A memorandum jointly signed by Muan Tombing, President and Vareiyo Shatsang, General Secretary of All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) have been submitted to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the 20th of August. The apex tribal students’ body of Manipur apprised the Prime Minister of the emerging pressing issues that have cropped up with the continuous agitations by Manipur’s dominant community, the Meiteis through the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) through the memorandum. The students body further states that the agitation which commenced more than two months ago have adversely affected normal life in the state as a whole and have caused untold hardships especially in remote and hard to access tribal populated areas, with the incessant and often violent agitations virtually cutting off all links to the state capital, and greatly impacting transportation of essential commodities within the state, including the movement of life-saving drugs and equipments. Highlighting the instances where ambulances run by various tribal philanthropic organizations carrying patients from far-flung tribal areas for the better-equipped hospitals in Imphal have been attacked, the memorandum alleged deliberate targeting of vehicles from tribal areas from other districts while the state government remained mere spectator to the whole episode, leaving the minority tribal community to fend for themselves. It was also mentioned that tribal folks residing in and around Imphal have been forced to unwillingly participate in these agitation against the risk of undesirable repercussions including payment of daily fine and even physical injury. Voicing the concern felt by the tribal community regarding the ongoing demand to classify residents not registered before 1951 as non-locals or migrants, it was also stated that the majority of the tribals in the hills of Manipur were independent of any external control and were not even aware that they were a part of the state as a majority of the tribal villages were never visited by any government machinery then, including those involved in the census in those days. As such, the tribals of Manipur are in a constant state of fear that their ancestral lands will be grabbed by the majority community sooner or later, either through the ILPS or some other pretext unless the central government intervenes. The memorandum concluded with the opinion that imposing President’s Rule in the state is the only plausible solution to allaying the fear and concern of the tribal people with provisions for separate administration of the minority tribal and majority Meitei areas of Manipur.
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Imposition of President’s Rule may be demanded when there is indefinite economic blockade on the National Highways of Manipur and a tribal Chief Minister rules over the State.
Which tribal community formed ATSUM? Is it really a student union for all tribals in Manipur or for a particular caste. It is true that due to 2 months long agitation…. it is very hard to live normal life but not only hill area, all plain areas also affected hardly even in proper Imphal area where there is no land for cultivation & vegetables & depend their family on daily wage. But demand is for the benefit of all community living in Manipur and not only for Meitei’s except outsiders come from other states.
It seems that ATSUM sold their rights for a sake of money to Non manipuris and try to brainwaste their community to follow them. Are you a Manipuri or Bihari or Burmese? Think twice before any step or speak. We want to continued the good relation between different communities from ancient times in Manipur.
It’s becoz of Manipur minister everyone is suffering in Manipur….why 4 this stupid baseless IPL ibobi s supporting….they r rich bureaucrats class creating problems n trying to take the rights n snatch 4m poor people living 4m hand to mouth…