JAC | PUBLIC APPEAL, August 13, 2016

 

JOINT ACTION COMMITTEE

Against Anti-Tribal Bills

jac.tribals@gmail.com

PUBLIC APPEAL

Lamka, August 13, 2016

India will be celebrating its 70th Independence Day on August 15, 2016. However, for the once self-sufficient and sovereign tribal peoples in present Manipur, the last many decades since Manipur became a part of independent India have been marked by the Manipur government's prejudiced policy of cultural subjugation, social marginalization and economic exclusion of the tribal peoples.

Since the era of the British Empire, the indigenous tribes inhabiting the Hills of present Manipur have always been administered separately- the Hills administered by the British Political Agent and the Valley by the Manipur Durban. The Manipur Maharaja's Dubar never had a say in the administration of the Hill Areas, as noted by Sir Robert Reid, the then Governor of Assam, in the History of Frontier Areas Bordering Assam 1893-1941. In fact, the merger agreement with the Indian Union signed by Manipur's Maharaja Bodhanchandra Singh extends only to the Valley areas of present Manipur measuring 26, 500 paris/hectars and not even a single inch of Hill areas, leaving the Hills under various tribal chiefs who are the supreme lords over their respective tribal territories.

The Indian Constitution also recognizes the distinct differences between the indigenous tribes of the Hills and the dominant non-tribal community inhabiting the Valley, thereby guaranteeing special rights and privileges to the tribals in Manipur under Article 371C. Manipur has always had to Members of Parliament (Lower House), one for the dominant non-tribal community of the Inner Manipur constituency and one for the tribal peoples of the Outer Manipur constituency.

Despite recognizing these distinctive contrasts between the tribal peoples and the dominant community in the Valley, the plight of the tribals in present Manipur continues to be ignored and incessantly downplayed by both the Union Government as well as the Manipur Government.

While the conundrum over the three anti-tribal bills passed by the Manipur Legislative Assembly are still ongoing, the Manipur Government had promptly drafted a new bill in place of the withheld Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015 which is 'an insult to the Tribals and the tribal people in Manipur' (Resolution 1 of Public consultation meeting organised by the Joint Action Committee Against Anti-Tribal Bills (JAC) on July 9, 2016). The Press Release issued by the Outer Manipur Tribals' Forum (tribal apex body of the Hmar Inpui, Thadou Innpi, Mizo People Convention, United Naga Council and Zomi Council) on July 11, 2016 also declared that 'if any bill, which is detrimental to the Hill Areas and its people, be introduced and passed in the communal Manipur state Legislative Assembly, the tribal peoples of Manipur shall never accept (such a bill) under any circumstances and it will be considered as an insult and challenge to the tribal people".

With the government continuing its blatant disregard and disrespect for anything tribal, the JAC will be organizing a Mass Sit-in Protest/Dharna on August 15, 2016 starting from 11:00am at Salphate' Pumbuk, Hiangtam Lamka, Lamka. Unlike the JAC's daily sit-in protests at the same venue where localities/vengs participate on the days allotted for them, the mass dharnas will be open for all concerned tribals who are determined to continue our fight for our land, rights and identity. The mass dharna will be marked by interaction sessions as well as mass prayers invoking the Almighty's continued guidance.

-Information and Publicity Department.

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