Ukhrul Apr 5 : Thou-sands of Ukhrul people congregated at Tangkhul Naga Long ground and held a public meeting concer-ning Autonomous District Council election and unani-mously declared to reject the ADC 2008 Act, here today.
The meeting was organized under the aegis of Tangkhul frontal organizations including representa- tives of UNC, TNL, TKS, TSL,TMNL, NPMHR, AN-SAM and HKL.
During the public meeting, ADC 2008 Act /Bill was burned to symbolically demonstrate the right rejection of the said Act and its contents, led by the president of Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong.
After the public meeting a key to ‘Know Your Rights’ was distributed which states that Article 371-C of the Constitution of India read with Manipur Legislative Assembly (Hill Areas Committee) Order,1972 by the president of India empower the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) with immense authority and great responsi- bility for efficient administration of the tribal areas of Manipur.
Addressing the gathering leaders of the organi- sations claimed that the Government of Manipur under the autocratic and dominant force of the non-tribals, coupled with the ignorance and complacen-cy of the elected represen- tative of the tribals, have deprived us from enacting and enforcing such laws and rules which will uphold and strengthen democratic process at the grass-root level in the hills.
Elaborating that the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act third Amendment 2008, section 29(i) clause XIII empowers district council to occupy and sell/allot land from villages, the social leaders said it can also set apart certain areas of village land for any purpose which the Council thinks fit. The speakers maintained that this directly infringes on the rights of the village authority of the tribal village and also contradicts the Manipur state Hill people administration and its regulation of 1947 and the Manipur village Authority in Hill Areas Act, 1956.
They further maintained that section 29 (1) clause (X!V) of the Act also empowers district councils to manage forest and to declare National Park or Reserve Forest without much ado, section 29 (2) (a) also empowers State Government for appointment or succession of chief/headman/chairman without the knowledge or approval of the village concerned. Moreover, section 29 (2) (b) can issue on its own volition on matters relating to inheritance of property, marriage and divorce and control or regulation of custom and tradition and also empowers the Deputy Commissioners with 46 (3) of the Act to suspend any resolution of the district council if /he /she thinks it improper or contravenes rules. All this rule are nothing but contravenes the rights of the Tribal people keeping the deputy commissioner all powerful and also matters in his/her whims and mercy in spite of the fact that the district cou-ncil are constituted by elec- ted representative of the people, the statement alleged.
The UNC speaker after the meeting informed The Sangai Express, that holding of district council elect- ion in haste without knowing the spirit and contents of the Act and the Rules will only lead to further exploitation of the tribals.
This Act of 2008 is literally an act of invasion of the polity, economy customs and tradition of the hill people of Manipur and if the scheduled election is held under the said rule and Act the tribal people will be the victims of economic and political exploitation and stagnation for another generation to come, added the secretary general of ANSAM.

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Tml demands amendment of ADC Act

Tamenglong, Apr 5: Representatives of Naga social organizations and a political party burnt a copy of the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act, 1971 and its amendment of 2008 today in the middle of Main Street, an act of denouncing the Act.
The Act, said Gaidon Kahmei, General Secretary of People’s Democratic Alliance, the spokesman of the team demanding amendment of the Act, is a toothless Act giving no autonomy to the Autonomous District Council. The burning of the copy of the Act was carried out jointly by representatives from United Naga Council (UNC), Zeliangrong Students’ Union Manipur (ZSUM) and the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA). The spokesman further said that the Act did not give financial, judiciary and legislative power to the District Council and hence the Act is a farce. A democratic country is governed by Acts and Rules and what is a democracy if Acts, Rules and Laws are against the will of the people, asked the spokesman.
Recounting their activities on demands for amendment of the ADC Act, Gaidon also said that they have submitted memoranda to the Prime Minister, AICC Chief, State Governor and Chief Minister but the Act is still incomplete.
He showed a letter written on 7 April 2003 by the then Deputy Prime Minister LK. Advani to the State CM Ibobi Singh, asking Ibobi to submit the details of the local adjustments and amendments to be made in the Act to the MHA without further delay. The letter further said that the Councils do not enjoy any legislative or judicial powers and that the councils are not able to exercise the executive and administrative powers vested in them because of many controls.
“We demand amendment of the Act and early holding of the ADC election and we do not ask for not holding the election as some are wrongly translating our demands”, he added.
The agitators further said that the 12 hour chaka bandh called by the UNC and other Naga frontal organizations will go ahead. Meanwhile, Hoineilung Kahmei Chairman Nungba Citizen’s Council will support the 12- hour bandh called for 6 April by the UNC.