ATSUM, ANSAM and KSO GHQ has strongly condemned and rejected the “The Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council (Sixth Amendment) Bill, 2022 and The Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council (Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2022. The student bodies went ahead with the scheduled plan of 24 hours total shutdown in the entire hill districts of Manipur from 6 pm of August 3 to 6 pm of August 4.
TFM Ukhrul Correspondent
In a joint press conference held at TKS Office, Ukhrul Headquarters, the ATSUM, ANSAM and KSO GHO has strongly condemn and rejected the “The Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council (Sixth Amendment) Bill, 2022 and The Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council (Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2022.
Speaking to media person, Vice Presidnet of ATSUM, Vanlallian Khaute expressed gratitude to all the federating units and public for supporting the total shutdown called by ATSUM. He sttaed that “we once again would like to appeal and request the federating units and the public of all the hill districts that we will keep on intensifying our agitation till the government fulfill our demands. We also condemn the Government of Manipur for their stepmotherly treatment to the tribals of Manipur. We also condemn the introduction of the “The Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council (Sixth Amendment) Bill, 2022 and The Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council (Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2022 in the ongoing legislative assembly. We condemn and reject the imposed bill.”
General Secretary of KSO GHQ, Stony Seipoi appeal the government of Manipur to unconditionally release our leaders from their custody. “If anything untoward happens to our leaders, the Government will be held responsible. We would like to question our elected representatives why they are unable to table during the Assembly, the drafted ADC Bill of 2021. We will be compelled to take action if they cannot table the 2021 HAC recommended ADC Bill. We are warning them before hand. We have to do what we can, when our elected representatives are not doing their job. Today’s bandh is not just for us but for the future generation. Please, continue to support us. Since, there is no positive response from the Manipur Government, we will go ahead with the scheduled plan of actions. We request the CSOs to support us. We as a student organisation have our limitation and we request everyone to support and make it a people’s movement.:
General Secretary of ANSAM, AC. Thotso stated that “Yes, it is very much clear in the public domain that the Government of Manipur has been repeatedly and candidly overrunning the Hill Area Committee. As far as the constitution of ADC and the functioning of ADC is concern, HAC has the power to frame the law on ADC. But, today, we have seen the Government has introduced an imposed bill which has been framed at the whims and desire of dominant community, and now, it is being forced upon the tribals. Sadly, our legislatures, HAC members are unable to refute the bill. Rather, they are embracing it to please their political master and they have been discussing on the 6th amendment which was not framed by them, which was imposed upon them. Instead, they should reiterated the ADC Bill, 2021 which was unanimously framed and recommended by the HAC members. Unfortunately, they are not in the position to reiterate the same and pursue for tabling and passing of the said Bill. So, it is a matter of fact that we tribals are suppressed, oppressed, and we are further subjugated by using our own legislatures as the agents of dominant government. This is the said the reality. We have nothing in our hands but the unity of the tribals is the only weapon that can save our future. We must rise up together. We must voice together. When we are pursuing for the rightful cause, today to our shock, the government has arrested our leaders. Harassing our leaders in this manner. We appreciate the leaders of various student bodies for responding to the call of ATSUM. We still expect more organisations, tribal leaders and individuals to come foreward and support this movement. We need to give befitting response. We also want to put a big question to the HAC. The indifference of HAC. Today, our leaders are wrongfully detained but there is mute silence of our own legislatures. I appeal the tribal community to rise up and stand with ATSUM and join us in condemning the heinous act of the government of Manipur.”
The ATSUM, ANSAM and KSO has called for immediate release of ATSUM President, General Secretary, Information and Publicity Secretary, Forest and Environmnet Secretary and Tribunal who are being detained by the Manipur Police.
All offices, shops and instititions at Ukhrul Headquarters remained closed and non functional due to the emergency shutdown being called by ATSUM, which was strictly enforced by volunteers of TKS.
The student bodies have decided to go ahead with the scheduled plan of 24 hours total shutdown in the entire hill districts of Manipur from 06:00pm of 3 August to 06:00pm of 4 August 2022.