Imphal, May 14 : Several tribal chiefs in Churachandpur district have stated that the proposed Manipur ( Village Authority in Hill Areas) Second Amendment Act, 2011, is posing a threat to the existing tribal chieftainship institution and the tribals' right over land.
"It is too early to abolish traditional chieftainship without giving constitutional safeguard and protection to the tribal institutions," a tribal chief said during a meeting with other leaders, church heads, student bodies and Autonomous District Council (ADC) representatives on Wednesday at Singngat.
Members at the meeting organized by the Zomi Human Rights Foundation said the proposed Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Fourth Amendment Act, 2011, had failed to address the core issue of giving legislative, judicial and financial power to the ADC.
The gathering resolved to urge the government to provide constitutional protection and safeguard to tribal land, culture, customs, values and traditional institutions such as chieftainship.
Deciding that the government should speed up the process of political dialogue with various armed tribal organizations, which had chosen peaceful means to arrive at an honorable solution to the age-old tribal grievances, members at the meeting also said the government should address core tribal issues to arrive at a permanent solution.
All tribes should join hands to fight for the protection of their rights without giving communal color to the struggle, said a participant at the meeting.
It also decided to request all elected tribal representatives, including MLAs and MPs, to stand united and take up the current tribal issues on priority basis.
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