JOINT ACTION COMMITTEE
AGAINST ANTI-TRIBAL BILLS
Press Release
Lamka, June 10, 2016
The Joint Action Committee Against Anti-Tribal Bills (JAC), in its meeting today with the various tribal chiefs at KKL Complex. 113 Road, Lamka made the following joint resolutions:
1. That, the tribal village chiefs under the Hmar Chiefs' Association, Kuki Chiefs' Association, Zomi Chiefs' Association and United Chiefs Committee will be in Delhi to voice their grievances about the three anti-tribal bills; each chief shall bear their own expenses. Members of the All Tribal Chiefs' Forum shall also be requested to be a part of the delegation.
2. That, each village authority shall contribute an amount of not less than Rs.2,000/- fot the JAC's activities; collection of the contributions shall be the responsibility of th Hmur Chiefs' Association for all Hmar villages, the Kuki Chiefs' Association for all Kuki villages and the Zomi Chiefs' Association for all Zomi villages.
After the meeting with the village chiefs, the JAC Executive Members had a separate meeting wherein the following resolution was passed:
1. That, the JAC has learned that some individuals with vested interests have spread false rumours accusing the joint initiative taken by the JAC and the various tribe councils of organizing public awareness drives against the anti-tribal policies of the Manipur Government in the interior tribal areas were sponsored by people intending to stand for the next State Assembly elections! The JAC has resolved not to spare the individual(s) responsible for spreading such false propaganda. [Transcript by Virthli]
2. That, as resolved in the joint meeting held on June 7, 2016 between the JAC and the Outer Manipur Tribals' Forum (OMTF), an apex tribal body of Hmar Inpui, Mizo People Convention, Thadou Inpi, United Naga Council and Zomi Council, the plan to oppose the inauguration of the SD0/13D0 Sangaikot by boycotted tribal MLAs firmly stands. The JAC fails to comprehend the involvement of the Kuki Students' Organization (KSO), Sangaikot Block in organising the Government programa and its defiance to the JAC's boycott of tribal MLAs by inviting them. It may also be noted that this move made by the KSO is a direct violation of the Resolution No. 5 (i), (ii) and (iii) of the Haipi Declaration. The JAC fails to comprehend how a mere block level of a tribe's student organization can organise such inauguration of a government office. It shall be noted that if any untoward incident takes place in this regard, the KSO Sangaikot Block shall be held responsible. The JAC would like to further request evrery tribal individual not to fall prey to the State Governments' attempt to create disunity and misunderstanding using money prowers amongst the tribal people. [Transcript by Virthli]
Information and Publicity Department
