Contrasting Response To ATSUM's Agitation Call From June 3
KSO SH to oppose 'intense agitation' call
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network

Imphal, May 29 2013: The Kuki Students' Organisation, Sadar Hills (KSO-SH) has said it will oppose tooth and nail the proposed '38 hours intense agitation and 38 days sustained agitation' of All Tribal Students Union, Manipur (ATSUM) slated to begin from June 3 .

Calling it as 'pseudo ATSUM' the KSO-SH said the ATSUM that is agitating from June 3 is not a mandated nor a legitimate students' body to speak on behalf of the tribals.

KSO-SH also said 'pseudo ATSUM' has been floated by vested interest persons.

Meanwhile, ATSUM said today it is now all prepared to start the proposed 'intense agitation' from 5 am of June 3 for 38 hours under the code name ROTO (Reckoning of the Others) which will be followed by another 38 days of 'sustained agitation' in protest against the Government's decition of ignoring various demands put up by the students' body to the State Government on tribal issues.

By 'intense agitation', ATSUM means total bandh while by 'sustained agitation', the students' body said way of sudden resorting of any action at any available opportunity and at any place to draw the attention of the Government.

The number '38 hours or 38 days' denotes the number of tribes in Manipur.

The tribal students' body reiterated that it has been been ATSUM's long standing aspiration to set up a State Commission of the Scheduled Tribes in Manipur under Article 338A of the Indian Constitution which would usher in all round Development and progress in respect of the tribal people in this eastern most part of the Indian Union.

The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes which came in to force on 19th February, 2004 has failed to provide adequate service to the state of Manipur a it is based on the distant centre in Shillong, they stated.

According to the ATSUM leaders, the state of Karnataka in 2002 had established the State Commission for SC/ST under the name and style 'The Karnataka State Commission for Scheduled Tribes Act, 2002' .

They said the tribal population is the second largest in the state of Manipur but the pace of development is rather too slow till today comparing to that of the non-tribal populace.

There has been the Manipur state Commission for OBC which meant to safeguard the rights of the other backward classes, the ATSUM leaders said.

ATSUM also demands for the effective governance in the hill districts of Manipur.

Setting up of B Ed centres in hill areas, providing adequate teachers in schools located in hill areas, and imposition of Manipuri MIL in Metei Mayek are, among others issues taken up by ATSUM.

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