OVER four weeks after Manipur state assembly passed three bills arguably to protect the rights of indigenous people, tension continues to simmer in the hill areas of the state with Churachandpur being the focal point.
During the passing of the three controversial bills, no tribal legislator reportedly objected nor raised their voice. This angered the public leading to the burning of houses belonging to tribal MLAs and ministers, including of Minister of Health and Family Welfare Phungzathang Tonsing, and Lok Sabha member Thangso Baite, in Churachandpur.
The violence that followed and the consequent police action left nine people dead. The deceased have been identified as Pausuanlian, 19, Thangzalian, 30, H. Paulianmang, 23, Robert V. Jamminthang, 30, Khamsianmuan, 22, Khaijamang Touthang, 11, Henlalson, 18, K. Lamkhenthang, 45, and Enkhankhup, 20.
Following a mass agitation by the people of the four valley districts of Manipur, the state assembly, in a specially convened session, passed the Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2015, the Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015, and the Manipur Shops and Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015, without the consent of the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) on August 31.
The tribal people contend that the bills would directly undermine the existing safeguards for the hill areas regarding land-ownership and population influx, as the primary threat for the tribal people came not from outside the state but the Meitei people from the valley itself.
Manipur's geographical area is 22,327 sq km of which the hill areas cover 20,089 sq km, and the valley has only 2,238 sq km. The ratio of tribal to non-tribal MLAs in the state assembly is 20:40. A series of developments since then has left the situation in a state of flux. A Joint Action Committee (JAC) against the bills was formed by Kuki Inpi Churachandpur, Hmar Inpui, Zomi Council, Mizo People's Convention (Manipur) and Joint Philanthropic Organisations, Joint Women's Association and various tribal student bodies in Churachandpur on September 2. The JAC is now spearheading the movement seeking the withdrawal of the bills.
The JAC's demands are immediate withdrawal of the three bills, alternatively, the state government should convene a special assembly session within September and pass another bill for exclusion of area under the six autonomous district councils of Manipur, including pockets of land amalgamated with valley districts, without the knowledge and consent of the tribal people, from the three anti-tribal bills; and for a better administration and durable peace and development, the government must create a "separate political administration" for the tribal people outside the state government. Towards this objective, political talks with two underground outfits - Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United Peoples Front (UPF) - should be expedited, it demanded.
The JAC petitioned the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 7 seeking a separate political administration for the tribal people of Manipur.
The KNO and UPF had signed a tripartite Suspension of Operations (SoO) with the Indian and Manipur governments in New Delhi on August 22, 2008. However, the two outfits have not been invited for political dialogue by the government till date.
Earlier the two groups had separate demands - the KNO fought for a Kuki state while the UPF wanted an autonomous hill state. After a joint meeting on September 13, the KNO and UPF sent delegates to New Delhi to seek the Centre's attention.
The leaders of KNO and UPF met R.N. Ravi, chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee and the Centre's interlocutor for the Naga peace talks, on September 16.
'The delegates of KNO and UPF met me. I will convey their concerns to the home ministry," Ravi told North East Sun, 'The talks should begin."
Interestingly, Ravi visited Imphal on September 10 but did not visit Churachandpur for reasons unknown. Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh reportedly advised Ravi not to proceed beyond Imphal. Ibobi Singh, it is reported, told union Home Minister Rajnath Singh that the state government could handle the situation which was just an "internal matter".
Meanwhile, in Delhi, several tribal students' organisations of Manipur collectively held an emergency meeting after the violence of August 31 in Churachandpur and formed the Manipur Tribals' Forum, Delhi (MTDF).
MTDF leaders, along with delegates of the Autonomous District Council of Churachandpur, met President Pranab Mukherjee, as well as union Minister for Tribal Affairs Jual Oram on September 22 submitted memorandums. The leaders also urged Oram to protect and safeguard the rights of the tribal people which is recognised by the Constitution of India.
They highlighted the major concerns of the tribal people and history of discrimination and subjugation by the state, and requested the president to consult Ashok Prasad, secretary for internal security in the union home ministry, who was sent as central observer to Churachandpur on September 22, before taking any decision on the bills.
Earlier, the MTFD had discussion with the delegations of the KNO and UPF. KNO delegats included its spokesperson Seilen Haokip and defence secretary T.S. Haokip while the UPF delegates included Aaron Kipgen, political convenor and Calvin H.
Kipgen affirmed that talks would be held with the central government soon. He said the union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has expressed his readiness to start a political dialogue with the UPF and KNO and has directed the home secretary to initiate the process at the earliest.
The MTFD also met the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah, Ravi, Lok Sabha member from Meghalaya P.A. Sangma, former home secretary G.K. Pillai, Rajnath Singh, and union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju among others. The forum also held a protest rally when Manipur Chief Minister Ibobi Singh was in the Manipur Bhavan in New Delhi on September 20. The protestors were detained by Delhi Police and later released.
Meanwhile, the JAC also extended full support to the All Tribal Students' Union of Manipur (ATSUM) ultimatum to all hill MLAs to resign on or before September 30.
Leaders of the United Naga Council (UNC), KNO and UPF held a meeting in Churachandpur on September 23 discussing the prevailing situation in Manipur and the political future of the tribal people.
In remembrance of honouring the nine people who died in the violence, a symbolic resting place called Salphate Zahna Pumbuk built at Lamka Community Hall was inaugurated on September 21.
On September 22, the Manipur government wrote to President Mukherjee urging him to give due assent to the three bills passed by the Manipur assembly for providing a constitutional safeguard to the indigenous people of Manipur. The three bills were referred to the president by the Manipur governor on September 17.
"The Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) Manipur which often claims to represent the voice of the native people of Manipur is a misrepresentation of the factual situation in the state," Lakpachui Siro, spokesperson of the MTFD said. The JCILPS spearheaded the movement for the inner line permit system in Manipur.
"This demand committee only represent the Manipuris or Meitei Community who live in state capital Imphal. They are the inhabitants of four valley districts which is less than 10 percent of the total territory of the state. The remaining areas are inhabited by the tribal people under the broad family of Naga, Zomi, Kuki and Hmar.
Manipuris or Meiteis do not own land in five hill district which constitutes more than 90 percent of the state's territory as the land is protected under a special constitutional provision for the tribal people of the state," Siro said.
~ Bruce K. Thangkhal
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