Imphal | September 15 : The first “public hearing” of the Manipur government instituted Committee on Reorganization of Administrative and Police Boundaries (CRAPB) held here leaving participants of civil society discontented. Members of several civil society organizations who had come to the hearing complained of not giving the opportunity to meet the committee which was held under closed door as against its purported objective.
The next hearing will be held on September 17. The first sitting today of the committee led by the state chief secretary DS Ponia, accompanied by the DGP, met selective civil society organizations (CSOs) at the secretariat campus which included members of Zeliangrong Baudi, All Zeliangrong Students’ Union (Assam, Nagaland and Manipur), Zeliangrong Youth Front, Land Protection Demand Committee of Sekmai AC and Tamenglong Kuki Chiefs’ Association.
Tongjei Marin District Demand Committee was also listed to meet the committee but failed to turn up.
General Secretary W Jotin of Land Protection Demand Committee of Sekmai told reporters after meeting that the state sponsored committee has been apprised of its desire to secede from the proposed Sadar Hills district. “We asked to be included in Imphal West district,” he said.
The committee from Sekmai said that half of the ten villages that has been demanding protection have been included in the map of the proposed Sadar Hills district where Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reform Act (MLR &LR) has been implemented.
“If the state government doesn’t solve the lingering problem at the earliest, the situation in the area may turn communal with tension already mounting,” said Jotin. “Kuki undergrounds are openly supporting the Sadar Hills district demand. They have even begun patrolling the area wielding arms,” he added.
Paomei Tingenlung, president of Zeliangrong Students’ Union (ANM) told the media that the reorganizing committee has been informed of the long standing opposition to bifurcate Tamenglong district for creation of the proposed Sadar Hills district.
Zeliangrong Baudi chairman Thomas Kamei held out similar sentiment after emerging from the meeting room while members of Tamenglong Kuki Chiefs Association promptly left, apparently miffed, without commenting on what transpired at the meeting. Members of Zeliangrong Union (ANM) were also not entertained by the government committee today. “There is something very fishy about the way the government is conducting the affairs of the reorganizing committee,” said president of ZU Amu Kamei. “There is a hidden agenda behind the government’s policy which is why the committee is meeting civil organizations separately.”
Chairman and member of Tomching Chingsang and Shambing Chingsang Area Committee of Saikul block had to return home without meeting the reorganization committee.
“We are here to ask the government to include our area, which is presently in Saikul block of Sadar Hills administrative area, to Phungyar subdivision of Ukhrul district for administrative convenience,” said Chairman KT Ngaranmi. The area has 45 villages with a population of 6000 people.
Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) submitted a representation to the committee “opposing” the process of reorganization.
“The initiation of the committee itself is not clear by confusing. If the committee goes ahead, it will have severe ramification and misunderstanding amongst various ethnic groups of Manipur,” it said. “The issue of reorganization of districts in Manipur surfaces due to districthood demand of Sadar Hills. Sadar Hills issue should be emphatically understood. When all the civil organizations of the world proclaimed that it is genuine, why is the Manipur government avoiding it,” it added.
Several prominent personalities of the state were also turned back by the reorganization committee.
The next hearing will be held on September 17. The first sitting today of the committee led by the state chief secretary DS Ponia, accompanied by the DGP, met selective civil society organizations (CSOs) at the secretariat campus which included members of Zeliangrong Baudi, All Zeliangrong Students’ Union (Assam, Nagaland and Manipur), Zeliangrong Youth Front, Land Protection Demand Committee of Sekmai AC and Tamenglong Kuki Chiefs’ Association.
Tongjei Marin District Demand Committee was also listed to meet the committee but failed to turn up.
General Secretary W Jotin of Land Protection Demand Committee of Sekmai told reporters after meeting that the state sponsored committee has been apprised of its desire to secede from the proposed Sadar Hills district. “We asked to be included in Imphal West district,” he said.
The committee from Sekmai said that half of the ten villages that has been demanding protection have been included in the map of the proposed Sadar Hills district where Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reform Act (MLR &LR) has been implemented.
“If the state government doesn’t solve the lingering problem at the earliest, the situation in the area may turn communal with tension already mounting,” said Jotin. “Kuki undergrounds are openly supporting the Sadar Hills district demand. They have even begun patrolling the area wielding arms,” he added.
Paomei Tingenlung, president of Zeliangrong Students’ Union (ANM) told the media that the reorganizing committee has been informed of the long standing opposition to bifurcate Tamenglong district for creation of the proposed Sadar Hills district.
Zeliangrong Baudi chairman Thomas Kamei held out similar sentiment after emerging from the meeting room while members of Tamenglong Kuki Chiefs Association promptly left, apparently miffed, without commenting on what transpired at the meeting. Members of Zeliangrong Union (ANM) were also not entertained by the government committee today. “There is something very fishy about the way the government is conducting the affairs of the reorganizing committee,” said president of ZU Amu Kamei. “There is a hidden agenda behind the government’s policy which is why the committee is meeting civil organizations separately.”
Chairman and member of Tomching Chingsang and Shambing Chingsang Area Committee of Saikul block had to return home without meeting the reorganization committee.
“We are here to ask the government to include our area, which is presently in Saikul block of Sadar Hills administrative area, to Phungyar subdivision of Ukhrul district for administrative convenience,” said Chairman KT Ngaranmi. The area has 45 villages with a population of 6000 people.
Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) submitted a representation to the committee “opposing” the process of reorganization.
“The initiation of the committee itself is not clear by confusing. If the committee goes ahead, it will have severe ramification and misunderstanding amongst various ethnic groups of Manipur,” it said. “The issue of reorganization of districts in Manipur surfaces due to districthood demand of Sadar Hills. Sadar Hills issue should be emphatically understood. When all the civil organizations of the world proclaimed that it is genuine, why is the Manipur government avoiding it,” it added.
Several prominent personalities of the state were also turned back by the reorganization committee.
