KANGPOKPI, March 15: Warning the state government to address the “complicated issues” seriously and urgently, the All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) in its consultative meeting today decided to organize a mass rally and various forms of agitations in all hill districts of Manipur, if the government fails to address the complicated issues of the tribal people in the state.
The student body held a consultation with representatives of the District Private Schools Association and village chiefs/chairman’s of the affected villages on issues ranging from the inclusion of Additional English as one of the optional subject in the first language in the new syllabus for Class IX and X and demarcation of police jurisdiction and district boundaries.
The meeting was held at its Information Centre, New Lambulane today.
The consultation meet opined that abolishing of Additional English from the syllabus is a grave injustice to the tribal people whose language are not recognized and it is a sinister design to imposed Manipuri Language and Meetei Mayek to the tribal, said Kakam Haokip, education secretary, ATSUM before adding that ATSUM is entrusted to request the government to reconsider the previous decision/order and issue fresh notification/order before March 24, 2014 so that Additional English will be incorporated in the syllabus until and unless the government formulates a concrete long term policy for tribal languages.
“Every tribal language should be recognized and due care taken to publish enough quantity of text books and also to recruit language teachers wherever necessary,” asserted Kakam while adding that piecemeal negotiation or short term remedy will not serve the interest of the tribal students.
If Additional English is not introduce as a long term policy rather than for a one year period ATSUM will take it that the government is trying to infringed on the rights of the tribal students, added Kakam Haokip.
In the meantime, Marahang Ngiimai, secretary ATSUM asserted that the state government should maintain status quo and keep in abeyance the notification of April 15, 2011 and June 14 and 15, 2011 issued by the secretariat where many hill villages are included in the jurisdiction of valley police stations.
ATSUM is very sorry to say that dy chief minister Gaikhangam who is also in charge of Home department has not keep his promise with regards to police jurisdiction and district boundaries and in spite of various reminders, failed to address the issue though it merit careful tackling as it hurts the sentiment and emotions of the tribal people pointed out Marahang.
The student body Secretary continued that the consultation today decided to organized Mass Rally in all the Hill Districts and submit a memorandum to the state chief minister and after giving the government some time to issue fresh order/notification in this regard ATSUM in association with all concern will be compelled to launch agitation as it affects the tribal society.
Another civil society body has also announced its endorsement and support to the demands of The Kuki Students’ Organization Sadar Hills to pressure the state government in bringing early positive solution.
In the meantime a well-placed source informed that the Kuki Students’ Organization Sadar Hills is likely to impose another total bandh and blockade in the state to draw the attention of the Govt. if their demands are not satisfactorily meted out at the earliest.
Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills Thuchingpipu gen secy, N Sehjalien Gangte today announced the Inpi’s support to the student body’s demands.
Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills demand the state government to meet all the demands of the Kuki Students’ Organization Sadar Hills satisfactorily at the earliest to avoid further misunderstanding between the concerned authority and the people of Sadar Hills, he said.
The Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills will back and support the KSO Sadar Hills in any possible form in case the government fails to fulfil the demands, warned Gangte.
