WASEDEV pledge support to Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur

IMPHAL, Dec 23
Women Association for Socio Economic Development (WASEDEV) has come out in support of the statewide total shutdown to be called from midnight of December 27 till 6pm of December 28 by Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM) if the State Govt fails to recommend the inclusion of Meiteis/Meeteis in the scheduled tribe list to the Centre by 3 pm, December 27.
In a statement released today, WASEDEV stated that with the merging of Manipur with India in 1949, the Constitution of India divided the people into tribals and non-tribals and further divided the land into hill areas and valley, wherein the hill areas constituted nearly 92% of the total land mass of the State while the valley constituted a mere 8%.
Statement further lamented over the fact that there are no safeguards preventing non-natives from settling or purchasing land in the small valley while the hill areas are classed as scheduled land and hence protected from such intrusions.
WASEDEV also questioned the fate of the Meitei/Meetei community once highways and Trans Asian Railways are routed through the State. In order to restore the bonds of brotherhood between the communities of the hills and the valley it is essential to  include the valley area of Manipur in Article 342 (2) so it may receive the status of scheduled land and thus be protected, the statement added. As such, WASEDEV has declared their support for the general strike  called by STDCM.