Manipur News

LAMKA, Sept 3: Autonomous District Council Churachandpur chairman Langkhanpau Guite today took stock of the prevailing situation in the district and met people of different communities.

Speaking on the sideline of the tour, Guite on behalf of the ADC Churachandpur appealed to all communities especially the minority communities of the district like the Meitei community not to feel threatened and to remain at their respective residences.

With reports of some members of the community leaving or trying to leave the district, he said it is totally against the wish of the ADC Churachandpur.

People have been living peacefully in Churachandpur for long, he said.

He further appealed to all not to attack or do harm to any community including the Meiteis who are feeling threatened due to the present situation.

`The ADCC will never endorse and approve but oppose any attack and harassment of any particular community while supporting the movement for the rights of the tribal who are victimised by the state legislature and earnestly appealed to all individual and sections of the society to respect the communal harmony of Ccpur District.`

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/09/adc-ccpur-appeals-all-communities-to-remain-calm/

LAMKA, September 3: The newly formed JAC called a press meet in the afternoon stating that it has asked the State government to repeal the bills or accommodate a clause stating that the bills will not apply in the hills and provide special provisions for the tribal including protection of the tribal and their lands.

The JAC said it has sent its memorandum to the Chief Minister putting forth its demands.

The demands also include that the government should initiate an independent judicial inquiry on the recent incident which should be conducted by a judge not lower than a High Court judge, payment of ex-gratia for the eight who died in the recent incidents suitable government job to their next of kin and compensation for all those injured in the incidents.

The JAC also informed that it has resolved that not more than 50 women of different communities will staged a sit in protest everyday at different locations, however, shops will be allowed to open and bring in their items from 5 to 10am daily. The JAC also declared that medics, religious functions, water supply and electricity are exempted and free during the agitations of the JAC.

The JAC also handed the media persons copies of its memorandum which is to be submitted to the State Chief Minister.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/09/repeal-bills-or-add-clause-with-special-provisions-jac/

IMPHAL, Sept 3: BJP MLA Mmhonlumo Kikon, Parliamentary Secretary (Labor & Employment, Skill Development and Border Affairs), Government of Nagaland has expressed shock on the statement of Manipur`™s Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh appeared in Nagaland Post and other daily dailies in Nagaland and Manipur on August 30 wherein he accused the BJP of `politicizing Gaidinliu` in a meeting held at Imphal on `Haipou Jadonang`™.

According to the MLA, the statement of CM Ibobi came in the midst of the din surrounding the commemoration of the Birth Centenary of Rani Gaidinliu. Ibobi had said that the BJP led NDA Government`s decision to sanction the construction of Rani Gaidinliu`s museum-cum-library at Kohima, and not in Manipur where she was born is an `exposition` of the BJP`s policy of politicization of freedom fighters.

The CM also argued that this museum should have been constructed in Tamenglong district in Manipur, where Rani Gaidinliu was born.

“Firstly, as someone who was present in the Centenary Celebrations in Delhi, Ibobi`s statement is definitely a contradiction of what he said at the event hosted at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. He was full of praise for the Prime Minister for honouring Rani Gaidinliu, a “Naga” from Manipur, as a freedom fighter of India and also as a daughter of the Northeast,`™`™ the Nagaland MLA pointed out.

The MLA said, “™Ibobi was lavished in his praise of the Prime Minister for giving a long overdue recognition to Rani Gaidinliu and expressed his gratitude for the wonderful initiative of the Prime Minister of India. He also proudly posed along with the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister of Nagaland for the shutterbugs at the release of the commemorative postage stamp and coins,`™`™.

“Secondly, the construction of the museum-cum-library at Kohima was sanctioned in the year 2011-12 by the Congress led-UPA Government. The BJP had only continued in the same vein as the proposal came from the Government of Nagaland. However, if the Chief Minister of Manipur wanted a memorial of either Jadonang or Gaidinliu in Manipur, he could have proposed under his leadership even at the time of UPA or later as per normal government procedures,`™`™ he said.

He also said that there are memorials of Mahatma Gandhi and other freedom fighters of India at different places and cities of India far away from their birthplaces and this is a common practice all over the world.

“The `politicization`™ of a memorial which the Congress led UPA Government started cannot be blamed on others when it is politically expedient. In a living, vibrant democracy we are free to share our opinions, but as leaders we must reason and base our rationales on facts and figures and not desist from inflammation of issues for the sake of political benefits,`™`™ the BJP MLA from Nagaland asserted.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/09/ibobis-remark-bjp-politicizing-gaidinliu-irks-nagaland-mla/

LAMKA, September 3: The JAC formed against the passing of The Protection of Manipur Peoples Bill 2015 and other related bills by the State Assembly on August 31 convened a huge public meeting today at the Hingtam Lamka public ground which was also participated by community leaders and representatives of the All Naga Students Association Manipur, All Tribal Students Union Manipur and the Kuki Students Organisation GHQ.

On the other hand, protestors also reportedly burned down minister Phungzathang`™s residence for the second time this afternoon after they found that some supporters of the minister had started repairing it.

Protestors also attacked the Churachandpur Police Station for the fourth time today, and later burned down the district Employment Exchange office and the SDO Churachandpur office, against the appeal of the JAC and other frontal organisations.

Security personnel were overwhelmed by the mob and had to restrain themselves after some blank firing and firing some tear gas shells, as a police on condition of anonymity confided.

Another protestor also succumbed to injuries sustained on September 1, this morning around 4, bringing up the toll to eight.

Meanwhile, speaking at the public meeting, chief convenor of the JAC Mangchinkhup said that although the Chief Minister has announced that the three recently passed bills including those related with land revenue will not apply in the hills of Manipur, since there is still no changes made to the bills, the people must act now with all their might as once the bills are implemented they will hurt the tribals.

Representatives of ANSAM and KSO GHQ also spoke on the unity among the tribals, a common platform and co-operation.

Representatives of ANSAM, KSO GHQ, the JAC and other stakeholders also held a closed door meeting in the office of the newly formed JAC at KKL complex this afternoon discussing at length how the movement for a separate administration for the tribals could be achieved.

The meeting was chaired by the chief convenor of the JAC.

Meanwhile, advisor of ATSUM who had come from outside the district said they had come to show solidarity to the JAC and the sacrifices of the eight precious lives.

The KSO president said ATSUM which is the apex body of the tribal students of Manipur should be responsible for maintaining co-ordination among the different tribal student organisations.

Participants from other districts also proposed and asked the JAC to make arrangement so that organisations from the different districts of Manipur could also pay homage to the eight dead.

Mangchinkhup said the JAC will be spearheading the demand for a separate administration for the tribals of Manipur and further expressed that the collective effort of the tribals as a whole would be a stepping stone.

ATSUM (Serto) ex-president Serto said compensation for the eight dead should not be accepted from the government, but each tribal household should contribute to collect the amount.

He said they should instead concentrate on the political demand of the tribals.

The Kuki Inpi Churachandpur, Zomi Council and the Hmar Innpui also issued a joint declaration during a joint sitting. The three organisations endorses the condemnation of the Hill Area Committee members who voted in favour of the bills on August 31 in the State Assembly.

The three said they also support the 48 hour bandh called by the United Naga Council.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/09/tribal-bodies-converge-in-ccpur-to-chalk-out-course-of-movement/

IMPHAL, September 3: The All Manipur Road Transport Drivers and Motor Workers`™ Union has decided against plying on the Imphal-Jiribam highway until the Border Road Organisation provide proper wheel guards on Barak Bridge, general secretary of the union M Anil told media persons today.

He said wheel guards on the Barak Bridge cannot be replaced by just red and green colour warnings.

The transporters and the drivers will not take such risk of passing through the bridge which has no proper hill guards, Anil added.

The AMRTDMWU and the Manipur Truck Owners`™ Welfare Association called a press conference at the latter`™s MG Avenue office.

Speaking at the press conference, MTOWA president H Ranjit said the BRO has during the present repairing of the Barak Bridge, is providing red and green colouring on the bridge instead of providing proper wheel guards.

He said this is an act against the safety of the drivers and the transporters.

Once, the trucks which have already passed along the muddy highway, the tyres of the trucks are prone to drift and cannot maintain a straight line while passing upon the bridge, he observed.

The MTOWA appeal to the State government authorities to instruct the BRO to provide proper safe wheel guard on the bridge, he said.

Without the wheel guards, accidents will keep happening on the bridge. The guard could either be iron bars or wooden blocks which are 6 to 8 inches thick, he maintained.

However, without the guards, the drivers and transporters are not ready to take such risk, he added.

The All Manipur Road Transport Drivers and Motor Worker`™s Union had also held an inclusive meeting for transporters and came up with some resolutions.

During the meeting, the union decided that there will be no more talks with the BRO, but the Chief Minister and the concern Works minister should instruct the BRO to do the needful and maintain quality in the repairing of the bridge.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/09/transporters-bodies-want-bro-to-provide-wheel-guards-on-barak-bridge/