Conclave wants another Bill to nullify the 3 Bills in ADC areas
Source: The Sangai Express

Lamka, September 16 2015: A tribal conclave that had a threadbare discussion on the anti-tribal policies and Bills of the State Government has today called for a special session of the State Assembly to pass another Bill for exclusion of areas under Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) jurisdiction from the three contentious Bills.

The conclave attended by various tribal Inpis (councils), Church leaders, intellectuals, social workers, women organisations, philanthropic organisations, academicians, lawyers etc outrightly rejected the Protection of Manipur Peoples Bill, 2015; the Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2015; and the Manipur Shops and Establishment (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015 .

They in the course of their discussion adopted several resolutions including outright rejection of the said Bills and decided that the Bills should not be enforced in all the areas managed and administered by the ADCs in Manipur.

Accordingly, they have resolved that the Government of Manipur should convene a Special Assembly Session on or before September 30, 2015 and pass another Bill for the exclusion of areas under ADCs jurisdiction in Manipur.

Conclave wants another Bill to nullify the 3 Bills in ADC areas

The JAC, it was also affirmed in the meeting, should continue its movement until and unless the Government of Manipur takes up satisfactory steps towards the resolutions adopted at the conclave.

They have also decided to submit a memorandum to the Governor of Manipur as well as to the President of India at the earliest.

Presenting a paper, Dr R Sanga made a detailed argument on the points that are considered repressive or directed towards the State tribals.

Despite the tall claims made by the Government, whether it is from the CM's office or the Deputy Chief Minister, the MLR & LR Act even before its latest amendment had already been discreetly exploited and utilised to extend the Act to hill areas in violation of the principal Act.

The ploy, he said, with the insertion of the new sections in the present amendment is nothing but an attempt to further extend the Act to the entire hill areas.

He also pointed out several terms and clauses which are anti-tribal while the legal cell of the JAC had also shared in detail their views and findings.

Addressing the conclave, president of Hmar Inpui, John Pulamte questioned if the Bills' objective of maintaining peace and order as stated are valid with what was witnessed after the Bills were passed by the Assembly.

LS Gangte, representing Mizo Peoples' Convention argued that the Bills are a fresh attempt to over ride the tribal as if what has been done so far were not enough.

Zomi Council Chairman LB Sona called on the tribal MLAs to reconsider their stand if they really love the people even as he castigated the passing of three successive Bills without any discussion in a record time of 10 minutes and few seconds.

Kuki Inpi, Churachandpur president, Thangjang Haokip said, even as it was starkly evident in the Bills that it will be extended to the whole of Manipur, the elected representatives have chosen to differ with the people who have elected them.

The entire proceeding of the conclave was telecast live by several cable operators in the town.

ATSUM representative Muan Tombing, several scholars and lawyer besides public leaders and the Joint Philanthropic Organisation (JPO) also shared their thoughts at the conclave.

The JPO which has been assigned to oversee the death and the injured victims has declared that they are ready to serve the people as long as their services are desirable by the public.

They claimed to have improvised a method to preserve the dead bodies and declared their readiness to even take them to Delhi any time if the people so wish.

Several representatives from Chandel attended the conclave while CSOs from Sadar Hills paid their respect to the 'Martyrs,' handed over monetary assistance and had a closed-door discussions with their counterparts here.

Meanwhile, womenfolk again resumed their dharnas later in the evening and for the first time roped in candle lights at their dharna points.