Tribal students oppose ILP bill

FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
IMPHAL Aug 30: Tribal students in Manipur have opposed the Inner Line Permit bill which is set to be passed on Monday in the Manipur Assembly. This comes as a serious obstacle to the sustained campaign for the implementation of the ILP in Manipur. The All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (Tombing faction) has submitted a memorandum to the Governor Syed Ahmed requesting him not to give assent to the ILP bill. The bill was introduced at the wish and whims of the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System without the representation of the tribals. The Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms, Act 1960 will have to be extended to the whole  of the state. The tribal students’ bodies were not consulted on the issue. It demanded that the ILP should cover the valley areas only since the tribals are not involved. In a joint statement the Kuki Students’ Organisation and the All ga Students’ Association Manipur said that  they refuse to accept the agreement of the state government and the JCILPS on the three bills which will be passed in the Assembly on Monday. he bills should not extend to the entire state as these will affect the right of the hill people. They also demanded the status quo of the Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms Act, 1960. The MLAs representing the hill areas should do everything to protect the rights of the tribals. It would mean that they should not support the bills on Monday. The statement said that if there is no positive response from the state government these two students’ organisations shall take recourse to their own actions.