24th anniversary of ILP movement observed
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, November 18 2021: International Peace and Social Advancement (IPSA), All Clubs Organisation Association & Meira Paibi Lup (ACOAM-Lup), People Action for National Democratic Movement (PANDM), Indigenous People's Association of Kangleipak (IPAK), Kangleipak Lamjing Apunba Meiralup (Kanglamei), Kanglei Ima Lup (KIL), Chanura Lamchinglen Kangleipak (CLK) and Kangleipak Students' Union (KSA) jointly observed the 24th anniversary of the ILP movement in the state, at the conference hall of KSA's office at Khoyathong on Thursday.

The observance, which was conducted with strict adherence to Covid-19 SOP, was attended by IPSA advisor H Ibotombl Khuman; KANGLAMEI president Y Leirik Leima; Kanglei Ima Lup (KIL) president RK Sanahanbi; PANDM president Y Dilipkumar; IPSA president T Birjit Singh; IPAK president Ksh Somorendro; ACOAM-Lup, Kangleipak president Soralsam Sanjit; CLK president Pakpi Chanu, and KSA president S Bidyananda as presidium members.

According to a joint statement, there existed an Exit and Transit Permit System in Manipur 2000 years ago to prevent the entry of outsiders into the once independent kingdom.

However, after Manipur was annexed and forcefully merged with India on October 15,1949, then Chief Commissioner Himat Singh dissolved the "Pass System" on "November 18, 1950", allowing outsiders to flood into Manipur under Article 19 (1) of the Indian Constitution.

During 1979-1980, AMSU along with AMSCOC launched a movement to stop the influx of outsiders.

Although the government signed an MoU in this regard, no follow Up action was taken up.

From 1989, a CSO called Poramlen Apunba handed over the relevant documents for implementation of the ILP system to the then Keirao AC MLA Hidam Bidur, who brought up it for the first time in the State Assembly on July 17, 1993.However, other MLAs of the time mocked the MLA's private member Bill and made him withdraw the same, the statement added.

"On November 18,1997, IPSA revived the ILP movement and formed a joint committee called 'Inner Line Permit Demand Committee', along with like-minded CSOs.

The Committee was reformed on July 2,2006 and a Residential Leaders''Meet was convened at Khuman Lampak Youths' Hostel on June 9, 10 and 11.ILP-related documents were distributed to the members and experts consulted, followed by election of Sapamcha Jadumani and Yumnamcha Dilipkumar as joint convenors and H Ibotombi Khuman as consultant.

"The Committee went on to organise various awareness programmes and submitted a memorandum to then PM on September 18, to provide constitutional safeguard to the citizens of Manipur, who are of ST/SC/OBC category, under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR), 1873, which was already implemented in neighbouring states of Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh," it conveyed.

The statement continued that the Federation of Regional Indigenous Society (FREINDS) played a huge role in the ILP issue.

FREINDS not only organised specific programmes but also took up the issue to the Courts.

It further submitted a memorandum to the PM to implement BEFR 1873 in Manipur.

The issue was also discussed in the State Assembly by MLAs Hemochandra, MA Ibohal, M Bhorot, RK Anand, N Mangi, O Joy and Dr Kh Ratan.

"As this was a state issue, FREINDS took responsibility of the matter for six years, after which a joint meeting of state-level CSOs was convened on July 4, 2012 and the "Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) was formed.

Sapamcha Jadumani was unanimously elected as the first convenor of JCILPS.

After the first term expired, a general body meeting of JCILPS was held at Manipur Press Club on July 4,2013 for election of new office bearers.

H Ibotombi Khuman was elected the second convenor, after which Khomdram Ratan, BK Moirangcha, Arjun Telheiba, Yumnamcha Dilipkumar, YK Dhiren and BK Moirangcha were convenors for the subsequent terms.

"MLA Dr I Ibohanbi brought up a bill in the Manipur Legislative Assembly for implementation of BEFR, 1873 in Manipur, on July 13, 2012, which was passed unanimously through voice vote.

However, the bill did not receive the assent of the Governor.

In 2013, MLA RK Anand introduced a bill on the floor of the House for implementation of "BEFR 1873" or an Act under Article 19 (5), which was passed but failed to become an Act.

On March 13, 2015, then CM O Ibobi introduced the "The Manipur Regulation of Visitors, Tenants and Migrant Workers' Bill, 2015" in the state Assembly and it was passed on March 16,2015.Claiming that the Bill was not in favour of protecting the indigenous people, a movement was launched and student Sapam Robinhood died during a protest rally on July 8, 2015 .

The Bill was later withdrawn.

"On August 28, 2015, after receiving the approval of the Governor, then CM O Ibobi introduced three Bills in the House on August 31, 2015, namely (l) The Protection of Manipur Peoples Bill 2015; (2) The Manipur Land Revenue & Land Reforms (7th amendment) Bill, 2015; and (3) The Manipur Shops & Establishment (2nd amendment) Bill, 2015.The Bills were passed by voice vote.

However, a riot occurred in Churachandpur district claiming that the Bills were and tribal.

In all, 9 people died.

The President of India cancelled the first Bill, while the two other Bills could not take effect.

"After the BJP-led coalition government came to power, CM N Biren consulted with the CSOs and presented the "The Manipur People Act, 2018' on July 20, 2018.The Bill was passed on July 23, 2018 and sent to the Governor for assent.

The governor then forwarded the same to the President of India to get the latter's assent.

"While the people of Manipur were waiting to receive the assent of the President, the Parliament decided to pass the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) .

Before passing CAB, the Union Home Minister announced Manipur as an ILP regime state during the session of the Parliament on December 9, 2019 .

The same was notified by the President in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary on December 11, 2019, following which ILP came into effect in the state.

Although the prolonged movement had finally came to end, there are still gaps which need to be mended.

"The ILP Demand Committee, Kangleipak honours all those who lost their lives or suffered injuries during the long struggle for protection of the indigenous people of the state," the statement added.

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