MMTU calls for abolition of hereditary chieftainship
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 13 2024: Highlighting the contribution of Kuki-Zos hereditary chieftainship to influx of illegal immigrants and unnatural growth of villages, the Meetei (Meitei) Tribe Union (MMTU) has called for abolition of the hereditary chieftainship.

A statement issued by MMTU pointed out that a large number of new villages are being established continuously under the Kuki-Zo hereditary chieftainship.

As per the Manipur (Village Authorities in Hill Areas) Act 1956, there must be at least 20 households and each household should pay annual house tax for a village to be recognised by the Government.

But there are a large number of villages in Manipur whose names could not be found anywhere in Government records.

No land belongs to village chiefs or individuals.

As per the 7th Schedule of the Constitution, all the lands of a State belong to the State Government, the MMTU asserted.

So far, the number of villages in hill districts have jumped by around 2700 .

During the last 50 years, 1556 new villages sprang up in Kuki inhabited districts of Churachandpur, Chandel, Tengnoupal and Kangpokpi.

Churachandpur alone accounts for 560 new villages, it said.

The growth of Kuki population and villages is excessively higher than those of Meeteis and Nagas.

This is reflected unmistakably in the gazette notification of 1969 and local Government directory published by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj in 2023, it asserted.

The district-wise growth of villages is Imphal West-20, Imphal East-45, Thoubal+Kakching-45, Bishnupur-41, Chandel-296, Tengnoupal-258, Tameng-long-30, Noney-11, Chura- chandpur-560, Kangpokpi-542, Senapati-21, Pher- zawl-62 and Kamjong-5 .

The number of villages declined by 14 in Ukhrul and 23 in Jiribam, it said.

The Government ought to carry out a thorough investigation into the unnatural growth of villages and establish the particulars of the residents of these new villages.

Cutting off benefits of Government to unrecognised villages is not enough, befitting action must be initiated as per law, the MMTU said.

Pointing out that the Government of Manipur adopted a resolution to abolish chieftainship way back in 1967 and the State Government's resolution was approved by the President of India, it asked as to why the hereditary chieftainship is still kept in force in Manipur.

It also noted the Manipur Legislative Assembly's resolution to abolish hereditary chieftainship adopted on March 4, 2024 .

Under the Kuki-Zo hereditary chieftainship, MGNREGS wages of all job card holders of a village are transferred to the bank account of the village chief thus leaving the job card holders at his mercy.

Under the Kuki-Zo hereditary chieftainship, every son born to a village chief must also become chief.

So when a village chief has four/five sons, he must set up one new village for each son.

In order to make themselves village chiefs, hundreds of people from Myanmar are brought in continuously and settled at the new villages, it said.

Neighbouring Nagaland has taken up strong measures to identify non-indigenous people.

Likewise in Assam, foreigners' tribunals have been set up to identify illegal immigrants.

Moreover, Karbi CSOs have raised a strong voice against settlement of Kukis in Karbi inhabited areas of Assam.

There is a strong movement in Meghalaya to remove Kukis from the ST list, the MMTU said.

Saying that non-indigenous people will overwhelm indigenous people sooner than later and all the lands, political rights and economic space will be usurped by non-indigenous people in Manipur if strong measures to check influx of non-indigenous people are not taken up effectively and immediately, the MMTU urged the Government to start identification of illegal immigrants under the Foreigners Act 1948 .

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