KANGPOKPI, August 30: Several tribal student organizations namely the Kuki Students`™ Organization (GHQ); All Naga Students`™ Association Manipur (ANSAM) and both the ATSUM groups have jointly called a 12 hour bandh in all the hill districts of the State with effect from 6 am of August 31.
A joint statement signed by Seiboi Haokip, general secretary of KSO-GHQ; Alexander Huten, general secretary of ANSAM; Maun Tombing, president of ATSUM and Joseph R. Hmar, acting president of ATSUM said that the 12 hour bandh was called against the introduction of the Protection of Manipur Peoples Bill, 2015; Manipur Land Revenue & Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2015 and Manipur Shop & Establishment (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015 in the special session of the State Assembly on August 28.
It pointed out that the bills have overlapping of Article 371 C and Manipur Hill People Administration Regulation Act, 1947 and reiterated that various tribal organizations had apprised the government of their stands in this regard.
While holding the State government and the Hill Areas Committee responsible for any problematic circumstances arises out of the bandh, the tribal student bodies in the statement made it clear that the tribal people will not remain silent spectators when their rights are threatened by such way of systematic infringement.
Mention may be made that various tribal bodies including KSO, ANSAM and ATSUM have released several press statements separately in the past few days voicing their total resentment over the three bills introduced in the Assembly on August 28 following an agreement between the State government and JCILPS on August 25.
The tribal bodies claim that the bills will directly or indirectly affect the tribal interest.