Imphal, September 14 2017: In an effort to strengthen the ongoing movement against the new districts created by the previous Ibobi Singh Government, Nagas including village chiefs today conglomerated at Kanglatongbi and held a consultation meeting on the matter.
After a day-long consultation an ‘Adhoc Committee’ was formed to carry out wide campaigns in order to hold further and bigger consultative meetings where all the ‘adversely’ affected people by the new districts will be participated and to take future course of action .
Today’s consultative meeting strongly condemned the creation of new districts by the previous State Governmet.
The programme was organized by Tangkhul Naga Aze Longphang or Southern Tangkhul Naga Union, Manipur.
The organizers said that they were doing this under an understanding with the United Naga Council (UNC) .
Senior advocate Daniel Ramsan and Southern Tangkhul Naga Union advisor Dr Vareso Ningshen attended as resource persons .
After minute discussions, the participants reaffirmed to stand united to counter the State Government’s intentions and policies to “grab the land of the Nagas” .
Dr Vareso Ningshen said, “On understanding the rights of the land and knowing the fact that new districts creation is illegal it is our responsibility to understand the Constitutional rights and law before it is too late” .
He added that Nagas should “foresee our future while understanding the current situation and issues” .
Dr Vareso then told the gathering it is “our duty and responsibility to disseminate our issues, rights and grievances to the Governor so that our issues can heard and addressed” .
According to him, in hill areas, the 6th Schedule of Autonomous District Council is applicable under section 3(1) (d) of the District Council Act 1972.In order to create new districts in the hills whether for district administrative convenience, 6th schedules should be applied, he added .
Dr Vareso said that land holding system is bound by the customary law in the hills under the provision of Autonomous Hill Districts Council Act, 1972.He also recalled that several MoUs have been signed with the Naga representatives and Government of Manipur on creation of new districts in the Naga inhabitated areas.
Violating all such MoUs the Government created the districts .
Vareso observed that when MLR and LR Act is enforced in the hill areas, the land holding laws (customary law) and chieftainships will be definitely over ridden .
Also speaking on the occasion as a resource person, Advocate Daniel Ramsan said that Manipur has been functioning in two Assemblies—the Manipur Legislative Assembly and Hill Areas Committee (HAC).
He said that hills related problems should be addressed in the HAC .
Under section 3 of the District Council Act, 1972 “there should be only six districts”, he pointed out.
Land is the end of everything, Daniel Ramsan added .
After considering from the resource persons and speakers, they resolved to form Committee or JAC against the creation of five new districts without legal sanction .
While STNU chairman Shomi Angkang has been appointed as convenor of the Adhoc Committee, Thangal Tribe Union president Dr Chand Thangmi, Chiru Tribe Union president Ph Zatak and Stoneson Ringkangmai have been appointed as co-convenors of the committee .
In today’s programme, Southern Tangkhul Student Union president Wisdom Shinglai was the recording secretary while Liangmai Chief/Chairman Association secretary Ch Tabamwi and Southern Tangkhul Naga Union secretary S Marchang were “programme masters”.Key note address was given by STNU chairman Shomi Angkang.
Source: The Sangai Express
