Dialogue on indigenous peoples continues
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 26 2016: The third day of the five-day public dialogue on the protection of indigenous people sof Manipur was moderated by AIR Imphal former Joint Director BB Sharma.

The public dialogue is jointly organised by the National Research Centre (NR), Manipur and MU's Dean of Students Welfare at Manipur University centenary hall.

MLA N Biren, former Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam, former Minister Dr M Nara, UCM president Johnson Elangbam, former AMUCO president Yang-soso Koireng and Komrem Union president Amang Serto expressed their views today.

Amang Serto said that legislations alone cannot ensure protection of indigenous peoples.

Many of the existing Acts in Manipur are ineffective, he said.

The problem posed by the influx of immigrant population can be effectively checked only when the people in Manipur are fully self-reliant and self-sufficient to the extent that the state does not require services of the outsiders.

He further said that mortgage and sale of land to the outsiders should be totally forbidden.

Let land acquisition by the Government be only for the general good and public sector enterprises, Serto said.

Renting out of houses and other accommodation space and sites to non-locals should be strictly intervened and regulated at institutional level, he said and added that there should be separate intelligence wing of the police under Home Department solely for dealing with the immigrant population and the protection of indigenous population.

MLA N Biren observed that all the people should be very careful with what they say and do as it could mislead the masses.

The Government has no intention to deport any of its indigenous people from the State.

At all levels of drafting the three Bills to the passing of it in the Legislative Assembly, tribals were consulted, he said.

The allegations that tribals were excluded and have no participation in the process of passing the Bills was all baseless, he said.

The base year 1951 is irrelevant to the indigenous communities as it applies only to the migrant community, the MLA said and added that there can be room for human error, despite having no ill feeling.

Drafting of a new Bill is in progress, he said and added that the proceedings of this dialogue and the outcome of it in the form of recommendations should be made available to the drafting committee so that if found viable, part or whole of it could be incorporated or accommodated in the new Bill.

Speaking at the occasion Elangbam Johnson questioned why the State Government has not taken up any preventive measures although JCILPS has been detaining atleast 50 non-locals who try to enter the State without relevant documents daily.

He said that it is fact that 50 to 100 non-locals enter into the State every day.

Johnson further said that if the present situation continues, indigenous Manipuris would become a minority community one day.

Comment