IMPHAL, August 2 NNN: All Manipur Tribal Union (AMTU) has expressed its grave concern on the Indo-Myanmar border fencing saying it is ceding away portions of tribal traditional land of Manipur.AMTU suggested that both, the central and state government must take the matter seriously with appropriate measures reflecting the plight of the border tribal villagers.
“It is pertinent to keep in mind pensively that the indigenous tribal lands of Manipur bordering Myanmar should not be traded away further preceding the colonial British government trading away Kabow Valley approximately in the year 1834. This was done so in consideration to appease the spirit of amity and goodwill of the Ava King despite the British conviction that Ningthee River formed the proper boundary,” AMTU pointed out.
“Monthly stipend was given to Manipur Raja. However, after India’s Independence the then PM Jawaharlal Nehru waived off the stipend during a joint visit to Manipur with his counter part Unu merely for a diplomatic flourish,” the tribal body recalled. It then advised that the government must trace each concerned village demarcation boundaries in the hills department of Manipur government minutely by consulting local village chiefs of their land documents and retrieve back such artificially ceded lands from Myanmar. “Lest, it may provoke a political havoc in the state as we no more want to part away with our tribal brethren’s land as it did in colonial supreme rule. They deserve land protection within the ambit of U.N Human Rights,” AMTU stated.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/amtu-on-border/
