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JAC Press handout on 22nd September, 2015

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

/ Published by VIRTHLI
JOIN ACTION COMMITTEE
AGAINST ANTI-TRIBAL BILLS
CAMP: CHURACHANDPUR MANIPUR
jac.tribals@gmail.com
  
PRESS HANDOUT
The 22nd September, 2015

After Twenty One Days of our People’s Movement, and when  9(nine) brave tribal made supreme scarify  for our better tomorrow, And whereas the State Government is least bothered about our desperate cry for justice, the Government of India finally intervene  and sent its Observer headed by Shri. Ashok Prasad, IPS, the Secretary (Internal Security),  Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.

The JAC, on behalf of the tribal, express our heartfelt gratitude  and appreciation to the visiting team, giving hope for the Hopeless..!

The dawn of new political chapter in Manipur began when the State Assembly passed three infamous Bills on 31st Aug, 2015 viz. The Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015; The Manipur Land Revenue & Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2015 and The Manipur Shops and Establishment (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015. The Bills are not only anti-tribal but is also unconstitutional that was passed in great haste without any debate or discussion in the Assembly.

ON THE BILLS
The State Government claimed that the Bills;
(i) are ‘Money Bills’ but it is NOT when minutely examined;
(ii) will not infringes on tribal rights WITHOUT giving ‘exceptional clause’ and deliberately by-pass the provisions under Art.371C of the Constitution;
(iii) will protect ‘native people’ of Manipur from ‘non-Manipur people’ WITHOUT defining who the ‘native people’ are;
(iv) set three criteria to qualifies as ‘People of Manipur’ taking 1951 as base year, thereby making all ‘non-Manipur people’ of India a ‘Foreigner’ in the State.

The spirit, content, preamble, objectives and reasons of the Bills explicitly show the deliberate intension of the Government to infringe on the rights and privileges of the Tribal in Manipur as well as non-tribal from outside the State. 
Thus,  All Tribal Student’ Union, Manipur(ATSUM) called ‘all Manipur bandh’ on 31st Aug, 2015 which was supported by various  tribal bodies and Tribal Councils in the State. The ultimate passing of the Bills without any objection sparked off violent protest across the hill areas of Manipur. The emotionally charged protesters in Churachandpur destroyed properties of their Representatives. The repressive response of the Government resulted into the death of 9(nine) tribal and more than 50 of them were seriously injured.  

JAC AND ITS ACTIVITIES

Then after, Joint Action Committee on anti-Tribal Bills was formed by Kuki Innpi Churachandpur, Hmar Innpui, Zomi Council, Mizo People’ Convention(Manipur) and Joint Philanthropic Organisations, Joint Women’ Association and various Tribal Student bodies  in Churachandpur on 2nd Sept, 2015. Since then, the JAC successfully continues its democratic People’s Movement. Some of the remarkable activities includes:-
  1. In the absence of governance since 31st Aug, 2015 till date, the first priority of JAC was to control violent activities. This was affectively done with the dedicated participation of women-folks.
  2. Declared the 9(Nine) death as TRIBAL MARTYRS.
  3. Fasting Prayer by hundreds of Pastors, Reverend and Elders from all denominations in the District.
  4. Uninterrupted Sit-in-Protest(dharna) by women-folks in different localities.
  5. The largest ever Torch-Rally in Manipur by about 20000 people.
  6. The longest Human-chain (about 12kms from Kangvai to Lamka town) and signature campaigns.
  7. Pressured the two umbrella tribal armed groups under SoO(KNO and UPF) to stand united and demand for a ‘Separate administration’ for the tribal in Manipur as the public sees no future in the present political set of the State.
  8. Lobbying with all like-minded organisations within and outside the country.
  9. Petitioned the Hon’ble President of India, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Hon’ble Union Home Minister, and Hon’ble Governor of Manipur to immediately redressed the plights of Manipur tribal within the Constitutional provisions of the country.
  10. Immediate repeal or withdrawal of the three Bills
  11. Alternatively, the State Government should convene a Special Assembly within September 2015 and pass another Bill for exclusion of areas under the Six Autonomous District Councils of Manipur including pockets of land amalgamated with valley District, without the knowledge and consent of the tribal, from the three anti-tribal Bills.
  12. For a better administration and durable peace and development, the Government must create a “Separate political Administration” for the tribals outside the State Government. Towards this objective, political talks with UPF and KNO should be expedited immediately.
  13. The JAC fully support ATSUM’s ultimatum to all Hill MLAs to resign on or before 30th Sept, 2015. They should gracefully step down and join the People’s Movement.
  14. Respectable and historic Christian burial programme will be performed shortly in consultation with the victims’ families.
  15. The Government should address the core-issues rather than hitting around the bushes, then after they can constitute an enquiry on the firing and killing of innocent tribal by State Security Forces.
  16. We deeply appreciate and acknowledge the dedication, support and participation of the people in the People’ Movement.
  17. We also acknowledged the un-bias media coverage by Churachandpur-based as well as Imphal-based media house(both print and electronic).
  18. We are committed to pursue the movement until a respectable solution is reach.
  19. Unless we receive definite steps from the government within September, 2015 we shall intensify the movement in consultation with our fellow tribal, in and outside the state.  

PARADOX OF THE MOVEMENT
Ever since the JAC started its democratic movement, all normal lives is effected: no schoolings, all religious/Church services were either cancelled or rescheduled, trade and business centres as well as financial institutions were closed. There were continuous streams of people coming from different parts of the country to show their solidarity and respect to the Tribal Martyrs. Paradoxically, the State government continues it indifferent attitude towards the tribal. They tried their best to divert the core issues by projecting it as a mere law and order issues.

OUR STAND ON VARIOUS ISSUES

SLOGANS AND DISPLAY
  
THINGS CAN GET BETTER ONLY WITH SEPARATE ADMINISTRATION
WE ARE INDIANS
HOW CAN WE BE CALLED FOREINGNERS IN MANIPUR?
GOD SAVE OUR LAND
MR. IBOBI, CURE THE DIESEASE NOT THE SYMPTOMS.
SOMETHING IS ROTTEN IN THE STATE OF MANIPUR.
PEACE! PEACE! ONLY AFTER SEPARATE ADMINISTRATION.
Mr. IBOBI, WHEN WAR IS DECLARED, TRUTH IS THE FIRST CASUALTY
SHAME WITH YOUR CLARIFICATION!
NO SALVATION WITHOUT SEPARATE ADMINISTRATION.
UNEASY LIES IBOBI’S HEAD THAT WEARS ANTI-TRIBAL CROWN.
THE LAND OF MY FATHERS,  HOW FAIR IS THY FAME ??
WHAT’S THE GOOD OF OUR LAND IF IT’S UNDER SIEGE???
A SPECTRE IS HAUNTING MANIPUR; A SPECTRE OF ANTI-TRIBALISM
9 TRIBAL MARTYRS CAN’T BE WRONG WITH THEIR CAUSE
GOD SAVE THE TRIBAL LAND
THE TRUTH IS OUT!!! SEPARATE ADMINISTRATION FOR TRIBALS
Mr. IBOBI, CURE THE DISEASE NOT THE SYMPTOMS
SOMETHING IS ROTTEN IN THE STATE OF MANIPUR
PEACE, ONLY AFTER SEPARATE ADMINISTRATION
NO REST UNTIL SEPARATE ADMINISTRATION
WHAT TRIBALS WANT, THEY WON’T WAIT, WATCH AND WANE
TRIBAL LAND IS TOO SERIOUS A MATTER TO BE ENTRUSTED TO Mr. IBOBI
NO SALVATION WITHOUT SEPARATE ADMINISTRATION
ONE STEP AGAINST TRIBALS: ONE GIANT LEAP FOR TRIBAL’S UNITY
THE LAND OF MY FATHERS; HOW FAIR IS THY FAME
REBELLION AGAINST THE MANIPUR GOVERNMENT IS OBEDIENCE TO GOD.
Mr. MODI, INTERVENE TO SAVE OUR ANCESTRAL LAND.
Mr. MODI, CURE THE DISEASE;NOT THE SYMTOMS.
Mr. MODI, 9 DEAD BODIES!!
Mr. MODI, TIME HAS COME TO GIVE THE TRIBALS THEIR DUE.
SANGAI AND MITHUN: CAN’T LIVE OR STAY TOGETHER!!
SANGAI AND MITHUN: HAVE THEIR OWN ADMINISTRATION
WE ARE INDIANS, WE ARE NOT SECESSIONISTS
THE THREE BILLS ARE UNCONSTITUTIONAL
WE REJECT THE THREE UNCONSTITUTIONAL BILLS
INDIAN GOVERNMENT, OUR ONLY HOPE
GO BACK, MANIPUR GOVERNMENT
WELCOME, INDIAN GOVERNMENT
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