Consultative meeting held

IMPHAL | SEP 14 (NNN)

In an effort to strengthen the ongoing movement against the new districts created by the then Congress led government, Nagas including village chiefs today conglomerated at Kanglatongbi and held consultation on the matter.

After a day-long consultation an ‘Adhoc Committee’ was formed to carry out wide contact campaigns in order to further hold bigger consultative meetings where all the ‘adversely’ affected people by the new districts will be participated and to take future course of action.

Today‘s consultative meeting strongly condemned the creation of new districts by the previous state government. The programme was organised by Tangkhul Naga Aze Longphang or Southern Tangkhul Naga Union, Manipur. The organisers said that they were doing this in understanding with the United Naga Council (UNC).

Senior advocate Daniel Ramsan and Southern Tangkhul Naga Union advisor Vareso Ningshen attended as resource persons.

After deliberate discussions, the participants reaffirmed to stand united to counter the state governments’ intentions and policies to “grab the land of the Nagas”.

Vareso said, “On understanding the rights of the land and knowing the fact that new districts creation is illegal it is our responsibility to understand the constitutional rights and law before it is too late”.

Vareso also said that Nagas should “foresee our future while understanding the current situation and issues”.

Further he told the gathering that it is “our duty and responsibility to disseminate our issues, rights and grievances to the governor so that our issues can be addressed”.

According to him, in hill areas, the 6th Schedule of Autonomous District Council is applicable under section 3(1) (d) of the District Council Act 1972. In order to create new districts in the hills whether for district administrative convenience, 6th schedules should be applied, he added.

He continued land holding system is bound by the customary law in the hills under the provision of Autonomous Hills Districts Council Act, 1972. He also recalled that several MoUs have been signed with the Naga representatives and Government of Manipur on creation of new districts in the naga inhabitated areas. On violation all such MoUs the government created the district, he claimed.

Vareso observed that when MLR and LR Act is enforced in the hill areas, the land holding laws (customary law) and chieftainships will be definitely overside.

Also speaking on the occasion as a resource person, advocate Daniel Ramsan said that Manipur has been functioning in two assemblies – the Manipur Legislative Assembly and Hill Areas Committee (HAC).  He said that hill related problems should be addressed in the HAC, he said.

Under section 3 of the District Council Act, 1972 “there should be only six districts”, he pointed out. Land is the end of everything, Daniel Ramsan added.

After considering from the resource persons and speakers, they resolved to form committee or JAC against the creation of five new districts without legal sanction.

While STNU chairman, Shomi Angkang has been appointed as convenor of the Adhoc committee while Thangal Tribe Union president, Dr Chand Thangmi, Chiru Tribe Union president Ph Zatak and Stoneson Ringkangmai have been appointed as co-convenors of the committee.