Newmai News Network
IMPHAL, February 27
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. 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). He then said the state government that negotiating is a waste of time and advised to implement their demands. Pledging that COPTAM and those tribal organisations supporting the movement will not oblige to the government invitation for talks. “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,” Thangkam Lupheng further said.
COPTAM’s agitation was in protest against the state government’s ‘indifferent attitude to the legitimate and rightful demands’ of the tribal people.
COPTAM demanded immediate implementation of Government’s order for transfer of land records to the respective districts in respect of Churachandpur and Senapati districts. It said for Tamenglong and Chandel districts, orders for land records transfer should be issued without further delay. It further demanded immediate and total withdrawal of PRIs from the hill districts, revocation of State Home department’s order in regard to police station jurisdictions and opening of more police stations/outposts in the hill districts where necessary.
