MANIPUR TRIBALS’ FORUM, DELHI
PRESS RELEASE
13th October 2015
The following points, which have been resolved by the Manipur Tribals Forum Delhi (MTFD) Core-Committee in their meeting on 12 October 2015, is released for information of the public.
1. The proposed Coffin Rally could not be organized in Delhi till today due to various exigencies. The main intention of organizing such a rally was to sensitize the Central Government and the larger Indian public to the plight of the tribals in Manipur, and to also highlight the continuing subjugation and discrimination faced by the tribals under the governance of the State Government and to pressurize them to heed their voice. The three bills passed by the Manipur Assembly on 31 August 2015, which resulted in the loss of nine innocent tribal lives and serious injury to many others, is a culmination of an all-round discrimination meted towards the tribals.
Due to the non-stop protests in all of the hill areas of Manipur and the major cities in India, the Central Government is now made more aware of the tribal situation in Manipur and various talks have been ongoing with the Central Government at various levels.
The Core-Committee, aware that the immediate task is to effectively communicate the demands and aspirations of the tribals of Manipur to the Central government, have resolved that the issue of organizing a coffin rally will be best decided after carefully assessing the response of the Government in the ongoing talks.
Therefore the rally, if and when decided, will be communicated to the public as soon as possible to allow ample time for preparation and to ensure maximum participation.
2. MTFD is also in the process of producing a pamphlet on the theme of the three bills which will be distributed to the public at large.
At this point, the Seminar proposed to be organized organized earlier has also been put off indefinitely.
3. As entrusted by the JAC Finance Sub-Committee, donations have been collected through various churches in Delhi for condolence to the nine tribal martyrs. This collection is still ongoing. MTFD, while acknowledging its own limitations in terms of logistic support for proper organization of donations, would like to encourage the public to donate generously to show our sympathy, homage and respect to the departed souls.
4. MTFD would like to reiterate its public mandate to pursue the long-term goal of total political separation from Manipur. Given the undeniable history of subjugation and the ever-widening Hill-Plain divide, which is manifested in the continuing attempts to mute the tribal voice and aspirations by the State government, MTFD takes the long-term goal as the only way forward towards fulfilling the tribal aspirations towards peace and development. The Forum would like to state that it is ever ready to work together collaboratively with any and all organizations which shares this objective.
(T ROMEO HMAR)
Convenor
Ph: 07838325447
(J MAIVIO)
Co-convenor
Manipur Tribals’ Forum, Delhi
Ph: 09873094566
