Apropos to the press release dated 18 July, 2024, by the Jiri Apunba Lup wherein the Indigenous Tribes Advocacy Committee (ITAC) Pherzawl and Jiribam Districts was accused of issuing a press statement revealing plans by the Hmar- Kuki- Zomi groups to attack Meiteis in Jiribam. The accusation is unfortunate. The extra- judicial killings of three Hmar youths in Assam is a tragic lost. On the other hand, such accusations leveled upon ITAC and the blatant lobbying and sycophancy extended upon the Assam State police by the Apunba Lup reveals the extent to which the Apunba Lup would stoop in order to malign the image of the Hmar- Kuki- Zo people in Jiribam District.
History is the unwavering witness to the fact that the Hmar- Kuki- Zomi people are very much indigenous people of the land in as much as they are Hill House Tax paying hill tribes having record of their status since British times in the early 1900s. It is true that Jiribam, after the independance of India, was recognised as hill area since 1948 . When the first Manipur State Assembly election was conducted on adult franchise in July 1948, the Jiribam Rajbari was included in the Hill Area of Manipur. Tribal villages in Jiribam, while preserving their traditional chief system and legally maintaining their tribal status, had been paying Hill House tax since the past 100 years.
When a total number of 725 village authorities were constituted under Manipur Village Authority (in Hill Areas) Act 1956, Jiribam was included among the sub-divisions/circles and there were 16 village authorities in Jiribam consisting of 86 elected members. When the MLR and LR Act 1960 came into effect, the tribal villages of Jiribam continued to pay Hill House Tax as Hill Pocket Villages When revenue survey was carried out in 1970, the Tribal village lands were left out of the survey as they paid Hill House Tax.
In 1997, Jiribam became a sub-division under Imphal East district which is a revenue district.The tribal villages continued to pay Hill House Tax unhindered till 2017 . In 2017 , the sinister design of the Meitei government was revealed when the payment of Hill House Tax was stopped with no rhyme or reason. This is a clear and blatant violation of tribal land rights and an attemp to rob the Hmar- Kuki- Zomi people of their land and tribal rights. Therefore, the Hmar- Kuki- Zomi people of Jiribam will stand their ground and, in the midst of all sorts of unprovoked aggressions, we will defend our land all our rights at all cost.
When Mr. Seigoulien Singson was brutally killed on 17th May 2024 the Hmar- Kuki-Zomi did not react in an illogical manner and suppressing all emotional outrage we were patient to allow the way of a reasonable settlement to run its course. Hence, there was no outbreak of violence. On the other hand , with the demise of S Sarat, of which there was no concrete evidence that the Hmar-Kuki-Zomi people had a hand in the unfortunate incident, there was arson, mayhem and terror. These were unleashed by the armed radical Meitei militants such as the Arambai Tengol and other terrorist groups wherein the indigenous Hmar- Kuki- Zomi people were forced to flee their homes and hearth.
Following the terror unleashed upon the Hmar - Kuki- Zomi people, the Manipur State Police, in collusion with Meitei radical and terror groups have led unprovoked attacks upon Hmar-Kuki-Zomi villages of Phaitol, Sejang and Mongbung. It is the Meitei always attacking the Hmar-Kuki- Zomi people through the instrument of state police, Arambai Tengol and other radical organisations.
It would do good to the Apunba Lup to discard their myopic vision and opt for the clear vision of truth. Truth alone prevails.
Issued by-
Department of Information and Publicity
Indigenous Tribes Advocacy Committee (ITAC)
Pherzawl & Jiribam District.
History is the unwavering witness to the fact that the Hmar- Kuki- Zomi people are very much indigenous people of the land in as much as they are Hill House Tax paying hill tribes having record of their status since British times in the early 1900s. It is true that Jiribam, after the independance of India, was recognised as hill area since 1948 . When the first Manipur State Assembly election was conducted on adult franchise in July 1948, the Jiribam Rajbari was included in the Hill Area of Manipur. Tribal villages in Jiribam, while preserving their traditional chief system and legally maintaining their tribal status, had been paying Hill House tax since the past 100 years.
When a total number of 725 village authorities were constituted under Manipur Village Authority (in Hill Areas) Act 1956, Jiribam was included among the sub-divisions/circles and there were 16 village authorities in Jiribam consisting of 86 elected members. When the MLR and LR Act 1960 came into effect, the tribal villages of Jiribam continued to pay Hill House Tax as Hill Pocket Villages When revenue survey was carried out in 1970, the Tribal village lands were left out of the survey as they paid Hill House Tax.
In 1997, Jiribam became a sub-division under Imphal East district which is a revenue district.The tribal villages continued to pay Hill House Tax unhindered till 2017 . In 2017 , the sinister design of the Meitei government was revealed when the payment of Hill House Tax was stopped with no rhyme or reason. This is a clear and blatant violation of tribal land rights and an attemp to rob the Hmar- Kuki- Zomi people of their land and tribal rights. Therefore, the Hmar- Kuki- Zomi people of Jiribam will stand their ground and, in the midst of all sorts of unprovoked aggressions, we will defend our land all our rights at all cost.
When Mr. Seigoulien Singson was brutally killed on 17th May 2024 the Hmar- Kuki-Zomi did not react in an illogical manner and suppressing all emotional outrage we were patient to allow the way of a reasonable settlement to run its course. Hence, there was no outbreak of violence. On the other hand , with the demise of S Sarat, of which there was no concrete evidence that the Hmar-Kuki-Zomi people had a hand in the unfortunate incident, there was arson, mayhem and terror. These were unleashed by the armed radical Meitei militants such as the Arambai Tengol and other terrorist groups wherein the indigenous Hmar- Kuki- Zomi people were forced to flee their homes and hearth.
Following the terror unleashed upon the Hmar - Kuki- Zomi people, the Manipur State Police, in collusion with Meitei radical and terror groups have led unprovoked attacks upon Hmar-Kuki-Zomi villages of Phaitol, Sejang and Mongbung. It is the Meitei always attacking the Hmar-Kuki- Zomi people through the instrument of state police, Arambai Tengol and other radical organisations.
It would do good to the Apunba Lup to discard their myopic vision and opt for the clear vision of truth. Truth alone prevails.
Issued by-
Department of Information and Publicity
Indigenous Tribes Advocacy Committee (ITAC)
Pherzawl & Jiribam District.
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