Observance recollects history of ILP movement
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 18 2021: The 24th anniversary of the ILP movement in Kangleipak was observed today at the office of Kangleipak Students' Association (KSA) at Khoyathong, today.

The observance was jointly organised by IPSA, ACOAM-Lup, PANDM, IPAK, KANGLAMEI, KIL, CLK & KSA.

In a statement, the observation committee of the 24th anniversary of ILP movement stated that there was once an exit and entry permit system in Kangleipak to regulate the entry of outsiders.

Saying that non locals started entering into Kangleipak unchecked after the pass system was abolished by Chief Commission Himmat Singh on November 18, 1950, it maintained that AMSU and ASMCOC launched a stern agitation to send back the non locals from the soil of Kangleipak.

Even a MoU was signed with the Government, but no tangible actions were taken up, the observation committee said.

Saying that a CSO called Poramlen Apunba submitted a memorandum to implement ILP system in Manipur to the MLA of Keirao Assembly Constituency in 1989, the statement continued that the issue was raised by the MLA in the sitting of the Manipur Legislative Assembly on July 17, 1993 as a Private Member's Bill.

Observance recollects history of ILP movement

The Bill, unfortunately, was withdrawn by the House, it rued.

Later under the leadership of IPSA, a movement was launched on November 18 1997 for the revival of the ILP system in Manipur, the committee said and added that a joint committee "Inner Line Permit Demand Committee'' was formed with the like-minded CSOs to intensify the movement.

Mentioning that a residential leaders' meets were held on June 9, 10 and 11, 2006 after the committee was reformed at Khuman Lampak, the statement asserted that documents on ILP were distributed during the meets.

The committee also conducted many awareness programmes and submitted a memorandum to the then Prime Minister on September 18, 2006 to give Constitutional safeguard to the Manipur citizens, it added.

Stating that the Federation of Regional Indigenous Society (FREINDS) played a key role in the ILP movement and even filed a petition at Court, the statement continued that the issue was discussed by certain legislators at the Assembly.

The responsibility to carry on the movement was then handed to the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) which was formed on July 4, 2012, the committee said that Sapamcha Jadumani was unanimously appointed as the first convenor of JCILPS.

Recalling that then MLA Dr I Ibohanbi urged the Manipur Legislative Assembly to implement "The Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation 1873" on July 13, 2012 and unanimously passed a voice vote, it added that the Government assent, however, was not given.

RK Anand also raised the issue in 2013 but the same was not passed as an Act, it maintained.

Further stating the former Chief Minister O Ibobi brought up "The Manipur Regulation of Visitors, Tenants and Migrant Workers' Bill 2015 on March 16, 2015, the statement said that the Bill was withdrawn as the people of Manipur objected to it.

Sapam Robinhood was also killed in the agitation demanding withdrawal of the Bill on July 8, 2015, it claimed.

Maintaining the O Ibobi again raised three Bills namely The Protection of Manipur People's Bill, 2015; The Manipur Land Revenue & Land Reform (7th Amendment) Bill 2015 and The Manipur Shops & Establishment (2nd amendment) Bill, 2015, the observation committee said that the three Bills were passed via voice vote at the Assembly.

The three Bills, however, were again objected to by certain section of people as an anti tribal Bills and 9 persons were killed in a protest at Churachandpur, the statement claimed and added that thn President canceled the first Bill and put the remaining two under suspension.

Maintaining that the ILPS was implemented on December 11, 2019 in the State, the committee claimed that there are certain lapses in regulating the entry of non locals even today and no guidelines for the same have been formulated.

It then expressed gratitude to all who took part in the ILP movement of Manipur.

The observance was graced by IPSA advisor H Ibotombi Khuman; KANGLAMEI president Y Leirik Leimai; KIL president RK Sanahanbi; PANDM president Y Dilipkumar; IPSA president T Brijit Singh; IPAK president Ksh Somorendro; ACOAM-Lup president Soraisam Sanjit; CLK president Pakpi Chanu and KSA president S Bidyananda as presidium members.