IMPHAL, September 25: A group of organisations have petitioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating that the Manipur government has violated the constitutional safeguards of the Indigenous/Tribal Peoples.
The organisations are Meghalaya Peoples`™ Human Rights Council (MPHRC), Indigenous Womens`™ Forum of Northeast India (IWFNEI), Sinlung Indigenous Peoples`™ Human Rights Organization (SIPHRO), Naga Peoples`™ Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), Karbi Human Rights Watch (KHRW), Zo Indigenous Forum (ZIF) and Zomi Human Rights Foundation (ZHRF).
In their joint petition, the organisations claimed that the passing of the three bills in the Manipur Assembly had led to widespread protests in the hill districts of Manipur and in Churachandpur town.
The organisations have demanded that the government of India immediately intervene to prevent further violence and deaths by impressing upon the Government of Manipur to immediately withdraw the legally flawed and controversial Bills, that were passed `without due democratic process and in violation of Article 371 (C) of the Constitution`; to ensure that the Government of Manipur adhere to established democratic procedure and obligations in accordance with national and international human rights standards such as the right to free, prior and informed consent of the right-holders, particularly the indigenous/tribal peoples, to ensure their full and effective participation in the legislation of laws that affect them.
The organisations have also demanded the Centre to institute an independent judicial enquiry and to immediately bring to book the Manipur Police Commandoes responsible for the deaths of the protestors and to immediately stop the militarization of Churachandpur town and other indigenous/tribal peoples land in North East India.
Protestors burnt down the houses of Legislative Assembly Members Phungzathang Tonsing (minister of Health), Manga Vaiphei (MLA of Henglep constituency), Vungzagin Valte (MLA of Thanlon), Ginsuanhau (MLA of Singhat) and of Thangso Baite (Member of Parliament, Manipur Outer), it said.
The statement also claimed that the Manipur police commandos used `live bullets and in two days seven people were shot dead including an 11 year old boy while 34 people were injured.`
Two more subsequently succumbed to their injuries making the death toll to 9, it further claimed.
In their petition, the organisations also cited that the State government promulgated Section 144 of the CrPC and `blocked the free flow of news and information by shutting mobile internet services and restricting all mobile services except calls, for a week.`
It said this was to suppress the collective dissent of all the indigenous/tribal peoples in the State against the Government.
The Bills were passed without any prior consultation with the Hill Area Committee (HAC) despite the fact that the three bills affect the hill people both in its extend and application.
The petition also raised the issue of Manipur being described as `Small hill State in North East India in the Protection of Manipur People Bill and termed it incorrect and that the `same Bill also questions the identity and citizenship of the indigenous/tribal of Manipur by invoking 1951 Census Report as one of the criteria to determine who the people of Manipur are.`
It said Manipur attained full-fledged statehood in 1972 and the 1951 census is not scientifically sound and eliminates many indigenous/tribal peoples of Manipur. Despite its merger into the Indian State in 1949, the Hill Areas were extremely remote without connectivity even to the district head-quarters hence it is irrational to assume that all the villages and the villagers would be officially recorded in two years.
This will lead to denial of citizenship to a host of indigenous/tribal population in the State, it said.
It further claimed that indigenous/tribal peoples have only 19 constituencies out of the 60 seats which make them a permanent minority in the Manipur Legislative Assembly.