Press Release | JAC Against Anti Tribal Bills | Manipur Tribals

Press Release

Lamka, May 19, 2016

The Joint Action Committee against Anti-Tribal Bills (JAC) would like to convey its heartfelt gratitude to the tribal people of present Manipur, including the people of Tamenglong, Senapati, Sadar Hills, Ukhrul, Chandel, Singngat, Jiribam, Lamka and JAC units at various sub-divisional headquarters for their support and cooperation in the 48-hours Total Shutdown of all Tribal Territories called by the JAC from the midnight of May 16 to the midnight of May 18, 2016.

The communal attitude, discriminatory policies and prejudiced mind set of the Manipur Government becomes more evident with each passing day. A brief two-month agitation in the Valley resulted in a Special Session of the Manipur State Assembly passing the three anti-tribal bills on August 31, 2015, and a three-day agitation in the Valley for pressurising the Union Government to give President’s assent led to an ‘All Political Party Meeting’ that resolved to send a delegation to voice the concern of the Valley people. However, the Manipur Government has still chosen to turn a blind eye to the 261-day old Tribal Movement in the Hills/Tribal Territories till date; in fact, the Manipur Government still refuses to call a Special Session of the Manipur State Assembly to deliberate on the JAC’s Charter of Demands in spite of the request made by the JAC. 

The fact that the ethnic and communal Manipur Government continues to undermine the cries of the tribal people till today only points

to the deep, unrepairable gash between the Hills/Tribal Territories and the Valley.

The JAC would like to reiterate that the three anti-tribal bills are very much political in nature and have nothing to do with the Inner Line Permit System (ILPS) –

1. Identity politics [The Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2016]
2. Politics of land [The Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2016]
3. Politics of economy and livelihood [The Manipur Shops and Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill, 2016]

As such, a political solution is the only acceptable and sustainable solution for the tribal people.

It is also our humble request to all media houses to refrain from misleading the public by wrongly projecting and publicizing these three anti-tribal bills as ILP bills and creating unnecessary confusion in the minds of the general public.

Information and Publicity Department