Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 07, 2010:
The one day open dialogue on 'District Council Elections 2010 vis-a-vis Tribal Rights' organised by Movement for Tribal People's Rights Manipur on March 5 at Tri Adimjati Complex deliberated at length on the recent decision of the state Govt regarding revival of Autonomous District Council in the hill areas.
While members present welcomed decision of Government of Manipur for revival of ADCs after a lapse of more than two decades the same gathering also condemned the attitude and the manner in which the so-called 2008 Act of the ADC was re-enacted by amending the Act of 1971, said an MTPRM release on the members' resolution after the deliberation.
Moreover, repealing the Act of 2000 in which there is also no constitutionally guaranteed provisions for safeguarding inherent and constitutional rights of the tribals, of which the so-called District Council act of 2008 is defective, incomplete, controversial and totally against the interest of the tribal people, it maintained.
The gathering also suggested that 'this defective and detrimental ADC Act of 2008 be rectified by consulting the tribal people and an appropriate Act with full autonomy to the tribal people be enacted at the earliest by competent authority without which the tribal people shall consider the Government of manipur anti-tribal'.
The session was participated by public leaders and social workers from the hill districts with Prof Gangmumei Kamei, Dr Horam, BD Behring and MTPRM chief advisor Somi Keishing as the facilitators, the release added.