ANSAM seeks answers from LS MP
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Our Correspondent
SENAPATI, Mar 8: The All Naga Students' Association Manipur (ANSAM) has sought clarification from Lok Sabha MP Dr Bimol Akoijam and his position on issues pertaining to Article 371C, rights of tribal communities over land and resources in the hill areas and Meiteis' demand for recognition as a Scheduled Tribe.
This demand for a public clarification came after the MP allegedly made several remarks on the issues recently.
In a statement, ANSAM said, the MP's remarks which allegedly undermine tribal rights have been shared widely on social media since January 14.
Clarity on the matters is essential in order to maintain trust, Constitutional adherence, and peaceful coexistence among the peoples of Manipur. ANSAM will be compelled to consider the Inner Manipur MP and the party he represents i.e. Indian National Congress as an anti-tribal entity if he fails to issue a clarification, ANSAM said.
ANSAM said the Article 371C was necessitated and enacted to safeguard the existing rights of the tribal people of Manipur, particularly over their land, resources, culture and custom.
It claimed the Article was introduced with full awareness of the historical and continuing attempts by dominant groups to encroach upon tribal rights, a concern that remains valid even today.
The Article provides for the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) in the Manipur Legislative Assembly and assigns special responsibility to the Governor to ensure proper administration of the hill areas. This provision reflects a Constitutional recognition of the distinct historical, social and administrative realities of the hill regions and the need to protect the interests of the tribal population, ANSAM said.
On land ownership, ANSAM said the Supreme Court has time and again affirmed that there is no Government khasland in the hill areas of Manipur and instead gave rulings that the land belongs to the people, as per records available since time immemorial as the indigenous owners of the land.
"These judgments are on record. That is why compensation in the hills is mandatorily paid directly to the indigenous tribal landowners by all user agencies including the State as well as the Union Government," it said.
Following the merger of Manipur with the Union of India in 1949, land in the valley became the property of the State. Hence, land administration of the valley areas has largely been governed through statutory mechanisms under the Revenue Department of the State Government. Thus, the valley areas are administered under formal land revenue laws, which are totally different from the customary land systems that prevail in the hill districts till date, it said.
"Given these historical and Constitutional realities, statements of the MP, suggesting that forest lands in the hill areas are open for claims by communities outside the traditional tribal inhabitants, raise serious concerns," ANSAM stated, asking if the MP was speaking in his personal capacity, or it reflects the official position of the Indian National Congress.
The hill regions of Manipur have always been administered differently from the valley. Even during the colonial period, the hill areas were governed under separate administrative arrangements with a separate political agent, recognizing the distinct social and customary systems of the tribal peoples, ANSAM said.
ANSAM also voiced its strong objection to the Meitei community's ST demand.
"How can such a progressive community with a claim of 2000-5000 years of existence desire to benefit from being an ST under the Indian Constitution. It is a paradox of a community supremacy," ANSAM stated.
At a time when Manipur continues to face deep social and political challenges, statements that appear to question established protections for tribal land and institutions risk further deepening divisions between communities and creating more insecurities for the tribals who are already facing huge development disparity in the State, ANSAM said.
SENAPATI, Mar 8: The All Naga Students' Association Manipur (ANSAM) has sought clarification from Lok Sabha MP Dr Bimol Akoijam and his position on issues pertaining to Article 371C, rights of tribal communities over land and resources in the hill areas and Meiteis' demand for recognition as a Scheduled Tribe.
This demand for a public clarification came after the MP allegedly made several remarks on the issues recently.
In a statement, ANSAM said, the MP's remarks which allegedly undermine tribal rights have been shared widely on social media since January 14.
Clarity on the matters is essential in order to maintain trust, Constitutional adherence, and peaceful coexistence among the peoples of Manipur. ANSAM will be compelled to consider the Inner Manipur MP and the party he represents i.e. Indian National Congress as an anti-tribal entity if he fails to issue a clarification, ANSAM said.
ANSAM said the Article 371C was necessitated and enacted to safeguard the existing rights of the tribal people of Manipur, particularly over their land, resources, culture and custom.
It claimed the Article was introduced with full awareness of the historical and continuing attempts by dominant groups to encroach upon tribal rights, a concern that remains valid even today.
The Article provides for the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) in the Manipur Legislative Assembly and assigns special responsibility to the Governor to ensure proper administration of the hill areas. This provision reflects a Constitutional recognition of the distinct historical, social and administrative realities of the hill regions and the need to protect the interests of the tribal population, ANSAM said.
On land ownership, ANSAM said the Supreme Court has time and again affirmed that there is no Government khasland in the hill areas of Manipur and instead gave rulings that the land belongs to the people, as per records available since time immemorial as the indigenous owners of the land.
"These judgments are on record. That is why compensation in the hills is mandatorily paid directly to the indigenous tribal landowners by all user agencies including the State as well as the Union Government," it said.
Following the merger of Manipur with the Union of India in 1949, land in the valley became the property of the State. Hence, land administration of the valley areas has largely been governed through statutory mechanisms under the Revenue Department of the State Government. Thus, the valley areas are administered under formal land revenue laws, which are totally different from the customary land systems that prevail in the hill districts till date, it said.
"Given these historical and Constitutional realities, statements of the MP, suggesting that forest lands in the hill areas are open for claims by communities outside the traditional tribal inhabitants, raise serious concerns," ANSAM stated, asking if the MP was speaking in his personal capacity, or it reflects the official position of the Indian National Congress.
The hill regions of Manipur have always been administered differently from the valley. Even during the colonial period, the hill areas were governed under separate administrative arrangements with a separate political agent, recognizing the distinct social and customary systems of the tribal peoples, ANSAM said.
ANSAM also voiced its strong objection to the Meitei community's ST demand.
"How can such a progressive community with a claim of 2000-5000 years of existence desire to benefit from being an ST under the Indian Constitution. It is a paradox of a community supremacy," ANSAM stated.
At a time when Manipur continues to face deep social and political challenges, statements that appear to question established protections for tribal land and institutions risk further deepening divisions between communities and creating more insecurities for the tribals who are already facing huge development disparity in the State, ANSAM said.