of Manipur.
The memorandum also sought intervention on the show cause notice issued to Scheduled Hill Areas and tribal villages of Manipur by forest department for eviction drive.
Our Churachandpur correspondent informed that Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) organised a rally on March 10 against the forcible eviction at K Songjang village and declaration of tribal inhabited villages as reserved/ protected forest, wetlands, and against faulty manners of verification drives against illegal immigrants.
The rallyists numbering around 40,000 first gathered at Lamka public ground and took out the rally after a brief meeting.
They followed Tipaimukh road, IB road and then Tedim road carrying placards and banners some of which read 'Respect tribal land rights and chiefs rights', 'Respect the customary rights of the tribals', 'Respect the Constitution of India', 'Due process not followed while declaring reserved forest, protected forest and wildlife sanctuaries', 'We demand justice and equal treatment' and 'Our land is our rights, no encroachment'.
The rallyists then congregated at Peace ground again and dispersed after a prayer administered by Church leaders.
A memorandum addressed to state chief minister, Union'home minister and Prime Minister was submitted through the DC Churachandpur by some representatives of ITLF.
The rally passed off peacefully.
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