ATSUM moots Tribal Commission
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 20 2012: The All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM) today held its first general assembly of the term 2012-14 at Hotel Tampha here and resolved to urge the State Government to set up Manipur Tribal Commission.

The general assembly was participated by around 80 delegates representing different federating units of ATSUM.

Speaking to media persons after the meeting, ATSUM speaker Majabung Gangmei said that the general assembly resolved to urge the Government to set up Manipur Tribal Commission in order to look into the controversies surrounding reservation for ST as well as other common tribal problems.

The second resolution was also in the form of demand which was establishment of BEd centres in hill districts too.

It was also agreed to let ATSUM look into all matters related to Indira Gandhi National Tribal University.

To urge the Govt to make up all the shortfalls existing in educational institutions located in hill districts was another resolution of the general assembly.The last resolution was about safeguarding lands and natural resources of indigenous tribes in line with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Elaborating on these resolutions, Majabung said that DM College of Teachers' Education cannot accommodate all the people who aspire to become teachers.

Given such a situation, it is necessary to open BEd centres in hill districts too.

Saying that the Imphal regional campus of IGNTU is not fit to be called a university, Majabung decried that the regional campus is full shortages starting from infrastructure.

Likewise, most of the educational institutions located in hill districts have been enduring shortage of teachers as well as infrastructure.

There are also some bizarre cases where schools which do not have much students have many teachers while those schools with healthy students' strength are left to suffer because of shortage of teachers, Majabung noted.

If a project should be taken up either by the Govt or private companies at areas inhabited by indigenous people, free, prior and informed consent should be obtained first.

Initiatives for chromite extraction from Ukhrul, oil exploration in Tamenglong, Churachandpur and Jiribam, Tipaimukh Dam etc did not comply with the UN Declaration on Indigenous Peoples;' Right, he added.

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