Ukhrul, July 22: The Inter District Boundaries Re-organisation Demand Committee For Administrative Convenience (IDBRDCAC) on Monday submitted a memorandum to the Manipur Governor demanding reorganisation of inter-district boundaries for administrative convenience and justice.
The IDBRDCAC stated that the smaller indigenous tribes, namely Rongmei (Zeliangrong), Kharam, Chiru, Inpui etc. living in 21 villages under 51-Saitu (ST/AC) of Kangpokpi district and those indigenous tribes living in 19 villages under 57-Henglep (ST/AC) of Churachandpur district, namely Rongmei (Zeliangrong), Chiru, Chothe etc have decided to part away from the 51-Saitu (ST/AC) of Kangpokpi district and 57-Henglep (ST/AC) of Churachandpur district to merge with Noney (Longmai) district.
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“Unable to bear all the brunt of disadvantages in all fronts and perpetual suppression by the dominant and majority groups of people upon the smaller indigenous tribes, we have decided to part away from the 51-Saitu (ST/AC) of Kangpokpi district (erstwhile Sadar Hills) and 57-Henglep (ST/AC) of Churachandpur district so as to merge with Noney (Longmai) district for administrative convenience and for the ends of justice,” it stated.
Expressing the hardships and untold sufferings faced by the indigenous tribes, the IDBRDCAC, in its memorandum, highlighted the following reasons.
Politically Marginalized: Local governance system in the form of Autonomous District Council was introduced and constituted in the hills districts by the enactment of “The Manipur (Hills Areas) Districts Council Act, 1971”, with 20 members in each district council, for which 18 members has to be elected by way of adult suffrage and two members to be nominated by the administrator (i.e. Governor) as per Section 4(2) & (3) proviso of the said Act.
But not a single Autonomous District Council Constituency was created for the minority groups. Instead, the minority groups are deliberately scattered and clubbed together with the majority and dominant group (Kuki) thereby reducing the minority groups incapacitated for participation even in the local governance, it stated.
It claimed that the The Manipur (Hills Areas) Districts Council Act, 1971 “futile” as marginalisation and suppression upon the minority groups continue.
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“As per the provision of Section 4 (a) of the said Act, delimitation was effected in 2008 with the increment of six additional seats for each district council in the hills that increased from 20 members to 26 members for which 24 members were to be elected through adult suffrage and two members to be nominated respectively. But a similar policy of marginalisation and suppression upon the minority groups continued denying even a single ADC constituency, particularly in Churachandpur district. Hence, the purpose of enactment of the said Act and composition of the Autonomous Districts Council or delimitation of Autonomous District Councils Constituencies effected envisaged to empower the hill people, especially the minority groups, has turned into complete futility and meaningless,” it stated.
It may be mentioned that there are two ADC constituencies created exclusively for the Kukis in Tamenglong and Noney districts namely 10-Phaitol DCC under 52-Tamel ST (AC) and 24-Longpi DCC under 54-Nungba ST (AC), respectively.
Economically Deprived: The IDBRDCAC maintained that the chances of marginalized minority groups getting any kinds of benefit under the dominant majority set up is next to impossible as all the developmental works and welfare programmes or schemes are executed and implemented by the administration with the monitoring and supervision of the politically advantaged and empowered groups.
Disadvantages in Administrative Process: The IDBRDCAC reiterated that district reorganisation is the only ultimate option to empower minority groups politically, socially and economically.
“The minority groups always suffer when it comes to face with the majority in all spheres. This is inevitable because the minority group has no influence over the entire affairs of the administration which is being controlled, concentrated and confined in the majority group dominated areas. Therefore, district reorganisation is the only ultimate option to empower the above-mentioned minority groups politically, socially and economically and to enable them to live together with the same race of people,” it stated.
Judicial Issues: The organization also claimed that minority groups have the feeling of insecurity even in pursuing judicial issues and attending or appearing court(s) cases/proceedings specifically pertaining to land and other serious issues in the majority dominated areas. “This is one of the main glaring reasons why our ancestral lands have been encroached upon by the majority group,” it added.
“Several memoranda and representations have been submitted to the successive government in the past highlighting the grievances and untold sufferings and demanding to effect re-organisation of inter-district boundaries to facilitate amalgamation of those villages belongs to the above mentioned indigenous tribes into Tamenglong district, now Noney (Longmai) district. However, the successive government has been pursuing and upholding the British colonel policy of suppression and subjugation upon the indigenous minority groups of people,” the IDBRDCAC stated.
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Therefore, the tall claims of this country of enacting various laws to protect and safeguard the indigenous minorities section of the people after the attainment of India freedom from the bondage of the British colonel rule has reduced into complete mockery and farce, it added.
It threatened that the indigenous minorities groups of the two Assembly Constituencies would resort to the following steps in the event of failure to fulfil their “genuine” demands:
(1) Payment of village Hill House Tax to DC, Noney (Longmai) district;
(ii) To process for deletion of electors (voters) lists from 51-Saitu (ST/AC) and 57-Henglep (ST/AC) forthwith;
(iii) To process for registration in the electors (voters) electoral rolls of Noney (Longmai) districts; and
iv) The disadvantaged people of indigenous minorities groups of the two Assembly Constituencies will be compelled to take up different modes of sustainable democratic protest and agitation any time as deemed required until the government effect re-organisation of inter-district boundaries for the ends of justice.
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The IDBRDCAC memorandum also included an endorsement letter from 21 villages under 51-Saitu Assembly Constituency and 19 villages from 57-Henglep Assembly Constituency duly signed by the villages chief/chairman representing the opinion and choice of the people of their respective village for amalgamation into Noney (Longmai) district along with a proposed map.