SENAPATI, Feb 17 NNN: Quagmire on the revival of All Tribal Students Union, Manipur (ATSUM) continues to persist. Hill based students’ bodies of Manipur are divided on the issue and now it stands that there are going to be two ATSUM factions for the first time.
One group has claimed to be the genuine group and has started operating for months now while the other group had said they had formed an “Interim Body” for the revival of the erstwhile ATSUM two days ago.
On Saturday one faction of ATSUM had held a talk with the government of Manipur on its demands, some students’ bodies said today they did not recognise that talk saying that ATSUM who held a talk with the government on Saturday is not a mandated tribal students’ body and called it as ‘self-style ATSUM’.
On Sunday, the Senapati District Students’ Association (SDSA) and Naga Students’ Union Chandel (NSUC) questioned the mandate of the present ‘self-style present ATSUM’ executive council.
Sticking to its gun, SDSA and NSUC stated that they do not recognize the divided students’ body unless it holds the collective representation of all its units. “For which, the government of Manipur should not be blinded by few vested interests but recognize the authority of the actual ATSUM which represents every tribal student body in Manipur,” the SDSA and NSUC advised.
The SDSA and NSUC then vehemently denounced the ‘irrelevant and unrecognized’ talk of the state government and the ‘self-style ATSUM’.
“It is immature and timid from the part of the state government to stoop so low to oblige the few individuals’ demand rather than outrightly rejecting the authority of the unmandated activities,” the SDSA and NSUC said.
Extending its solidarity and support of its counter part Kuki Students’ Organisation, general headquarters (KSO-GHqs), the two students’ bodies the government of Manipur to respect the unity and authority of the genuine ATSUM rather than indulging into divisive policies of discouraging the tribal students movement.
The two students’ bodies still re-affirm its decision to remain disassociated with the present ‘self-style ATSUM’ tenure unless an inclusive recognized ATSUM is formed. No activities of the present ATSUM will be allowed to implement in the jurisdiction of the SDSA and NSUC and that, any breach of our decision will bear serious consequence.
Questioning the authority of the present ATSUM, the two bodies asked the present ‘self-style power hungry’ executive council to cease all efforts to misuse the name of ATSUM for personal and vested interest. While affirming its unconditional support of tribal issues and grievances pending with the State Government, the SDSA and NSUC along with KSO/HQ in one mindset and integrity will not tolerate any design or motive to sabotage tribal students’ welfare issues in Manipur.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/atsum-continues-to-be-divided-house/
