sapam robinhood

JCILPS all set to launch renewed campaign

Imphal, September 03 2017: The Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) has announced that a renewed civil movement would be launched from tomorrow with a mass rally in pursuit of the popular demand for enforcement of Inner Line Permit System (ILPS) or a similar mechanism in the State. In tandem with this announcement, […]

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2017/09/jcilps-all-set-to-launch-renewed-campaign/

CM hands over Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia to Robinhood’s family

Imphal, August 26 2017: Chief Minister N Biren Singh formally handed over an ex-gratia amount of Rs 5 lakh to the family members of late Sapam Robinhood in the presence of Deputy Commissioner, Imphal East, Th Chira Devi along with the members of the JAC on the brutal killing of Sapam Robinhood . CM Biren […]

Saplings planted at Robinhood memorial site

IMPHAL, Jun 4 : Members of JCILPS and Thangmeiband United Class today planted saplings at the memorial site of late Sapam Robinhood located at Nongmaijing (Nongmaiching) foothill. The plantation drive was initiated as part of the arrangements for the 3rd death anniversary observance of Sapam Robindhood which falls on July 8. JCILPS office secretary Jitendra […]

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2017/06/saplings-planted-at-robinhood-memorial-site/

Thousands pay homage to Robinhood

IMPHAL, Jul 8: The first death anniversary of Sapam Robinhood who was killed last year in the popular civil movement for enforcement of Inner Line Permit System (ILPS) or a similar mechanism in the State was observed today at Awaching.
The post Thousa…

The post Thousands pay homage to Robinhood appeared first on The Sangai Express.

Read more / Original news source: http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/thousands-pay-homage-robinhood/

Committee warns

Sapam Robinhood Remembrance Committee has asserted that the State Government must be held responsible for any eventuality if the five arrested executives of KSA are not released within 24 hours.
The post Committee warns appeared first on The Sangai Exp…

Sapam Robinhood Remembrance Committee has asserted that the State Government must be held responsible for any eventuality if the five arrested executives of KSA are not released within 24 hours.

The post Committee warns appeared first on The Sangai Express.

Read more / Original news source: http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/committee-warns/

Sapam Robinhood Remembrance Committee will lay foundation stone for the erection of Robinhood’s statue at Ananda Singh Higher Secondary Academy campus on May 9.

The post Sapam Robinhood appeared first on The Sangai Express.

Sapam Robinhood Remembrance Committee will lay foundation stone for the erection of Robinhood’s statue at Ananda Singh Higher Secondary Academy campus on May 9.

The post Sapam Robinhood appeared first on The Sangai Express.

Read more / Original news source: http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/sapam-robinhood/

Robinhood finally laid to rest; record turn-out of supporters during funeral

IMPHAL, September 3: Lamjing Meira Sapam Robinhood was finally laid to rest in a fitting traditional burial with prayers and salutation from thousands of people today. The atmosphere was such

People surround the truck carrying Sapam Robinhood’s body on Thursday.

IMPHAL, September 3: Lamjing Meira Sapam Robinhood was finally laid to rest in a fitting traditional burial with prayers and salutation from thousands of people today.

The atmosphere was such that 117 people fainted during his funeral procession and were admitted at the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences.

Thousands of people from all walks of life participated in his last rites from early morning till late evening until his body was buried at the foothills of Awa Ching of Baruni Ching under Imphal East district around 6:30 pm.

Since early morning, people started flooding all routes towards the JNIMS morgue where the 17-year old`™s lifeless body was kept for nearly two months – 58 days to be precise- since July 8 when he was killed in police action against a student rally demanding implementation of the ILPS in the State.

Robinhood`™s body was carried in a Keiren Keichao adorned with traditional Heikat Leikat.

The JAC Robinhood along with the JCILPS and other supporting student bodies led the funeral procession from the JNIMS morgue to his residence in Lairikyengbam Leikai and to his birthplace, Keishamthong after a stopover at his school, Ananda Higher Secondary Academy.

The procession carrying his body also passed through Khurai Lamlong, Soibam Leikai, Nongmeibung, Yaiskul and after reaching Keishamthong turned backed.

At his Lairikyengbam Leikai, his family and relatives bade their final goodbyes and adorned his lifeless body with prayers and floral tributes. At his school there was an emotional condolence where the students and teachers paid their last respects.

People thronged the routes paying respect to the martyr, who had sacrificed his life for the indigenous people of the State.

Thousands chanted slogans of patriotism and acknowledgement of his sacrifice along the routes. The streets were adorned with floral tributes as people showered blessings and flowers to the body of Sapam Robinhood along the route.

Several people were emotional about his sacrifice and partake in the long distance march up to the hillock where he was buried.

The burial was preceded by solemn indigenous rituals including a Thang-ta salute and an adorning song composed for the martyr.

The tribute song was written by Narendra Ningomba with music and composition by Hamom Naba and Rahul.

Despite the scorching sun in the morning and the rain in the afternoon, the spirit of oneness and solidarity was solid and explicitly shown by the multitudes of men and women participating in the procession.

Men and women, young and old joined the funeral march and attended his burial ceremony without flinching despite the distance and the slippery uphill climb.

All those who had been on hunger strike till today also attended the funeral and decided to walk the length of the hill. And during the mournful funeral after sunset at the Awa Ching, several people fainted and since the back-up ambulance services was not sufficient, other volunteers assisted to transport the patients till the hospital.

During the funeral, there was a brief drizzle as the fog descended from the mountains to envelop the site.

And as darkness sets in, the body was buried with a mournful farewell from the thousands of well-wishers.

The Khetrigao Meitei Pangal inclusive of men and women, young and old conducted a cleanliness drive at the burial spot and the adjoining road during the last three days.

They also prepared the graveyard for Sapam Robinhood`™s burial today.

It may be mentioned here that late Sapam Robinhood died in police action on July 8 while he was participating in a rally demanding legal protection of the native people of Manipur.

The Government of Manipur ultimately passed three bills in the assembly on the 31 of August after the agitation aggravated following Sapam Robinhood`™s death.

Jiribam: Sapam Robinhood saluted as “Athouba” on Patriot’s Day

125th PATRIOTS DAY CELEBRATION organized by Echel Club Dibong Jiribam on 13th August Chief Guest: L.Ranjit Sing (Zonal Education Officer) President: S.Maniton Sing (Retired principle) Events: – Saluting (late) Sapam Robinhood

125th PATRIOTS DAY CELEBRATION organized by Echel Club Dibong Jiribam on 13th August

Chief Guest: L.Ranjit Sing (Zonal Education Officer)
President: S.Maniton Sing (Retired principle)

Events:
– Saluting (late) Sapam Robinhood as “Athouba”
– Speech by various resource persons
– Writer Moiranghtem Satyabati released 3 of her books and donated copies to Echel Club secretary Th. Dushyant:
1. KINTHARAKLABA SHAMBAL 2. NINGSING KHUNGI IPU 3.WARIDUBU LOIDRIBRA
– Poem recitation by children
– 2 minutes silent observation for the souls of the Athouba sing

News and Photo by: Momon Thoudam

INDIA: Government Masterplan: Kick the Students Out of School

By: Urikhimbam Jenison The Manipur state government has closed down all educational institutions in the state in an attempt to curb the ongoing movement for the implementation of the

A torch rally taken out in New Checkong area demanding implementation of the ILPS.

By: Urikhimbam Jenison

The Manipur state government has closed down all educational institutions in the state in an attempt to curb the ongoing movement for the implementation of the Inner Line Permit System (ILPS) in Manipur. It has been a month since this decision was taken. In other words, students have been kept out of their schools and colleges for a long time already.

ilp, ilps, jcilps, hyderabad manipuri society

Hyderabad Manipuri Society, Hyderabad organised a peaceful candle light vigil at at Doyens Township Colony, Serilingampally on Saturday, 18th July 2015. Photo by HYMS

On July 8, Sapam Robinhood, a 16 year old student studying in the XI standard was killed by police personnel during the crackdown on a peaceful student protest that was led by the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS), Student Wing, in Tellipati area of Imphal East. Since then, all the educational institutions have remained closed following the order of the state government. The orders for temporary closure of educational institutions have been issued “in consideration of the physical safety and security of the students of all institutions in Imphal area”.

This temporary closure of the educational institutions has by now given rise to students fearing losing an academic year and falling behind in their planned careers. Despite many appeals from the teachers, CSOs, parents, and student bodies, the government has not been able to find a solution to the ILPS demand and make a decision to re-open the institutions. Instead, the government has taken to deploying police personnel in all the schools, colleges, and universities.

The root cause of this odd situation, wherein students are shut out of schools now packed with police and military personnel, is the government’s attempt to to suppress the movement of the Inner Line Permit System, which has been building for decades. The people living in Manipur genuinely fear that their identity will disappear in the near future if the influx of migrants is not controlled. Manipur non-residents are beginning to outnumber permanent residents in many areas, and also acquire local identity cards, provided by the government for vested interest.

MSAP rally demanding introduction of ILPS in Manipur.

The government passed a bill, titled Manipur Regulation of Visitors, Tenants and Migrant Workers (MRVT&MW) Bill 2015, on 16 March, 2015, which failed to meet the demands of the people and led to an upswell of protests. This made the movement for the ILPS, led by JCILPS stronger. And, the killing of Sapam Robinhood by the police forced the government to retract. On July 15, the government held an emergency assembly session and a motion was passed to withdraw the Bill, without introducing an alternative, which is not in accord with procedure.

Since Sapam Robinhood’s killing, every nook and corner of state has resounded with the protest. The demand is for implementation of the ILPS and punishment for the officer involved in killing a student who participated in a peaceful protest. Student bodies have taken the step to boycott all governmental departments until their demands are fulfilled by the government. In support of the late Sapam Robinhood, students, CSOs, and social activists across the state have been demanding justice to the victim’s family and implementation of the ILPS.

Womenfolk taking out a rally in demand of ILPS.

While people living in Manipur have been protesting for the implementation of the Inner Line Permit System, the rest of India has interpreted this as an anti-Indian or anti-mainlander fight, which is an incorrect interpretation. The people of Manipur are seeking that the government protects them from losing their ancestral place, and there is a fear that indigenous Manipuris will become minorities in their own land. It is not that the people want to prevent outsiders from entering Manipur. The fears of the Manipuris have been realized in Tripura, where the Tripuris have became a minority in their own ancestral land.

The government has been on the back foot since Sapam Robinhood’s killing. And, it is the government’s attempt to regain control that has resulted in the decision to to close down the schools and universities.

This, however, is not the first time the people, and in particular the students, of Manipur have had to experience of shut-down of educational institutions. For instance, institutions were shut in 2001 in relation to the Naga ceasefire, which, in Manipur, resulted in a people uprising. Then again, in 2004 they were closed to try and control the rage following the news of the rape and murder of Th. Manorama by Assam Rifles personnel. The year 2009 witnessed the same, following the killing of Rubina, a 7 month pregnant woman, and Sanjit, by police commandoes. And, most recently and something that is ongoing, in 2015, the Dzukou Valley dispute between Manipur and Nagaland is keeping students away from the schools and colleges in the Mao area of Manipur. So, in some sense shutting down schools and universities is standard operating procedure for the government in times of emergencies when misgovernance or brutal crimes following by impunity unsettles the population.

Police women trying to control vendors of Ima Keithels during a protest rally.

Following the order of the state government for the temporary closure of institutions, yet another order was issued to deploy police personnel in all the schools, colleges, universities, and other such institutions. And, now police officials deployed in the schools and colleges have taken to misusing the compounds: by playing cards, drinking, and smoking. Some students, who arrived at their respective campuses out of desire that their institutions be reopened, even confronted these officers. The prevailing environment of police personnel camped out in educational institutions has only generated insecurity amongst the students. And, while it is police officials occupying educational institutions in the Imphal City, in the outskirts, it is out and out militarisation, with the Assam Rifles and paramilitary forces having taken over the compounds of schools and colleges.

The central and state government have taken no steps to bring this movement and the root conflict to an end. Officials appear intent to only hold onto their chairs. The people of Manipur are grieving at heart, wondering why is it that the state and central government, which has all the power and infrastructure, cannot put an end to the conflict? Who benefits from the continuing conflicts? How long does the government plan to keep the people, the students, under soldier’s boots?

Mr. Urikhimbam Jenison is Human Rights Activist. He can be contacted at urikhimbam.jenison@ahrc.asia or jeni_u580@yahoo.com

JCILPS Students` Wing endorses gen strike call

IMPHAL, July 27: Stating that the act of delaying in initiating judicial inquiry into the death of Sapam Robinhood will only invite wrath of the public, the Joint Committee on

Students of Khongman area took out a rally, Monday demanding introduction of the ILPS or a similar law and to suspend the personnel involved in the death of Late Robinhood.

IMPHAL, July 27: Stating that the act of delaying in initiating judicial inquiry into the death of Sapam Robinhood will only invite wrath of the public, the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System Students`™ Wing has set July 30 as the last deadline for unconditional release of the seven students`™ leaders who were arrested by police for taking part in ILPS agitation.

A statement signed by its media co-ordinator Bijandro Yumkhaibam, declared that it fully endorsed the proposed 38-hour general strike called by the Robinhood JAC.

The students`™ leaders were arrested from different places by police during the ongoing ILPS movement, it said.

Despite asking the government repeatedly to release all of them unconditionally, the same has not been done till date, which is against the student community, it said.

Some MLAs and ministers are trying to fool public by saying that no one has been arrested by police in connection with the ILPS agitation, which will not succeed at all, it added.

The Students`™ Wing, in the statement also expressed gratitude to the auto-rickshaw`™s associations for staging protest demonstrations today by staying off the road in solidarity to the collective demand for enactment of a new bill to monitor the rampant influx of outsiders into the State.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/07/jcilps-students-wing-endorses-gen-strike-call/

Joint statement circulated on the occasion of the PROTEST AGAINST BRUTALITY OF STATE FORCES AND TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE OF MANIPUR FROM DEMOGRAPHIC INVASION

INDIA: Manipur Joint Statement Opinions against the Ongoing Indefinite Curfew in Manipur 11th July 2015 In Manipur, there has been a democratic movement to safeguard the rights of

INDIA: Manipur

Joint Statement

Opinions against the Ongoing Indefinite Curfew in Manipur

11^th July 2015

In Manipur, there has been a democratic movement to safeguard the rights of the indigenous peoples. The incumbent regime in the State led by Mr Okram Ibobi has acted contrary to the democratic and legitimate demands of the movement for Inner Line Permit System and the recommendations of the All Political Parties Committee on ILPS (2014). There was a deliberate attempt to protect the interest of the migrant outsiders by arbitrarily passing a bill known as the Manipur Regulation of Visitors, Tenants and Migrant Workers’ Bill 2015, which has not received the assent of the Governor. There were attempts to suppress, at gun point, the protests against the Bill and the popular movement to defend the rights of the indigenous peoples. Brutal police actions have inflicted casualty on several persons. A 16-year old student named Sapam Robinbood, participating in a rally, was killed by the police on July 8, 2015. In order to suppress popular demonstrations against the brutality, the Government immediately imposed an indefinite curfew in the two central districts of Imphal Valley and closed all the educational institutions. Defying the curfew, people came out in the streets of Imphal in great numbers. The police resorted to open aggressive and disproportionate use of force in the form of torture, and cruel and inhuman degrading treatment, indiscriminate use of tear gas and rubber bullets, firing of live rounds upon the protestors and arbitrary detentions with impunity.

It is against this backdrop that we are coming up with a joint statement under the title Opinion against the Ongoing Curfew in Manipur.

Government and curfew

There has been unrestrained population invasion by outsiders under the policy and constitutional framework of the Government of India that ostensibly allows free movement of people within the country. The outsiders are enjoying virtual monopoly over commodity and the labour markets of Manipur. On the other hand, the military and corporate and private sector partnership projects have been forcibly taking control of the land and resources without any regulation and restraint. In this situation, it is natural that the indigenous peoples began to take up the initiatives towards defending their identity, market, livelihoods, land and other resources.

The question of defending the rights of the indigenous peoples is a political question that is intricately founded in the context of a worsening socio-economic condition and progressive cultural annihilation. It is the responsibility of a democratic government to bring a political solution to this question. However, the puppet Manipur regime, which functions under the command of the federal Indian pro-corporate and private sector regime, indulge in suppressing this question under the barrel of a gun.

Why is the government indifferent to the universal principle of defending the rights of the indigenous peoples? The government is determined in using curfew to suppress the popular movements to defend the indigenous peoples and the agitations against the summary killings, torture and arbitrary detentions. This predisposition exposes the government as an authoritarian regime of a violent and radical right-wing clique that relies on the gun as the backbone of its enterprise against the people, at the cost of democracy. Judging by the nature of State terrorism, the Government remains the real enemy of democracy.

Police and Curfew

The perception is that the Manipur police is meant for ensuring the security of the people; in fact the regime constantly refers to them as “security personnel”. Those who are employed in this sector are recruited from amongst our citizens, the majority from poor families. The expenditure of their salary, uniforms and weapons are being paid out of the taxes collected from the people including themselves. However, in the past instances and in the present situation, the police have forgotten that they are the citizens of our motherland and have acted brutally. Instead of serving the peoples, they have been converted into a mercenary force of the terrorizing clique that runs the Government.

During the curfew, the Manipur police and its auxiliary forces the India Reserve Battalion (IRB) and Village Defense Force (VDF) have been acting like agents of terror without any restraint. In the name of controlling crowd, which they referred to as “mob control”, they have intentionally violated the standard norms of using ‘firearms’, and have indulged in the widespread use of live bullets, rubber bullets, mock bombs and tear smoke shells with the intention to inflict injury and to kill. The deliberate baton attacks, brutal beatings and firing upon unarmed civilians who were on the run exemplify their terrorist character.

We want to raise some questions to the Manipur police. Aren’t you natives of our motherland, born of the same mothers? Do you really think that there is no share for you in this movement to defend the indigenous peoples? Are you supportive the stand to act against the movement of the indigenous peoples to defend their culture, land and livelihood? Being persuaded by the oppressive cliques and opportunism for a small government salary, promotion and misuse of weapons; how long will you remain standing against legitimate democratic movements concerning our motherland?

Curfew and economic burdens

The immediate tactics of closing down educational institutions and using curfew to suppress the agitation have converted the Greater Imphal area into a war field. Deployment of several rabble rousing police gangs in strategic locations and corners of Imphal has caused obstructions to the free movement of peoples. They indulged in unprovoked baton charging, firing rubber bullets and tear smoke shells on anyone either coming out of a gate or walking on a street. Tear smoke shells have been lobbed into homes too.

The government, instead of bringing a political solution, has spent huge amounts of money in the war effort. Huge amounts from the public exchequer are spent on fuel for bullet proof and armoured vehicles, live ammunition, rubber bullets, mock bombs and tear smoke shells. The government is a favoured customer in the burgeoning market to suppress dissent. When the lack of interest to bring a political solution to vital issues and problems culminated into silencing of democratic voice by spending huge amount of money in war expenditure, whose loss is it? Is this money paid out of the wage labour of those who run the government? No! They do not work with the hands and feet to earn their livelihoods. They exploit peoples and misappropriate public fund to accumulate their wealth. The public fund that they misuse comes from the taxes paid by those who work with labour. Should we agree with this ugly trend of wasting our money to wage war against the people, when it could instead be used for economic production and growth?

The war against the people, as other facet of curfew, has created a big onslaught on their free movement and the local economy. The imposition of the curfew in the central areas of Manipur has not only created obstructions to those who live in those areas, but also on those who earn through daily commuting from the peripheries and those who have to pass through the central areas to reach other destinations on a daily basis. In that sense the curfew has extensive impacts similar to a blockade on the economy and transportation all over Manipur.

The curfew has imposed a big burden on those who are dependent on the Imphal market for their daily consumption. It seriously affected the petty traders who are dependent on the local market for commodity exchange. The marginal labourers who are in search of daily work are badly affected because of the restrictions to free movement. Who will compensate for the loss incurred on the family income due to the obstructions caused by the curfew? If these burdens of the people have not been addressed by those who accumulate huge money through corrupt means and who are enjoying the blessings of the authoritarian regime; it only obviates the fact that they are profiting from oppressing the people and are never for their welfare.

The authoritarian regime knows the aspiration of the exploited and oppressed peoples. But, it does want to address it at the cost of the vested interests of the rulers. Therefore, there is no need of repeatedly conveying the aspirations of the people to them. For several years the peoples have been bearing the burdens of the ugly corrupt model of governance and the tactics of suppression of the democratic voices at gun point. We strongly condemn all these models and tactics.

Statement endorsed by:

1. Akhu Chingangbam, Imphal Talkies.

2. Amit Bhattacharyya, Secretary General, Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners.

3. Anthony Moirangthem, President, Manipur Students Association Pune.

4. Dina Oinam, President, Women Empowerment and Child Development Organization (Manipur).

5. Dr. George T. Haokip, Chairperson, Institute Alternative India.

6. Ishan Chandam, League of the Proletarian Students of Manipur.

7. Jiten Yumnam, Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipur.

8. L. Bijendra khuman, Social Welfare Club Mayang Imphal.

9. Luikang Lamak, Ex-President, Naga Students’ Union. Delhi.

10. Malem Ningthouja, Campaign for Peace & Democracy (Manipur).

11. Padam Kumar, Worker’s Unity Trade Union.

12. Priyobata Irengbam, Manipur Students’ Association Delhi.

13. Roy Laifungbam, Civil Society Coalition for Human Rights In Manipur and UN [Members are: All Manipur Nupi Manbi Association; Centre for Organisation Research & Education; Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur; Citizens Concern for Dams and Development; Civil Liberties and Human Rights Organisation; Civil Liberties Protection Forum; Committee on Human Rights, Manipur; Community Network for Empowerment; Extra-judicial Execution Victim Families’ Association Manipur; Families of the Involuntarily Disappeared’s Association Manipur; Forum for Indigenous Perspectives and Action; Human Rights Alert; Human Rights Defenders Manipur; Human Rights Initiative; Human Rights Law Network Manipur; Human to Humane Transcultural Centre for Trauma and Torture Victims; Just Peace Foundation; Life Watch; Manipur Alliance for Child Rights; Movement for Peoples’ Right to Information Manipur; North East Dialogue Forum; Threatened Indigenous Peoples Society; United Peoples Front.]

14. Sanayairanchan Kshetrimayum, Manipur Alert.

15. Sapam Shyamsunder, Irabot Research and Commemoration Committee.

16. Vijay Singh, Editor, Journal Revolutionary Democracy.

11^th July 2015

Joint statement circulated on the occasion of the PROTEST AGAINST BRUTALITY OF STATE FORCES AND TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE OF MANIPUR FROM DEMOGRAPHIC INVASION, organized by the Manipur Students’ Association Delhi, at the University of Delhi, on 11^th July 2015.