Talking to media persons at Manipur Press Club here today, women wing co ordinator, (TSA-G/H), Kimboi told that the decision to set up a Smart City at Haolenphai village clearly indicates the mood of the state government to snatch away 3000 acres of tribal land at Haolenphai village without the consent and knowledge of the villagers under the aegis of Central government's policy to establish 1000 Smart Cities across the country.
Kimboi maintained that the government's decision seems to sideline the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 which clearly states that unless 70% of the total local population gives their consent, the government cannot acquire even an inch of the indigenous land.
As such, she stated that the process of land acquisition at Haolenphai should be stopped forth in the interest of the tribal people.
Further, Kimboi stated that the government of Manipur's sinister design to intrude into tribal lands by breeding new laws like "New Land Use Policy (NLUP)", "Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms Act (MLR & LR)", "Joint Forest Management Committee (JFMC)" and "Village Development Council (VDC)" in the name of development is a known fact.
The government tends towards total annihilation of tribal lands, customs and laws, but TSA will stand and protect the land and the people's rights, she asserted.
She also stated that the emergence of "Look East Policy" of the government of India and the State government's lobby for a "Smart City" in Moreh border town seem meaningless for the simple tribal people unless they are given proper knowledge to sway along with the changing environments.
She further told that instead of promulgating miscellaneous and unfavorable laws, it would be worthwhile on the part of both the Central and State governments to introduce better protective laws like 6th Schedule of the tribal areas.
She then told that if the proposed new laws of administrative reforms are materialized, it will certainly pose adverse implication on the custom, culture, tradition and demographic equilibrium of the indigenous communities.
Regarding the objection, the Thadou Students' Association (TSA) General Headquarters, had already submitted a memorandum to Rajnath Singh, Minister Home Affairs, government of India on September 15.The TSA through the memorandum had urged the concerned to redress the various grievances faced by the Thadou tribe in Manipur and had strongly opposed to the plan acquiring 3000 acres of tribal land at Haolenphai village, Moreh as a follow up action after public consultation meeting resolutions were taken on August 25, 2014 and August 29, 2014 at Kuki Inn.
Source: Hueiyen News Service
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