Mass Solidarity Rally at Haflong for Justice in Manipur By IPF

Haflong, September 7,2015: Protesting the three Bills passed by the Manipur Government recently and supporting the protesting tribal people there, thousands took on the street of Haflong town today, 7th Sept 2015 in a ‘Mass Solidarity Rally for Justice in Manipur’, organized jointly by IPF, NCHISF,IWF and IVFC. The rally started at 10 AM from Council rotary to and from CHT Synod rotary, with banners inscribing ‘Protest Rally against the Discriminatory Bills passed by the Manipur Govt.’ and placards showing ‘Repeal the Anti-tribal Bills in Manipur’, ‘We condemn Discrimination in Manipur’, ‘Protect Indigenous Right’, ‘Blood has no Boundary’, etc.

According to their press release, the rally was held in pursuance to the decision taken in joint meeting; of all the lower sub-organs of the Indigenous Peoples’ Forum (IPF), N.C. Hills, Assam  viz; N.C. Hills Indigenous Student’s Forum (NCHISF), Indigenous Women Forum (IWF), Indigenous Village Chief Forum (IVCF) with the affiliated Apex bodies of the Zeme, Hmar, Kuki, Vaiphei, Biate, Rongmei, Hrangkhol and other communities; held on 3rd Sept, 2015 at Haflong.
The organizers submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi in protest against the bills passed in the special session of Manipur Assembly on 31st August 2015 and the Assam govt apathy to the demand of the IPF.
The memorandum stated that the three bills viz; Protection of Manipur People Bills 2015, Manipur Land Revenue & Land Reforms (7th Amendment) Bill 2015 and Manipur shop and establishment (2nd Amendment) Bill 2015, is anti-people and threatens the very existence of the Indigenous Hill Tribals of Manipur since the bill is being motivated to displace the hill tribals from their ancestral legacy. Therefore, the joint meeting declares the legislation and the passing of the bills by the Manipur Legislature Assembly as null and void because the democratic to referendum with the affected people had been denied. The bills thus, in accordance with the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous people (Article 21) is a gross violation and infringement upon the indigenous rights of the Indigenous Tribals and urged the Govt of Manipur to repeal or revoke the discriminatory bills for the larger interest of the Indian tribals. Under no circumstances, the Govt of Manipur should infringe upon the rights, security and dignity of the indigenous tribals.
The IPF strongly condemn the killings of innocent tribals who have opposed the discriminatory bills, in the larger interest of security and unity to protect, preserve and promote their ancestral land for all time, and demand for instituting a judicial enquiry commission to look into the matters concerning the death of those civilians and the perpetrators i.e., the Manipur Police Force to be brought to book and swiftly act against the deteriorating law and order in the state and instill an atmosphere of permanent peace and harmony in the hearts of the indigenous hill tribals. The IPF, therefore, stands united against any attempts or moves to alienate the indigenous Hill Tribals of North-east India from their ancestral habitat.
They urges the Central govt to intervene and redress the step-motherly treatment of the present Assam govt concerning their long political demand and other grievances in the district.
The IPF, further, stated that the Tarun Gogoi govt on 30th March, 2010 willfully and forcibly changes the nomenclature of N.C. Hills to ‘Dima Hasao’ amidst wide protest from the IPF and non-Dimasa Apex bodies. Thus, the IPF communities who comprises of 67% of the district’s total population are left with no option but to launch a strong movement for creation of a separate autonomous district under Article 244 (2) and 275 (1) of the sixth schedule of the constitution of India. And due to the unabated wide protest called by the IPF, the government of Assam was pressurized to constitute a Task Force (vide Notification No. PLA 335/2008/316/Dated 17.08.2010) to examine the recommendations of the Group of Ministers Committee (GOMC) concerning safeguards for minority tribes in Dima Hasao District and issues raised by IPF.
Accordingly, on November 16, 2011, the Task Force submitted its report to the effect that “the demand for setting up two separate independent Autonomous District Council should be considered by the government as a measure to solve the development issues faced by the Dimasa and non-Dimasa groups of people in the district”. In the aforesaid report, the Govt of Assam was also asked to take necessary steps to initiate an understanding with the Non-Dimasa Apex Bodies.Very unfortunately however, the Govt of Assam remained adamant and turned a deaf-ear to such recommendations. Having faced such discriminations from the state govt and unabated injustices in Dima Hasao, the IPF finally request the intervention of the Prime Minister of India to institute a special commission for creation of a separate independent Autonomous District Council for the IPF community as provided in the sixth schedule of the constitution of India.”