Thread by @B5001001101

Understanding the communal problem on #ManipurOnFire

Q. Why are of protesting on the streets today?

A. The communal demand for ST status by the dominant meitei community and unlawful recommendation by Manipur Highcourt.

B. The declaration of tribal lands as Reserved and protected forest without the informed consent of the Hill tribals.
C. The abuse of government machinery by elected leaders to coerce the masses to fulfill communal purposes.

A. Why do you oppose Meitei demand for ST status?
1. If the meitei dominant community is granted a ST recognition, the Constitutional provision of Article 371 C that safeguards the interest of the present scheduled tribes can be rendered null and void.

The category of ‘Scheduled Tribe’ meant to safeguard the hills tribals from the dominant community will be rendered useless.

2. All the constitutional provisions which are meant to safeguard the tribals from the dominant meitei community will be rendered useless. This includes - The Hill Areas Committee order 1972, the Manipur Land Reform and Land Revenue Act 1960,

the Manipur Hill Areas Village Authorities Act 1956, the Manipur Hill areas District Councils Act 1971.

B. The state claims that tribals are encroaching on Reserved and protected forest. What is your response?
1. The Hill tribes have always inhabited the hills, even before the formation of Manipur as a state.

We are indigenous to the hills which were only put together as part of Manipur by the British.

3. There are ongoing law suits by Tribal Chiefs and Human Rights Organizations against the declaration of reserved forests. The state is bulldozing over due constituitional procedure.

4. The Hill Area Committee (HAC) have not been consulted regarding these declarations. This is a breach of the Hill tribals constitutional safeguards.

C. The state claims that hills are hotbed of Drug cartels. Is this true?
1. There are many insurgent groups in Manipur. Many of them rely on such drug trade. Who however really profits from this? A few rich and powerful people, some in the hills,

but most of them in the valley with connections to politicians.

2. They can catch drug peddlers in the hills anytime when it is convenient for them. You should ask why the state is not arresting the Kingpins.

D. Why do you say that the Manipur Government is communal?
1. The construction and opening of Chandrakirti statue in Behiang, where a renowned tribal chief was deceived by two meitei generals.

2. The imposition of section 144 crpc whenever the tribals mobilise to demand their rights. This law is only supposed to be used when there is threat of violence.
- The previous SP of Churachandpur was transferred immediately after the people demanded their rights on 10th march

because he allowed them to march peacefully.

3. When a tribal person post against the state, he is arrested, but this never happens when valley meitei people make inciting and communal comments against the ethnic minority/tribals.

4. The government servants, district employees and Job Card holders are always forced into joining this or that program that has no relation with their job designation. This happened when Chandrakirti park was opened, during the Sangai festival and then again when the (continued)

open gym was supposed to be inaugurated. Those Job holders are often given Show Cause notices, get transferred or given some other punishment for not complying.