Joint body in line to spearhead NRC demand
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 12 2023:
Even as the demand for National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise in the State gets louder, a dedicated joint committee may soon spearhead the public movement.
A decision reflecting this was taken today during a one-day convention held at City Convention Centre, Imphal.
he convention on "Implementation of National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Manipur" was organised by six student bodies including Manipur Students' Federation, Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur, Kangleipak Students' Association, Students' Union of Kangleipak and Apunba Imagi Machasing.
Notably, this convention was held amid calls to carry out NRC in the State from all corners aiming to detect and deport illegal immigrants.
The convention took six resolutions to spearhead the demand for implementation of NRC in the State .
The resolutions taken include--
1) to unanimously appeal to the Government to take necessary steps to carry out National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Manipur.
2) to unitedly support all movements to effect NRC in Manipur.
3) to create and raise consciousness level of people about demographic challenges.
4) to appeal to the Government to establish an effective State Population Commission.
5) to hold joint/public conventions on the issue, and
6) to form a joint committee.
At the convention attended by leaders of many civil society organisations, DESAM president Leishangthem Lamyanba said there is an urgent need for implementation of NRC in the State to root out illegal immigrants and protect the indigenous population.
He said Manipur has always been inhabited by different communities, however there is a "demographic challenge", borne out of rampant illegal immigration, facing the indigenous people.
People need to understand this challenge and be conscious about it, he added.
Lamyanba continued that it is the legitimate right of the indigenous population to raise their voices to drive out all illegal immigrants from the State.
The voice or the stand that outsiders (illegal immigrants) should not act like the owner of the land is true and the indigenous people have every right to raise such voices.
It is time for the Government and all stakeholders to act to identify and detect illegal immigrants and deport them.
If no appropriate response or action is taken to address the demographic challenges today, the State's future would become bleak, he said.
Lamyanba also clarified that the NRC is not directed against any particular community.
The objective is to detect illegal immigrants only, whatever community they may belong to.
No one should paint or give NRC a communal tinge.
Further, the NRC should be carried out in a very transparent manner and it should be based on available documents, legacy data and reality.
The convention was held to study and understand all facets of the NRC and take resolutions that may help carry it out effectively, Lamyanba said.
After Manipur merged with the Union of India in 1949, the "Entry Exit Permit System" that was enforced at the time was removed in 1950 .
After this, the State witnessed a sudden boom in its population due to migrants flowing in from all directions including illegal immigrants from neighbouring countries of Myanmar, Bangladesh and Nepal.
"On an average in a decade, there is a rise of about 25 percent in the valley population and as high as 40 percent rise in the hills.
Moreover, the number of villages in the hills have increased exponentially over the years," Lamyanba said, adding the Government should take notice of this and take up action to show there is "rule of law" in the State.
The issue of uncontrolled influx of illegal immigrants and them settling illegally is a huge problem for the indigenous people and the permanent residents of the State.
As such, NRC is a must to compile a register of the genuine citizens/residents of Manipur and identify 'outsiders', he added.
Also, to face the demographic challenges, there must be an effective State Population Commission which will prepare the population data and streamline population policies.
Such a commission will be instrumental in implementation of the NRC effectively, Lamyanba said.
Manipur Human Rights Commission's former Chairperson Khaidem Mani moderated sessions of the convention while RIMS Dept of Biostatistics Prof Dr RK Narendra and Manipur University Dept of Law HOD Dr Yumnam Premananda spoke as resource persons.
Intellectuals, Professors of Manipur University and Dhanamanjuri University too attended the convention along with representatives of UCM, AMUCO, North East Students' Union (NESO), UPF, Maring Uparup Assembly, Kabui Union Manipur, Indigenous people's Forum (IPF), All Manipur Muslim Organisation Coordination Committee (AMMOCOC), Kuki Students' Organization (KSO), All Naga Students' Association Manipur (ANSAM), Tangkhul Katamnao Long Imphal, CCSK, WMC, PSO, Thadou Students Union, All Manipur Gorkha Students' Union, International Peace and Social Advancement (IPSA), Federation of Haomee, Komrem Union NEI, Kom Union Manipur, Joint Committee on ILPS Manipur and other CSOs.
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