IMPHAL, April 11: The All Tribal Students`™ Union Manipur (ATSUM) has organised a one day open dialogue on the contemporary problems of Manipur, with the aim of fostering an amicable solution.
The open dialogue was organised at Tribal Research Institute Chingmeirong and various students`™ organisation and civil society organisation from various hills and valley districts participated and discussed the problems.
Many learned intellectual, academician, scholars, activists, civil society leaders and religious leaders, businessmen, lawyers and students`™ leaders participated also made presentations on the common issue confronting the people of Manipur.
In his keynote address, Emboy Serto, president of ATSUM said that Manipur today is no longer the `Switzerland of the east` and `the Jewels of India` with each fighting their own rights and privileges.
`We seem to neglect the right of the other groups or communities, though this is a duty. Rights and Duties must go hand in hand,` he said.
He further mentioned that tribal own some 90% of the geographical area and 41% of the total population of the state feels that they deserve more. It is an open secret that some communal people have tried to instigate and manipulate the functioning of state government bureaucratically, politically, socially and economically, he added.
The ILPS, AFSPA, closure of mission private schools MLR and LR Act, ADC and Sixth Schedule, bandh and blockade, Meitei Mayek issue ST status for the Meiteis, infrastructure development, misused and diversion of funds etc are some of the problems we have in our state Manipur, he said.
The vast gap in development on hills and valley, no government employees wanting to be posted in hills, schemes which are supposed to help the sick and poor people diverted for development of already developed areas, unequal compensations and widespread misinterpretation of issues, are some issues which needed to be addressed urgently, said Emboy.
The open dialogue dwelt at length on issues of mission schools and private schools, Meitei Mayek, bandhs and blockades, disparity in development, ADC and misuse and diversion of funds etc.
Representatives of AMUCO, UNC, KSO GHQ, KSO CCPUR, KSO SADAR HILLS, KSO IMPHAL, NSUC, SDSA, TKLI, TAKL, KRSU GHQ, HAS, CESM, TFR, ZSU SPT, MUTSU, HUMAN RIGHTS CLUB MANIPUR UNIVERSITY, LUMINOUS ACADEMY, JNU & DU STUDENTS`™, TSU DM COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCE, HILL DISTRICT CONTRACT TEACHERS ASSN., HILL DISTRICT PVT. SCHOOLS ASSN., POUMAI STUDENTS`™ UNION, CANANVENG YOUTH CLUB, MEELAL were present.
After the marathon discussion and dialogue, the host ATSUM and other participant drew up a list of recommendations and decided to appeal to the government to solve the problems, in particular of the closing down of Mission Schools within three days.
The meeting also decided to request the organization responsible to relax the ban imposed on Mission School immediately and to have a strong policy for the welfare of the students.
It also said BOSEM must not impose students to study in his own dialect and also to make Additional English optional to every student. The meeting also request MEELAL and others who are trying to impose Meitei Mayek to reconsider and adopt new strategies to develop the script.
The meeting further decided that another meeting will be held with regards to ILP to discuss the related issues on another platform. The new Acts pass by the Government to replace ILP by MRVT & MW Bill, 2015 needs deeper studies, the meeting concluded.
The meeting also further decided HAC, ADC & Sixth Scheduled issues need to be discussed and deliberated further. It also decided that this kind of meeting must be held regularly so that misunderstandings among the different communities may be chalk out so that the people remain emotionally integrated.