Imphal, Oct 23 (NNN): All Manipur Tribal Union (AMTU) has pointed out certain factors that have created the alienation between the Government of Manipur and the hill people of Manipur. Finding fault with various State Government Acts, the tribal body said that those Acts only ended up creating ‘alienation between the hill people and the Government of Manipur.’
It questioned the democratic credential of the state government saying that the type of government “we attribute” is largely based on its proclivity and sensitivity to socio-environmental derivatives of its people, namely culture, custom and tradition. These three important factors frame “our social nature”.
AMTU claimed that government Acts like Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reform Act 1960, Indian Forest Act 1927, Manipur Forest Act Rules 1971, Abolition of Chief Rights Act 1967 etc. have totally overlooked the three factors – culture, custom and tradition of the hill people of Manipur while arriving at policy decision.
The tribal body evoked Chinese philosopher Confucius to drive home a ‘three factor’ point that the government should give their people peace and order, which will only come if people learn to be kind, considerate and respectful to each other.
“Although we claim to be a democracy in toto, we are in the trend of mix governance whereby the three factor principle of democracy has been overlooked, which is why and how so many hill insurgents have cropped up in Manipur”, it said.
‘Hence, it is time the government secured the loyalty of the hill people and promulgates autonomy, preferably the Sixth Schedule or any other reasonable autonomous district council as a remedy to the past backlog of political frustration among the hill tribal people’, it cautioned, ‘Lest a sea-saw game of agitation will persist into the future of Manipur.’
It reminded that the recent voices of dissent against Autonomic District Council Act of 2008 (Third Amendment Act) was because the tribal people of the State are ‘oppressed and suppressed by power dominant State Government on matters like Census, Tribal sub plan and Finance Commission.’