Manipur News – Page 14522 – www.manipur.org/news

Council of Ministers to discuss CCpur protest today JAC Demands Resignation Of Six MLAs Within 10 Days As Protest Continues

A meeting of the Council of Ministers has been called on Tuesday to discuss the current law and order situation in the State following violent protests in Churachandpur Town after the passing of three Bills by the Manipur Legislative Assembly on August…

Read more / Original news source: http://e-pao.net/ge.asp?heading=19&src=090915

KOHUR urges

The Kuki Organisation for Human Rights KOHUR has said that it would be in the best interest of all to sit together, talk over and try making the Bills acceptable to all Source The Sangai Express

Read more / Original news source: http://e-pao.net/ge.asp?heading=2&src=090915

Govt observes World Literacy Day 2015

Manipur on Tuesday joined the rest of the world in observing the World Literacy Day 2015 by organizing an impressive function here Source Hueiyen News Service

Read more / Original news source: http://e-pao.net/ge.asp?heading=23&src=090915

Locals protest against attack on husbandwife duo

Protesting against the Lamsang police for failing to take action in connection with the brutal attack on Sagolband Meino Leirak resident Arambam Anilkumar and his wife by a group of goons on September 5 last at Lamdeng Makha Chingjil Karak, people of Sagolband Meino Leirak staged a sit in protest on Tuesday at Meino Leirak Nambul Mapal Market Shed Source Hueiyen News Service

Read more / Original news source: http://e-pao.net/ge.asp?heading=31&src=090915

Student bodies urge PM to restore peace, harmony in Manipur – E-Pao.net

Student bodies urge PM to restore peace, harmony in ManipurE-Pao.netCondemning the killing of nine people and injuring 20 others by police in the recent Churachandpur incident, the memorandum also appealed to the Manipur Government to provide compensat…

Student bodies urge PM to restore peace, harmony in Manipur
E-Pao.net
Condemning the killing of nine people and injuring 20 others by police in the recent Churachandpur incident, the memorandum also appealed to the Manipur Government to provide compensation to the bereaved families and the injured persons.

and more »

Student bodies urge PM to restore peace, harmony in Manipur – E-Pao.net

People of Manipur Protection Bill – Lost in Translation: Linda Chhakchhuak

By Linda Chhakchhuak 07 September, 2015 Countercurrents.org Some folklore say that Manipur is land of the three brothers. They are the Meitei, Naga and the Kuki communities. But as most

Manipur police truck has been burnt down by the agitators on the road at Churachandpur
Photo: Deepak Shijagurumayum

By Linda Chhakchhuak

07 September, 2015
Countercurrents.org

Some folklore say that Manipur is land of the three brothers. They are the Meitei, Naga and the Kuki communities. But as most brotherhood stories go they inevitably ended up disagreeing and quarrelling over the inheritance left by their fathers. This myth seems to sum up the history of this troubled northeastern state of India which is once again engulfed in blood, soot and tears.

This being an age in which the information highway passes through almost every hand with a mobile phone, the war cries, chest thumping and ill conceived rumors were mass knowledge in a span of few minutes, each post more virulent than the earlier one igniting ire. Not too soon after the by now famous three Bills were passed in the Manipur Legislative Assembly on August 31, the house of a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) went up in flames. Homes of Manipur’s health minister Phungzathang Tonsing and five other MLAs were set afire during the protests. Eight persons died in the subsequent mob quelling actions by the state police.

The “angry mob” was people of the hills districts mad at their own tribal MLAs for not standing up against the three Bills which they claimed was a deviously diabolical game to take away their land rights and making them strangers in their own homeland.

The three Bills are The Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh) Amendment Bill 2015 (MLRLR Bill 2015), The Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015 and The Manipur Shops and Establishments Act (Second) Amendment Bill 2015, collectively meant to be the Government of Manipur’s solution to the months long demand for implementation of Inner Line Permit system by the Meitei organizations to protect them from the high rate of influx of outsiders. The states of Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh have the ILP system which are British enactments made for their own benefit but vaunted as a wall against assimilation from outsiders today.

Obviously the polity is so steeped in local conspiracy theory that common people have not a shred of trust left in the persons they themselves had voted to represent them. On the other hand neither did the representatives or the Government make any effort to get public opinion before legislating on such a sensitive issue. That cost them their homes and credibility. But did people understand what they were they out in the streets for, braving bullets and death?

The MLRLR Bill 2015 clearly outlines the unenviable situation of the Meitei people, who inhabit the valley portion of the Manipur state. The state is 90 percent hills and 10 percent plains. But demography wise, the valley is packed with 60 percent of the total population of the state (27 lakhs plus). The density 731 persons as opposed to 61 persons in the hills just go to show what the valley people are up against. Under the main 1960 MRLR Act, Scheduled Tribes of the state who are native of the hills can buy land and settle down in the plains. On the other hand the plains based Meitei people are forbidden to acquire land in the hills by this same law. This same Law permits the Scheduled Tribe (ST) to sell off their lands in the valley with the provision that if they are selling it to a non-Scheduled Tribe it can be done only with the consent of the Deputy Commissioner. This would mean that if they are disposing it off to another Scheduled Tribe person, then it would not need any consent of the DC.

What seems to be happening as can be surmised from reading between the lines of the MRLR Amendment Bill 2015 is that there is an influx of ‘outsiders’, not so much as that of non-tribals from outside the state, but also of persons of affiliated kins-tribes from across the network of Kuki-Chin-Mizo community as well as Nagas from neighboring borders whether it is from Mizoram, Nagaland, Assam and Myanmar. Affiliated and based on close-knit kinship systems it is impossible to differentiate the ‘native ST’ from the ‘outsider Tribes’ in the state where the buying and selling of land may be happening. This is a cause of concern for the valley inhabitants of the Meitei heritage, who are struggling to keep their ancestral lands from slipping away right under their noses. They are a beleaguered people hemmed in by dozens of problems, the least of them being officially categorized as “non-tribal” , settled on the fulcrum of a tribal volcano of resentment. (Long ago they refused to be clubbed under the category of “Tribe” which they want reversed now but it is another complicated
story.)

Instead of directly dealing with the issue of influx, the MRLR (Seventh) Amendment Bill2015 seeks to curtail this transfer by invoking sale against the “Non Manipur Person”(NMP). The amendment is to ‘regulate the sale of land to Non Manipur Persons of the state so that the limited land in the valley is available to the permanent residents of the state in the interests of the general public.” From now on any sale and transfer of land in the valley to Non Manipur Persons of the state, firms, institutions or any other entities intending to purchase land will be done only after getting state government approval. This is actually a cry for space and the plight of the growing population of Meitei people and the other non-tribal residents of the tiny valley jostling for space with the Scheduled tribe people who have the upper hand as far as the right to buy or sell land in the state is concerned.

The MRLR (Seventh) Amendment 2015 is supported by The Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015. The objective of this Bill is to regulate the entry and exit of Non Manipur Persons and tenants. It defines who are the “Manipur People” in Clause 2 section (b) which says “b) “Manipur people” means Persons of Manipur whose name are in the National Register of Citizens, 1951 Census Report 1951 and Village Directory of 1951 and their descendants who have contributed to the collective social, cultural and economic life of Manipur;. This is the clause which has raised mayhem among the Kuki affiliate tribes and the Nagas who say, rightly, that during the early fifties there was hardly any infrastructure or government presence capable of capturing the whole population of the region in a register.

But these misgivings should have melted as the Bill carries a caveat in Paragraph 8 which unequivocally states that the persons to be exempted under the provisions of this Bill are “the native people of the state of Manipur.” The Bill does not give details about this, but going by definition by the heavyweight expert on Manipur, T C Hodson it refers to the Meitei, Kuki and Naga of the state.

Predictably, politicians of all hues and categories from the inside the state and the neighboring regions of Manipur have lost no time in fishing in troubled waters of Manipur. They should know better as the same equations of conflict are just a spark away in their own homes and states.

(Linda Chhakchhuak is an independent Journalist and anthropologist, based in Shillong, Meghalaya)

UPF provides financial help

IMPHAL, Sept 8: A team of the United People`™s Front Manipur led by its president Oinam Bikramjit provided financial help to the helpline opened at Christian Hospital Dewlahland for those

IMPHAL, Sept 8: A team of the United People`™s Front Manipur led by its president Oinam Bikramjit provided financial help to the helpline opened at Christian Hospital Dewlahland for those injured in the recent Churachandpur violence.

A statement of the front said the recent Churachandpur incidents which left nine dead and many injured were unfortunate.

It said the front shares the grievances for all the losses.

It has further appealed to all not to spread rumours which could create communal tension among the different communities residing in the State.

It said it is also time for the people to sit down together and discuss the three bills together and for the government to call representatives of the different CSOs of the State to invite for talks.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/09/upf-provides-financial-help/

Gaikhangam comes under attack from Zeliangrong CSOs

IMPHAL, September 8: Zeliangrong frontal organizations including Zeliangrong Baudi-Assam Manipur & Nagaland; All Zeliangrong Students`™ Union-Assam, Manipur & Nagaland; Zeliangrong Youth Front-Assam, Manipur & Nagaland and Zeliangrong Students`™ Union Manipur had during a joint meeting condemned deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam alleging him to be irresponsibility and selling out the tribal rights.

According to a joint statement, the tribal organizations had a series of parley in the aftermath of the passing of the three Bills namely the Protection of Manipur People`™s Bill, 2015; Manipur Land Reforms & Land Revenue MLR&LR Bill (7th Amendment) 2015 and Manipur Shop and Establishment Bill (2nd Amendment), 2015 in the State Assembly on August 31.

Instead of defending the rights of the tribal in Manipur, Dy CM has repeatedly stated that the three bills will not infringe upon the tribal interest of Manipur.

It said the deputy CM is also the head and in-charge of the Hills Department of Manipur.

He is the stumbling block to the future development of all the tribal people in Manipur and Zeliangrong in particular, it claimed.

The MLR&LR Act 1960 has been extended even to Khoupum valley, Tamenglong district and other hills districts under his initiative contrary to the claim that the said Act is confined in valley districts, it said.

He attempted to extend the same to Noney (Longmai) area but the local people strongly opposed it, the statement said.

The Act is already extended to Chandel, Churachandpur districts and Sadar Hill ADC, it cotinued.

Gaikhangam`™s repeated statement on the three bills that the bills don`™t impinge upon tribal interests in Manipur is a blatant misleading to the people, it said.

Any matter related to the tribal and the Hills districts should come through the Hill Area Committee (HAC) but the present MLAs made it non-functional, and in future the dominant community MLAs will take the reference from the 2015, that any matter related to the Hill districts need no approved from the HAC that will be the gateway to permanently do away with this HAC, the statement said.

Alleging that MLA of Tamenglong 53 A/C Janghemlung Panmei is totally irresponsible for not attending the Assembly when the bills were passed, the tribal bodies said MLA of Tamei 52 A/C Z Kikhonbou is also unable to represent his people and community effectively by failing to perform the assigned tasked given by the government as Chairman of a Sub-Committee to look into the Inter-District Boundaries under the rules 226 (1) (2) of the rules of procedure conduct of business on June 13 regarding encroachment on the land of hill districts.

He should immediately resign as an MLA owning moral responsibility for unable to secure his own district boundary directly affecting his constituency, the statement demanded.

Reaffirming its stands on demand for immediate resignation of all the three Zeliangrong MLAs, it said the three MLAs who sold away the rights and land of the Zeliangrong people have no rights in representing the Zeliangrong people in the Assembly.

On any eventualities which demean and affect the interest of the hill districts of Manipur, the Zeliangrong frontal organisations will face defending the interest and rights of the tribal and Zeliangrong until those anti-tribal bills are declared null and void or repealed, the statement vowed.

Intl Literacy Day observed

MPHAL, Sept 8: As in other parts of the world, the International Literacy Day 2015 was observed at Maharaj Chandrakriti Hall Palace Compound, Palace Compound today with Minister of Social

MPHAL, Sept 8: As in other parts of the world, the International Literacy Day 2015 was observed at Maharaj Chandrakriti Hall Palace Compound, Palace Compound today with Minister of Social Welfare & Cooperation AK Mirabai Devi; Minister of Agriculture & Fisheries Md Abdul Nasir; Adhyaksha of Thoubal Zilla Parishad Kh. Surnalata Devi, Chairperson of ADC Senapati ML Markson and Commissioner (Adult Education) and vice-chairman of SLMA Manipur B.B. Sharma attending as chief guest, president and guests of honour respectively.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/09/intl-literacy-day-observed/

ATSUM committee charges govt of pushing anti-tribal policy

IMPHAL, September 8: The Coordinating Committee All Tribal Students`™ Union Manipur (ATSUM) is pained to see the state government deliberately enacting self-inflicting laws in the interest of the major community

It said that instead of admitting its ill design, the State government is still trying to sell its anti-Tribal policy to the people obstinately which has driven a wedge deep enough to bleed the State beyond any hope of redemption.

It is for the world to see the present scenario where all state machineries are activated to cramp down poisonous laws in the throat of the tribals with brute majority.

The Constitution of India bifurcated the administration of the State into two distinct selves i.e., The Hill Areas of Manipur and the Valley of Manipur.

It is self-explanatory that one of the intrinsic organs of the State call the Hill Areas under Article 371 C of the Constitution of India has long been rendered non-functional by the interest of the major community who are responsible for sending 40 MLAs in the sixty member State Assembly where reserved seats accounts for only 20 MLAs.

The dynamics of these electoral-political circumstances compel the20 MLAs to toe the line of the 40 MLAs representing the majority community on party as well as ethnic lines.

It further continued that modern political history of the tribals in Manipur is more or less a struggle for survival around this vicious circle where everything the tribal hold dear have been coerced away some way or other.

Now even their identity is at stake. With this responsibility in mind, ATSUM as a vanguard of the Indigenous/Tribal people of Manipur have asked the 20 Tribal MLAs to tender their resignation by owning up the responsibility of having failed to perform their constitutional duty, it said.

Without malice to anyone, the ATSUM shall fight until justice is seen to be done to the indigenous/tribal people of Manipur and until such time we claim a dignified political space we rightfully deserve in the biggest democracy in the world, it said.

To this end ATSUM supports any form of democratic protest in the Hill Areas of Manipur to register their grievances to the State government as well as central government for timely intervention said the release from coordination committee ATSUM information and publicity wing.

Sit-in denounces assault on man

IMPHAL, September 8: In protest against the alleged assault on Arambam Anilkumar, 46 on September 5 around 7:30 pm by locals of Lamdeng Chingjil Makha Leikai, a large number of

IMPHAL, September 8: In protest against the alleged assault on Arambam Anilkumar, 46 on September 5 around 7:30 pm by locals of Lamdeng Chingjil Makha Leikai, a large number of people from Sagolband Meino Leirak, Imphal West staged a sit-in-protest in the locality today.

Narrating the incident, Anilkumar said that on the fateful day he along with his wife Joyshree visited their newly constructed farmhouse located at Lamdeng manned by a caretaker and his wife as the farm house came under attack frequently by unknown persons.

On the day, a group of seven to eight persons in inebriate condition used abusive words and created a scene threatening their safety, he claimed.

`In such alarmed situation, I fired two shots from my license double barrel gun in self defence`, Anilkumar admitted.

Wrongly interpreting his act of self defence and charging him of detaining a local, the mob burned down the farm house along with a Scorpio SUV and inflicted injuries on the eyes, nose and head of Anilkumar, a protester added.

Accusing him of committing other heinous crime of adultery, the mob also harassed Joyshree and the caretaker`™s wife, Anilkumar contended.

He expressed that the concerned club and people of Lamdeng should produce the persons involved in the incident in the larger interest of people and proper judgment should be given according to the law.

Meanwhile, a woman protestor said that a complaint will be forwarded to the women`™s organizations of the State to look into the matter.

The sit-in-protest was organised by the Young Pillars Union of the locality.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/09/sitin-denounces-assault-on-man/

House razed to the ground; concerted effort of fire brigade, AR, Police and locals control fire from spreading

LAMKA, September 8: A half century old house belonging to Ngaizaniang wife of (L) Nengzasun at Tipaimuk Road caught fire which roared on for more than one a half hour

LAMKA, September 8: A half century old house belonging to Ngaizaniang wife of (L) Nengzasun at Tipaimuk Road caught fire which roared on for more than one a half hour before a joint effort of the fire brigade, Army, police and local residents managed to douse it.

However, by the time the fire was douse, the house build of mostly wood was completely razed down and party damaged another house which belonged to the chief of the area, Hinghal Lamka Thangkhosuanmung Guite who is also the local District Council member.

The fire occurred around 8:30 am.

The MDC thanked individuals who helped like Suan Hauzel, Hauzalian, Songkhankhual, Tonsianmung, officials of the PHED, 7 AR, Firebrigade and police teams who helped in the effort to douse the fire which had almost engulfed his house totally.

A 50 strong team of the 7 AR led by Captain Thapa came with their water carrier truck helped in the dousing the fire and then later helped in clearing the fragile remnant of the burned house.

The Army men with their tool cleared the unstable structural remains. While the next house of Vungzanun`™s kitchen was on fire.

The intensity of the fire was such that the residents were not able to even bring out their essentials like clothing which were gifted by others.

The fire is suspected to have been started out from the room of a tenant Kama Kumar of Bihar who was running a grocery shop.

It is learnt that he had left his three children to cook food and the gas cylinder which was leaking caught fire, luckily, none of the children were hurt.

Five other cylinders exploded in the fire. However, no one was injured.

The sister in law of the house owner, Niangnu said she was overwhelmed by the support of the public and the AR.

The fire brigade came at the right time, but due to the intensity of the fire, without the help of the water from the different sources, it would have been real hard for the fire brigade alone to control it, she said.

Meanwhile, CJM Churachandpur Lamkhanpau has supplied wooden planks for the rebuilding of the gutted house while the Chief of Hiangtam Lamka and EM of ADC Churachandpur Thangkhosuanmung Guite provided five bundles of steel sheet for the roof.

The owner of the house Ngaizaniang and her brother said that their monetary loss, excluding the price of the building will be approximately Rs 10 lakhs and Rs 3 lakhs respectively while that of the five tenants would come to approx. Rs 12 lakhs which together will come to around Rs 26.5 lakhs including the partially burned house.

The tenants are reportedly shop owners, suppliers and iron scrap collectors. All together there are more them 40 people living in the one storeyed building including of both the owner and tenants.

Another prosecution witness testifies in Meghen case

IMPHAL, Sept 8: In connection with the ongoing trial against the chairman of the outlawed United National Liberation Front (UNLF) RK Meghen alias Sanayaima and several others key leaders of

IMPHAL, Sept 8: In connection with the ongoing trial against the chairman of the outlawed United National Liberation Front (UNLF) RK Meghen alias Sanayaima and several others key leaders of the outfit in the Special Court of NIA, Guwahati; deposition of another prosecution witness of the case was taken.

The prosecution witness is identified as Moirangthem Loken Singh, Chief Engineer of Public Works Department (PWD). He is the prosecution witness number 83 of the case.

Along with taking his deposition, RK Meghen along with other leaders of the outfit was produced before the court.

RK Meghen alias Sanayaima and other leaders of the outfit are facing trial in the court based on the charge sheets framed by NIA against them after their arrest.

Union Home Minister has assured action against Pappu Yadav: BJP Manipur

IMPHAL, September 8: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has assured a team of the State BJP that befitting action will be initiated against Pappu Yadav for his act of checking

IMPHAL, September 8: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has assured a team of the State BJP that befitting action will be initiated against Pappu Yadav for his act of checking trains passing through his State Bihar to for Manipuris in trains passing through Bihar.

Inside party sources informed that a team led by State BJP president Th Chaoba met with the Union Minister this afternoon at the latter`™s North Block office chamber.

It is learnt that the Union Minister had instructed his agencies under the Home Affairs to take immediate action against Pappu Yadav for stopping trains in Bihar to check for Manipuri passengers.

He had also assured the team that people of Manipur will be safe in any place of the country and nothing untoward will be allowed to happen against them, the source informed.

The BJP Manipur president and the party`™s general secretary Administration M Asnikumar met the Union Home Secretary and requested for provision of protection for the people of the State in other parts of the country, it said.

The BJP Manipur team which is still in the national capital also met the DoNER Minister Dr Jitendra MoS of Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju regarding the issue, the source informed.

60-hour bandh in CCpur commences

LAMKA, Sept 8: The sixty-hour bandh called by the JAC, Churachandpur that started at noon today, passed off with no serious problem till the filing of this report. However, women

LAMKA, Sept 8: The sixty-hour bandh called by the JAC, Churachandpur that started at noon today, passed off with no serious problem till the filing of this report.

However, women folk took out processions, apart from staging sit in protests.

The JAC had been all along demanding resignation of the tribal MLAs which still was not responded in word and in deed by the MLAs with other demands particularly separate administration for the hills or tribals of Manipur.

The JAC has also decided not to take back the bodies of the nine dead till a positive response is provided.

The bodies are lying unclaimed at the District morgue with a sign `For your tomorrow we give our today.`

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/09/60hour-bandh-in-ccpur-commences/

‘Us’, ‘them’ and an elusive peace – Dr. Malem Ningthouja

Manipur has often been the setting for violent agitations, with those behind them demanding the implementation of an Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in order to define and protect “insiders”

Meitei and Kabui women stage protest demanding Inner Line Permit System at Konung Mamang in Manipur

Manipur has often been the setting for violent agitations, with those behind them demanding the implementation of an Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in order to define and protect “insiders” from buying up land on the one hand, and from the unregulated entry of “outsiders” on the other. All this can be traced to the core — in the agitations of 1920, 1935, and 1965, when sections targeted the “outsider” monopoly in trade. The agitations, in 1980, 1994, and from 2006 onwards, have been primarily against unregulated immigrants who bought up land and immovable properties.

The agitations have been motivated by the situation that has set alarm bells ringing following unrestrained demographic pressure by “outsiders” and the need for an ILP as it exists in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland. The ILP is required for ‘other’ Indian citizens to enter Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram. The objective has been to prevent outsiders from buying up land and owning natural resources in Manipur. But these stirs have been confined to the Manipur valley, which is about 9 per cent of the geographical area and where 61.54 per cent of the enumerated population (Census 2001) comprises the majority community Meitei, tribals and others living together. Interpretations of the campaign have been along communal lines, probably because it was concentrated in the valley and led by Meitei-based organisations.

Geo-community projection

The apparent Meitei orientation of the agitation has been obvious since minimal tribal presence in the valley has been juxtaposed with Meitei predominance and tribal organisations in the hills that have deliberately maintained an opaqueness about a supporting role. A visible role for the Meitei is clear as defending the territorial integrity of Manipur is dear to them and as they have been the front runners in being associated with other popular movements to protect land and resources from being consumed by controversial projects.

The ILP agitation has been the brainchild of Meitei organisations for two basic reasons. First, its geographical epicentre has been the valley where there has been increasing pressure on land as a result of population growth. This includes migrations by outsiders and continuous “land grabbing” by the government for the setting up of military establishments and other infrastructure, which led to systematic reduction of areas under primary economic activities. Second, Meiteis have been in the fore front of this as despite their known achievements in arts and culture, sport and other skills, they are deeply apprehensive of being marginalised and facing insecurity in Manipur.

This needs to be explained in detail. Despite the perception that identifies the Meitei with the valley, in reality, the valley is liberally open to all who can buy and own land and resources. This situation is what has promoted the large-scale migration of tribals and outsiders from other parts of India and also Nepal, Myanmar and Bangladesh. It is a one way migration that has deeply affected the psyche of many Meiteis, as they, as a result of being clubbed with non-tribals, are now constitutionally not permitted to own land both in the vast tracts of government reserved areas in the valley and in the hills of Manipur. However, the Meiteis consider the migration of tribals as a sign of integration and do not oppose it; what they are critical of and apprehensive about are the ‘outsiders’.

A form of restraint

Many Meiteis are worried that the numerical strength and growth of outsiders have now reached alarming proportions and there is a situation where they outnumber several small communities in Manipur; according to the 2001 census, there are 9.18 lakh Meiteis and others, 6.70 lakh tribals and 7.04 lakh outsiders. They predict a socio, cultural and economic domination by outsiders as a result of large-scale migration, especially after the extension of railway lines, trans-Asian highways and the expansion of market corridors towards Southeast Asian countries. They are also worried about unrestrained land grabbing in Manipur to facilitate hydro-electric projects, mining, and also oil exploration and drilling at the cost of the people and the ecology. Many have upheld that the implementation of the ILP or a similar law can act as a form of restraint to unregulated immigration and also prevent outsiders and companies/industry from taking control over the land and resources, especially in the valley, where there has been no protective law ever since the permit system was lifted by the Government of India in November 1950.

Following violent agitations that have often lasted months, the Government of Manipur and the Joint Committee on the Inner Line Permit System in Manipur (JCILPS) arrived at an agreement. Thus, on August 31, 2015, the Manipur Legislative Assembly passed three Bills, which were not to the complete satisfaction of pro-ILP sections. These are the Protection of Manipur People Bill 2015, which has fixed 1951 as the base year to detect outsiders; the Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms Amendment Bill 2015, and the Manipur Shops and Establishments Bill 2015. These Bills are being strongly opposed by the ‘tribal’ organisations in the Manipur hill districts, particularly those of the Kuki Chin Mizo-based organisations, and which have now been supported by Naga-based organisations as well.

Inter-community tensions

Agitators blocking the road by burning at churachandpur.
Photo: Deepak Shijagurumayum

Kuki organisations have opposed the ILP movement from spreading in Churachandpur and Chandel districts, which led to a violent clash on August 18, at the border town of Moreh. They have charged the Bills as being evidence of Meitei expansionism in the hills to expel a large section of Kukis. The propaganda has been appealing to many who are unhappy with the anti-Kuki stance and ‘refugee’ tag attributed to them by individuals from other communities. There has also been rivalry between Kuki underground organisations and those who have been identified as being with other communities. There could also be an element of fear as many of them — either people who might have migrated after 1951, or those whose lineages might not have been recorded in the list criteria — could be treated as outsiders. Other tribes have also expressed similar concerns.

The overall projection of the Bills as being pro-Meitei fails to holistically interpret the limitations of the cut-off year of 1951. This provision actually affects all, including some sections of the Meiteis and others who came to Manipur after 1951. It will also be practically difficult to detect and deport migrants who have close ethnic bonds with one or other ‘indigenous’ communities. But the polemics of insecurity have interplayed with the propaganda that the Manipur Land Revenue and Reform Act 1960 has been extended to the hill districts, which is untrue as there is no amendment in the territorial extent of the said Act.

BSF’s gypsy has been burnt down by the agitators inside the Churachandpur hospital
Photo: Deepak Shijagurumayum

The recent tensions, and which have been extensively reported in the media, might not have occurred had the Government of Manipur dealt with the situation in a better way. Instead of fully relying on the consent of the tribal MLAs, it could have also consulted the Hill Areas Committee or other responsible ‘tribal’ organisations in order to resolve any misunderstanding, before passing the Bills. On the other hand, neither the organisation that had led the ILP movement nor the tribal organisations who protested against the Bills had approached each other for mutual consent in this regard. The Kuki and Naga organisations were not insensitive to the primary objective of the cut-off year of 1951, as being primarily to target the ethno-culturally, distinguishable outsiders from other parts of India, Nepal and Bangladesh. They wanted to magnify the controversies arising from these Bills in order to invoke community sentiment, consolidate their respectively fractured communities, and to intensify the demand for either VI Schedule status for the tribes or different administrative systems for Kukis and Nagas. In this, there is tactical unity between Naga and Kuki organisations. This is understandable in the context of Naga enthusiasm towards the speeding up of some kind of pan-Naga integration under the proposed framework of the recent Peace Accord. This is something that the Kuki organisations are concerned about as this inspires the ‘Kuki’-based undergrounds that are under the Suspension of Order (SoO) with the government, to speed up their agenda to have either Pan Zomi Reunification or autonomous administration. The recently leaked Kuki National Organisation’s proposal to the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) or NSCN-IM asserts: “Historically, the [Meetei or Manipur] Kingdom consisted of the valley areas, which today form the valley districts of Manipur… The Kuki and Naga peoples shall mutually respect one another’s identity and territory and maintain the best of fraternal relations and work together to preserve peace in the land and usher in progress and human welfare in the Kuki and Naga states.”

Now, when tensions have been fanned, there seems to be the role of certain vested political groups to add fuel to the fire in order to magnify the issue of unrest, and, in turn, use this as a reason to justify the imposition of President’s rule in order to unseat the incumbent Congress government. In this there is an interplay of political demagogy, adventurism and speculation. Unrest, rioting and repression have led to a heavy toll in terms of civilian life, the destruction of property and a creation of tension. If the Bills are the issue, is there no room to either clear the misunderstandings or add some clauses in the Bills to resolve the tension? If the Bills are just the spark, what role should the Government of India be playing to scale down the tensions? The question now is this: who will negotiate for peace with whom, at what cost, and for what purpose?

Malem Ningthouja

(Dr. Ningthouja is a Fellow at the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla, and the author of three books on Manipur.)

** The article was first published in The Hindu and reproduced in KanglaOnline with permission from the author.

Hill area MLAs face bill heat – Calcutta Telegraph

Hill area MLAs face bill heat
Calcutta Telegraph
All the four legislators of the Naga People’s Front (NPF) had tendered their resignations on Saturday, terming the three bills – Protection of Manipur People Bill 2015, the Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill and the Manipur …
State Govt anti-tribal : ATSUME-Pao.net
ATSUM committee charges govt of pushing anti-tribal policyKanglaOnline
Concern over ‘anti-tribal’ lawsAssam Times

all 13 news articles »

Hill area MLAs face bill heat
Calcutta Telegraph
All the four legislators of the Naga People's Front (NPF) had tendered their resignations on Saturday, terming the three bills – Protection of Manipur People Bill 2015, the Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill and the Manipur …
State Govt anti-tribal : ATSUME-Pao.net
ATSUM committee charges govt of pushing anti-tribal policyKanglaOnline
Concern over 'anti-tribal' lawsAssam Times

all 13 news articles »