Discourse on 'Eigi Yumpham, Eigi Haak' held
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, June 15 2024:
Meitei/Meetei Tribe Union organised a one-day discourse on land issue entitled 'Eigi Yumpham, Eigi Haak' at the Lecture Hall of JNIMS, Porompat on Saturday.
Senior advocate Chongtham Noren, retired MCS Wahengbam Chandrakumar and Human Rights Law Network (Manipur) director Rakesh Meihoubam were resource persons of the discourse.
Giving the key note address of the discourse, Meitei/Meetei Tribe Union convener (youth) Haobijam Surjit said that land issues were the root cause of wars fought throughout the world and the present war between Meetei and Kuki communities too began from land issues.
The existing laws in Manipur have no strength and hence not binding.
Accordingly, foreigners from neighbouring countries like Myanmar, Bangladesh and Nepal intruded and settled in Manipur.
These illegal immigrants have now become land owners and attack indigenous people thereby leading to the present war, he said.
Citing report of a survey conducted by the Union, Haobijam Surjit said that lakhs of people with no possession of land documents were detected in five valley districts of Manipur and this indeed is very concerning.
Though unable to produce an exact data, there could be more than one lakh indigenous Meetei families who do not possess land document, he said, adding that percentage of landless people increased significantly after the present war started.
According to Haobijam Surjit, families without land document are unable to avail facilities provided under the government schemes and programmes while students belonging to landless families are not eligible to apply for scholarship.
When investigated as to why more than one lakh indigenous Meetei families are unable to possess land document, it was found out dereliction of duties by officials of revenue, settlement and land record department were the sole and undeniable reason.
While stating that the discourse was a part of discussion to resolve the present land and boundary issues, Haobijam Surjit sought suggestions from experts on how the findings of Union's survey could be documented and submitted to the government.
The discourse later arrived at several resolutions including formation of a committee under the nomenclature 'Mission right to land entitlement committee' while Mutum Churamani was made convener of the just constituted committee.
Another resolution arrived at the end of the discourse was launching of democratic agitation based on 'Eigi Yumpham, Eigi Haak' .
The discourse also resolved that landless Meetei people must mount pressure on the government for providing land document.