Indefinite Manipur Hill Area Bandh starting July 23 [Update July 22]
Date : July 22nd, 2018 :: By: Joint Tribal Student Bodies

letter of endorsement from the Zomi Students' Federation (ZSF), Churachandpur

The Joint Tribal Student Bodies, Manipur denounces the decision of the all political party meeting led by the chief minister on July 22 to the effect that the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Manipur University (MU) “be asked to proceed on leave pending the proceedings of the Fact Finding Committee.” We would like to urge the political parties to reconsider their decision in view of the many tasks and work pending in the university due to the prolonged closure of the university.

The absence of the VC after prolonged closure will lead to many problems in relation to administration, admissions, declaration of results, examinations and other matters. We are also not confident that reservation policy in recruitment and student admissions will be followed according to guidelines given that Prof AP Pandey is a VC who is committed to implementing reservation policy without as per guidelines without any manipulation or prejudice in any manner. He should be allowed to complete the process of the implementation of reservation policy uninterruptedly.

The VC should not be asked to take forced leave of any kind. We would also like to request Prof AP Pandey not to go on leave at this juncture in the larger interests of the student community of the state.

Besides investigating into the allegations of MUSU and MUTA against the VC, the Fact Finding Committee should also investigate into the real origin of the agitation and if there is any ulterior motive behind it and also if it is motived by some vested interests either from within or outside the university.

We would like to once again express our resentment with the state government and authorities concerned for not taking up any action against the violent KSO activists who intimidated and assaulted peaceful protesters and student leaders on July 6 at Churachandpur and the perpetrators of the July 13 Moreh terror attack against innocent children, women and civilians, including president of TSA Moreh block, Thongminlun Haokip and his family, among others.

We also strongly condemn the chief minister for not condemning the attack which was carried out by well-equipped armed militants under SoO pact. It is also strange how the unprovoked savage attack that lasted for more than 45 minutes could have happened despite being less than half a kilometre away from where security personnel were stationed. We wonder if the chief minister would have remained silent and not done anything if the attack had occurred in the heart of Imphal.

We would like to reiterate our demands to the government and authorities concerned as follows:

1. The state government takes up genuine and effective efforts for the return of normalcy in the university and ensure the safety and security of students, staff and properties in MU before it is too late. Otherwise, tribal students will start to demand affiliation of colleges in the hills to another university, maybe DM University.

2. Take up stringent actions against the culprits of July 13 Moreh terror attack; immediately arrest all those involved in the attacks and the masterminds behind and bring them all to justice and also remove the group responsible for the attack permanently from Moreh and its surrounds.The government should also provide support to the victim families to compensate for the loss or properties and damaged vehicles and also provide trauma support.

3. Arrest all the violent KSO Churachandpur activists, including its general secretary JN Haoneo Baite and its information secretary Letminlen Haokip, and all others involved in the assault and terrorising of peaceful protesters and student leaders in Churachandpur on 6 July 2018 and bring them to justice.

4. Give befitting punishment to the Addl SP of Churachandpur, Lunkhomang Khongsai alias Mangpu and other policemen involved for abetting violence and instigating violent KSO activists against peaceful protesters and tribal student leaders. The government should suspend or transfer them.

To end the impasse, we would like to appeal once again to the agitating students and teachers to stop their agitation and allow the university to function again.

While all arrangements have been made to make the bandh effective in the hill areas of Manipur, which is scheduled to start from 6 am of tomorrow July 23, we once again earnestly appeal to the general public and other civil society organisations to support the bandh in larger interest. Media, educational institutions, emergency and essential services such as funeral, medical, religious, water and electricity services will be exempted from the purview of the bandh. If the government continues to fail to meet our demands, we will not stop our agitation until our demands are met.

Sd/-
(Thangtinlen Haokip)
Spokesperson
Joint Tribal Student Bodies, Manipur