MMTU demands constitution of 'Foreigner Tribunal'
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, October 13 2024: Meetei (Meitei) Tribe Union (MMTU) has demanded constitution of 'Foreigner Tribunal' in districts or sub-divisions to identify foreigners in Manipur under the Foreigner Act, 1948.In a release, MMTU organisation secretary Takhellambam Parijat Singh clarified that its demand is not against any community or criticism of government but in the interest of the indigenous communities as enshrined in the Constitution of India.

Hailing state government's recent decision to identify villages established after 1964, MMTU urged the government to not only focus on rise in the number of villages but also verify origin of residents of said villages.

As number Kuki-Zo settlements has seen sharp increase the declaration to restrict benefits of government schemes will not be effective, the release said, while claiming that many from neighbouring Myanmar have illegally entered and settled in the state.

MMTU opined that the tradition of hereditary chieftainship among the Kuki-Zo community has led to sprouting of new villages.

As per the Manipur (Village Authorities in Hill Areas) Act, 1956, a village is recognised only after it has minimum of 20 households, residents pay yearly house tax, has grazing ground-water source, wood source and straw growing area for thatch making within 1.5 mile distance.

Contrary to provisions of the Act, villages under chieftainship cover almost 25 square miles with many villages and roads named randomly but unrecognised by the government.

MMTU also asserted that land is not under a king or a person as under the 7th Schedule of the Constitution of India all lands in the state come under state government.

Alleging that number of unofficial villages in hill districts is around 2700, the Union further claimed that Kuki villages in Churachandpur, Chandel, Tengnoupal and Kangpokpi rose to 1556, with 556 in Churachandpur.

Population and number of villages of Kuki have increased manifold compared to the indigenous Meetei and Naga as per the gazette notification of 1969 and report of local government directory of Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj issued on 2023.The number of increased villages is Imphal West (20), Imphal East (45), Thoubal and Kakching (45), Bishnupur (41), Chandel (296), Tengnoupal (258), Tamenglong (30) , Noney and Nungba (11), Kangpokpi (542), Senapati (21), Pherzawl (62) and Kamjong (5); while there is decrease in number of villages in Ukhrul (14) and Jiribam (23) .

There is strong apprehension that the indigenous communities will lose their political, economy and land space due overwhelming presence of foreigners, it cautioned.

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