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\nIMPHAL, Nov 19 NNN : Committee on Protection of Tribal Areas, Manipur (COPTAM) has dwelt on the subjects dogging
\nwith tribal people in Manipur including the demand for Kuki State, Autonomous Hills State and Alternative Arrangement by different tribal organizations.
\nOn Monday, COPTAM has said tribal rights including tribal territories have by design been violated by the government of Manipur for the past more than half a decade. All Constitutional provisions for protection and administration of tribal hill areas of the state have been systematically hindered by the State Assembly and successive state governments, it alleged.
\nCOPTAM stated that the calibrated absence of meaningful response from the state government on the issues raised
\nby the Committee is further evidence of the state government\u2019s bias in favor of the valley dwelling majority community to the detriment of tribal.
\nThe Hill Area Committee (HAC), a constitutional body provided for legislative protection of tribal interests and
\nexecutive supervision in tribal areas has been clipped of all its powers and functions, it added.
\nThe Manipur(Village Authority in Hill Areas)Act 1956, the MLR & LR Act 1960, etc., which have been designed to
\nbreach the constitutional protection accorded to tribal territories, and as such consistently opposed by the tribals of
\nManipur, are relentlessly sought to be executed by successive governments in brazen disregard for tribal rights and
\nconcerns. The persistent opposition over the past decades, of the valley people-dominated governments of Manipur, for according protection to tribal hill areas under sixth schedule of the constitution is testament to the true intentions of the majority dominated governments of Manipur, which is to leave tribal land open to exploitation and alienation, it further added.
\n\u201cIn the light of the above, the COPTAM would like to state that demands for self governance over ancestral land,
\ncustom and Culture by the tribals, are political developments born out of total disillusionment with a biased and
\nunjust state government which have not only neglected development of tribal areas but have been guilefully
\nplanning to strip tribals of all their rights.
\nThe COPTAM has been, is and will always be extending the fullest of support to all efforts aimed at securing tribal
\npeoples\u2019 rights in Manipur. It is also our sincere appeal to the governments, both in the state and at the center, to immediately begin talks with tribal organisation of Manipur for an early settlement of political discord in the region at one go without any discrimination among trial. The state\u2019s insensitivity to tribal aspirations for protection of their rights and equitable development has driven sections of tribal communities to armed insurgency. The government must learn to progress beyond cease-fires and Suspensions of Operation to sincere political deliberation and dialogue at earliest possible,\u201d COPTAM stated.
\nCOPTAM then spells out the reasons to oppose village authority election under the Manipur (Village Authorities in Hill Areas) Act 1956.
\nOne reason has been that the consent and approval of Manipur tribal chiefs was not sought when the Act was passed by the parliament in order to suit tribal traditional system of election and village administration base on their custom and culture. The chiefs are awake and aware only when the implementation of the act impinge on the traditional rights and authority of the chieftains.
\nAnother reason is that traditionally, governance and administration under the Chieftainship\/Haosa of the tribals is hereditary within their territorial jurisdictions. The chief is the head of the village authority. The members of the Village Authority are drawn from various clans in the village and they assist the chief in administration and dispensation of justice.
\nThe conduct of Village Authority members by the government is neither the general interest nor the demand of the
\npeople of tribal villages. It is an imposition to the tribal people with the intention to degrade Chieftainship institution
\nand to gradually intrude tribal ancestral land. Only where there is no chief, election of Village Authority can be
\nconducted by the government if there is a demand from the people of that village, was one of the reasons that
\nCOPTAM has been opposing the village authority election under the Act.<\/p>\n\n