Manipur News

IMPHAL, August 24 NNN : Autonomous District Council (ADC), Ukhrul has insisted in a memorandum to the Union Home Minister on Saturday that the border village of Choro in UKhrul district of Manipur should not be ceded to Myanmar to barter land between the neighbouring country and India.
The memorandum says ADC members and the public of Ukhrul in the interest of the people of the state oppose the process for inclusion of Choro in the land exchange process between the two countries.
Both Manipur and Central Governments purportedly intend to give away the Choro village to Myanmar for the purpose of the current Indo-Myanmar Border Fencing.
In the representation to Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, ADC, Ukhrul says both Manipur and Central Government are taking steps to cede Choro village in exchange of Myanmar’s land at Manipur’s Moreh in Chandel district.
It says Choro is a hill village that pays house tax and it is inhabited by Manipuris who have been safeguarding the boundary since time immemorial.
Border village of Choro was wisely saved from losing to Myanmar (Burma) when the Kabaw Vallley of Manipur was given to the neighbouring country, says the memorandum.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/ukhrul-villagers-against-ceding-of-manipurs-land-to-myanmar/

IMPHAL, Aug 23 NNN : Kukis in Manipur have intensified their statehood demand movement by spreading out their programmes to various parts of the North East India region.
Apart from participating in the ongoing indefinite hunger strike underway at Kokrajhar in Assam jointly carried out by the Bodos and leaders of the Kuki State Demand Committee (KSDC) demanding the creations of Bodoland in Assam and Kuki state in Manipur, series of consultative meetings involving Kuki intellectuals, Kuki State Demand Committee (KSDC) leaders, Kuki scholars and student leaders will be organised in Guwahati, Shillong and Churachandpur (south Manipur) in the coming days.
The Kuki State Demand Committee(KSDC) and some social organisations based in Guwahati and Shillong will be organizing a one-day consultative meeting at Guwahati on August 25 and another such programme at Shillong on August 26 with leaders of Kuki Welfare Association.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/kuki-join-hands-with-bodo-to-demand-state/

New Delhi, Aug 23 NNN: Tribal student leaders from Manipur have arrived here in the national capital last evening seeking audience in connection with the tribal peoples’ cause in Manipur.
President of All Tribal Students Union, Manipur (ATSUM) Muan Tombing, its general secretary Vareiyo Shatsang and others are now camping in New Delhi meeting leaders of All India Tribal Students Federation (AITSF), Manipur Tribal Rights
Forum, Delhi and many other civil organisations based in New Delhi.
“Except the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), no welfare laws are working in Manipur,” said ATSUM president Muan Tombing and its general secretary Vareiyo Shatsang in New Delhi while talking to Newmai News Network this evening, adding, “The AFSPA is strictly implemented in Manipur for several decades now inspite of strong opposition from the people both in the hills and the valley.”
“Harping continuously by the successive state governments to safeguard the territorial integrity of Manipur but failed to address the plights of the hill people in Manipur, have angered the tribal people of the state,” expressed the ATSUM leaders, adding, “It is in this kind of political climate that we, on behalf of the tribals of Manipur is taking the movement to the national capital.”

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/tribal-students-to-lobby-in-delhi/

IMPHAL, August 23 MNS NNN: Normal life in Manipur was paralysed due to the dawn to dusk state wide bandh given by the Joint Action Committee for driver Okram Gyanendro killing on Friday with the JAC announcing a further indefinite general strike after the state Government refused to give any response to it in connection with the death.
Shortly before the Friday strike was about to end at 6 pm, the JAC, which has been putting pressure on the state Government to bring the culprits to justice, announced another state wide indefinite bandh from 6 pm Friday. The JAC said the Government is not responding to its demands.
It has demanded the Government to nab the culprits involved in the van driver killing.
Meanwhile, the 13-hour strike imposed by the JAC affected normal life in the state. However, the bandh was by and large peaceful.
More than 40 women bandh supporters were detained by City Police after they forced shops in Khwairamband market to close down. However, they were later released.
Inter-district passenger service was halted due to the strike, but the inter-state bus service was normal. Most of the educational institutions were also closed for the day. Government establishments were also recorded low attendance.?
Gyanendra aged 35, was reportedly shot dead inside his own passenger van by unknown persons on August 18 in the Naran Konjin Palli area under Wangoi Police Station in Thoubal district. He was a native of Singjamei Okram Leikai in Imphal West district. He left behind his wife and two children.?
Meanwhile, the JAC said the dead body of driver Gyanendro now lying at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) mortuary, Imphal will be taken tomorrow.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/strike-against-killing-of-gyanendro-affects-life/

Imphal , Aug 23 UNA : The Students’ Union Presidency College Motbung stir came to and an end after Memorandum of Understanding signed between the student body and the Joint Director, Directorate of Tribal Affairs & Hills, Govt. of Manipur Friday.
The Students’ Union PCM Secretary Nemneithem Kipgen said, with the initiative of Joint Director, TA&H a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed and subsequently our agitation has been put to an end this morning.
Some of the agitating studentsdismantled one of the College classrooms but we prevent them to causedfurther damage”, added Nemneithem Kipgen.
She continued that, the Directorate of Tribal Affairs and Hills,Manipur intimated us that due to inadequate fund release by theMinistry of Tribal Affairs, Govt. of India all the eligible ST students of inside and outside the state of Manipur from different colleges could be awarded with the Post Matric Scholarship during the year 2012-13.
“They also intimated that the department is currently seized with the same problem and is in the process of detecting actual number of ST students who have been left out during the year 2012-13 for submission of a proposal to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Govt.of India requesting release of funds during the current year 2013-14”, she further added.
“The TA&H Department will seek adequate fund from the Ministry of Tribals, Govt. of India for clearing all backlog ST students of 2012-13 and also of 2011-12 at the earliest”.
TA&H Department shall give priority in clearing the due payment of Post Matric Scholarship of the Presidency College, Motbung and the Student body shall cease all sorts of agitation.
The Memorandum signed between the two parties has been signed by the Joint Director, TA&H, Manipur on the part of the Government while the Students’ Union PCM representatives who signed in the MoU are Nemneithem Kipgen, Lamkam Kipgen and Lhingneihoi Haokip.
The Students’ Union Presidency College, Motbung appeals particularly the TA&H department officials and staffs and the Government to make the MoU accomplish accordingly.
In the meantime, Students’ Union PCM stated that regular class has been made compulsory in the College and the teaching staffs, lecturers attend their duty regularly and faithfully up to the satisfaction of the students as well as parents/guardians

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/presidency-college-students-call-off-stir/