IMPHAL, August 8: The All India Students’ Federation (AISF), Manipur State Council said the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People was observed at Head Office of Irabot Bhavan at 11.30 am on August 8.
According to the release of the AISF, the programme was attended by its President, Nongthombam Sanahal as the President. During the program, AISF, Secretary, L. Lenin had said that the in the year 1982, the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Sub commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Human Rights had decided to announce August 9 as the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People.
However, the event was proclaimed only in the December of 1994 by the United Nations General Assembly. The first 10 years between 1995-2004 was announced as the First International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People and from 2005-2015 as ‘A Decade for Action and Dignity’. However, for this year, the day is observed under the theme ‘Bridging the gap: implementing the rights of indigenous peoples’’ it said.
The AISF, vice-president, M. Surjit Luwang has stated that the declining of indigenous people in the world is due to global change.
However, he stated that despite the changes, the indigenous people must preserve their culture and custom.
The president of the event, N. Sanahal had said that the event is held to help preserve the identifications of the Indigenous people. However, preservation of their identity depends on the people and not by Law, Act and Declaration, it said.