Thursday, April 09, 2009

PDA pledges to seek hill land reform act, political prisoner status for captured UGs

IMPHAL, April 7: The People’s Democratic Alliance, PDA, has come out with a manifesto which promises to restore rights of the Hill People of Manipur, “ensure the democratic rights of the people, preserve the identity of the marginal nationalities with due respect to their aspiration and to facilitates the fulfilment of the same, like the Naga unification and that of other indigenous people of the state” among others.

The manifesto said it would be seeking to introduce land reforms and laws for the hill areas as per the needs of the tribal people in keeping with the changing times. This however would be a separate law and not an extention of the MLR & LR Act of 1960. The law would also give primacy to preserving customary laws and practices, it said.

It also said the emergency of regionalism is healthy and constructive and the dialectics it produces would bring about transparent socio economic development.
It said “the PDA is concerned on the social inequality between the advance majority sections of the society and the backward hill people, negligence relating to the roads and transport, health service, electricity, water supply, education, agriculture and sports. Fund flow from the Tribal Affairs Ministry under Article 275(1) of the Indian Constitution should reach the tribal people settle in the valley districts of Manipur.”

It also pledged to fight for the implementation of the “Recommendation of the Delimitation Commission of India for the increase of four Assembly Constituencies in Manipur Hill Areas as per 2001 census, reservation system to be continued and monitored by the Sated Government with transparency and the deep rooted corruption in administration in the state be addressed with sincere spirit by the state government of Manipur.”

“The Party shall strive for the good governance i.e E.G with equitable economic development, social harmony and brotherhood, social order base on liberty, equality and justice, identity of the ethnic indigenous people and to create fraternal contact with other regional political parties or groups that share the faith in democracy and universal freedom of mankind.” It added.

Elaborating its stand on land reforms it said “People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) shall strive to protect, safeguard and ensure proper management of the lands, forests and mineral resources of the hill people of Manipur. Land and Forest and Tribal/Indigenous people are inseparable. The tribal either community, clan or chief or even individuals are the owners of the lands as the “Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006” implies, There is no Khasland in the Tribal Lands and Forest in the Hill Areas of Manipur.”

On Naga unification it said “The unification of the Nagas and that of other indigenous people of the state shall upheld. PDA stands for solution of all political problems in the region and the Indian Sub-Continent through peaceful means. And that it supports the ongoing Indo-Naga peace process which calls for a strong political will.”

It said “the hill people of Manipur rejected the extension of MLR & LR Act. of 1960, which tends to destabilize the aged old land holding system inherited since time immemorial.”

In its stead it said “the PDA would take up the issue in the Legislative Assembly to enact a law under the provision of the Article 371(c) of Indian Constitution and other provisions to facilitate the land owners, the equal benefits as provided for the valley people by the MLR & LR Act., 1960.”

It also said “The Village Authority Acts., 1956 (as amended some parts) has failed to serve the interest of the Hill people of Manipur” and the PDA would “take up the matter to introduce a new law to suit the interest of the hill villages and the changing time.”

The manifesto said it would strive for the “improvement of Roads and Transport system in Manipur.

Link roads from one District H. Qrs. in the hill areas of Manipur on the status of State High ways will be constructed wherever required. Inter District Bus service should also be opened at the earliest for

the welfare of the people in the hill and rural areas of the state.”

The PDA would also fight for “a separate Hill University for the 5 hill districts of Manipur be taken up to ensure proper educational and academic enhancement and to fulfill the long standing aspiration of the students community in the hill areas of Manipur.”

It said it would also take up efforts “for effective health services for the people of the hill areas especially for rural poor. A community Health Centre on the status of Hospital should be opened in each sub-division by the State Government.”

It said it would also fight for a sub-plan scheme for tribals settled in the valley and also for setting up of a tribal market at Imphal.

It said “PDA will strive for the realization to increase four Assembly Constituencies as recommended by the Delimitation Commission of India for the Hill areas of Manipur as per 2001 census.”

“PDA will strive for the realization of the creation of a 46 member Legislative Council (Vidha Parishad) for Manipur with on third representative for women and unrepresented communities.” The manifesto said adding it would also be fight for a third Lok Sabha seat for the state.

On the issue of ethnic tensions in the state, it said “PDA stands for social harmony and peaceful co-existence in the region. This party shall work for the peaceful resolution of all ethnic conflicts and misunderstanding between different sections of the people.”

The manifesto also touched on the setting up of a tribal advisory commission, a State Investigation Agency, SIA, in the pattern of the National Investigation Agency, NIA.

It said it would also fight to reverse the trend of illegitimate urbanisation of hill areas currently underway through the introduction of Panchayati Raj Act, and the Municipality Council Act etc.

The PDA manifesto also laid a stress on promoting human rights and fight the current trend of the state becoming a “police state” or “a vast concentration camp.”

This would be done by strengthening the State Human Rights Commission; withdrawal of the draconian laws such as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958; checking state and non-state sponsored terrorism and extra-judicial killings; and according political prisoner status for revolutionaries of various groups when arrested or imprisoned.

The manifesto said it would also seek to protect the environment and in the process oppose amongst others the construction of the Timaimukh Dam.

Source: ifp.co.in

No comments:

Post a Comment