Source: The Sangai Express / Addie Chiphang
Ukhrul, June 29 2009:
A grass-root democracy campaign is gaining momentum in the hill districts of the State with the fourth leg of the movement evoking popular response in Ukhrul district.
The main campaign in the district was held at Ukhrul town hall yesterday.
Indigenous Democratic Front (IDF), a non-profit, apolitical body spearheading the fight for evolving a system of self-governance based on indigenous form of democracy in the present context which best suits the indigenous people of Manipur, has already been very vocal in advocating the holding of autonomous district council elections as an entry point of the movement for decentralization of power and democratization in true spirit.
Taking a potshot at the present State Government for stalling the ADC elections for nearly around two decades, IDF president, Ngachonmi Chamroy said, for the past many years, the Government has been playing the same trick.
The conglomeration of professionals from different fields with the common background of student activism finds its biggest challenge in bridging the divide between political and ethnic lines, he stated.
Maintaining that the front will confront State Government before the scheduled Assembly session beginning July 3 .
And if the Government fails to give nod of holding the autonomous district council elections, the IDF will resort to a democratic course of action after taking into account of people's wish.
The meeting aimed at taking views and counter-views from the denizens of Ukhrul of varied hues including the common man and former members of the district council.
However, even though some opposition cropped up, IDF was successful in taking a few resolutions.
The gathering agreed that 20 years is a long time and the loss incurred in terms of human resources and deprivation of Constitutional rights through decentralization of powers with elected representatives at the district level cannot be compensated.
Nevertheless, nine months have elapsed since the Manipur assembly passed the Manipur District Council Amendment Bill 2008 .
However, the Government of Manipur has terribly failed to initiate holding of election despite pressure from the Government of India, it added.