IMPHAL, March 15: The Liangmai Naga Council, Manipur (LNC-M), the apex body of Liangmai Tribe in Manipur, reaffirms its stand against the creation of so called Sadar Hills and Jiribam as full-fledged revenue districts of Manipur, said a statement of the council.
It said the Government of Manipur is expected to honour its previous memorandums and press statements on the issue.
Undermining our voice to please certain sections of the people will only escalate the already disturbed Sadar Hills and Jiribam areas, it warned.
The government shouldn’t make a blunder of making any changes in the present set up without proper consultation and consent of every stake holders, it warned stating that failing to acknowledge their voice by government and going ahead with their plan to declare these two areas as full-fledged districts, the Government would invite more trouble than peace in the State.
Therefore, we will oppose creation of Sadar Hills and Jiribam as full-fledged districts tooth and nail, it said, and added the government must take responsibilities for any eventuality.
JIRIBAM (JNN): Even as demand to declare Jiribam Sub-division as a full-fledged Revenue district has been gaining momentum, the Tribal Rights Demand Committee, Jiribam staged a sit in protest today demanding that Jiribam cannot be declared as a district.
The sit in protest was held at Sejang and Lamlong Jakuradhor.
The protestors held placards reading “Hill House tax is tribal privilege”, “Community land holding is tribal right”, “No more encroachment on tribal land”, “Jiribam is Hill area”, “We want hill district”, “Tribal Land is scheduled Area” and “Don’t change Tribal land to Revenue land”.