COPTAM bandh ends, to resume after exams
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN

Imphal, February 27 2014 : The 72-hour Manipur hill districts 'chakka bandh' ended today but the tribal organisations sponsoring and supporting the agitation have warned of resuming the agitation after the various board examinations are over.

"We have no time for negotiation with the government as it is only a waste of time.

We just want that the state government fulfils our demands," asserted Thangkam Lupheng, the general secretary of Committee on Protection of Tribal Areas Manipur (COPTAM) .

Pledging that COPTAM and those tribal organisations supporting the movement will not oblige to the government invitation for talks, Lupheng said, "When we resume our agitation after few days we will call off the proposed agitation only after we have seen the government orders to implement our demands" .

COPTAM's agitation was in protest against the state government's 'indifferent attitude to the legitimate and rightful demands' of the tribal people.

According to COPTAM, since 2010, it has been requesting the State Government to maintain the original boundaries of all the districts of Manipur, transfer of land records to all respective districts, withdrawal of Panchayati Raj Institutions from the Hill areas/districts where ADCS exist and to solve the issue of Police district boundaries/ Police Stations jurisdictions etc.

Regarding the land records transfers, Orders for Churachandpur and Senapati Districts have been issued in 2013 but no implementation till date.

For Tamenglong and Chandel districts, orders are yet to be issued.

PRIs have been withdrawn from the Hill area but the same is yet to be withdrawn from some pockets of Saikul Block, Sadar Hills and Samulamlan Block of Churachandpur District.

Regarding Police District boundary/Police Station jurisdiction, it is unlawful to include the Hill Villages in Police Stations of Valley Districts.

It is an act of over-lapping administration and also a manifestation of undermining the powers and functions of hill districts' police.

COPTAM then demands for the immediate implementation of Governmentt's order for transfer of land records to the respective districts in respect of Churachandpur and Senapati districts.

For Tamenglong and Chandel districts, orders for land records transfer should be issued without further delay.

It also demands for the immediate and total withdrawal of PRIs from the hill districts.

COPTAM then demands that the State Home department's order in regard to police station jurisdictions should be cancelled immediately and opening of more police stations/outposts in the hill districts where necessary.

According to COPTAM, it had urged the State Government in December 2013 giving a dateline to fulfil these demands within January of 2014 .

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