Agitation in hill areas from July 10

Imphal, July 8 : Spearheading the demand for decentralization of power to the hill districts of Manipur and for holding early elections of the autonomous district councils to enhance grass root democracy in the state, the Indigenous Democratic Front (IDF) has warned the state government that the organization will start mass-based agitation throughout Manipur from July 10 to put pressure on the government for speedy response.

IDF spokesperson, H.Mangjinkhup informed NNN today that representatives of IDF of all the hill districts in Manipur met today at Chingmeirong district council hall, Imphal West, to discuss the line of agitation to be taken up to press the state government for holding early elections of the district councils, which has not been held for the last 20 years or so.

The IDF said that its move is purely to evolve a democratic system of self governance based on indigenous democracy which best benefits the indigenous people of Manipur.

According to the resolutions taken at the meeting today, the agitation will be launched from July 10 in the form of wearing black badges and putting up black flags and banners by members and supporters of IDF all over Manipur, stated the IDF spokesperson.

If the state government fails to respond appropriately, stronger form of agitation, the nature of which the spokesperson did not want to disclose at the moment, would follow, the spokesperson warned.

It is pertinent to note that few days ago, after having had a hectic and extensive campaign in the five hill districts of Manipur to have a grass root level democracy and for evolving a system of self-governance purely based on tribal indigenous form of democracy, the Indigenous Democratic Front (IDF) apprised chief minister of Manipur O.Ibobi Singh to hold elections to the Autonomous District Council (ADC) in the Manipur hills.

The districts of Churachandpur, Chandel, Ukhrul, Senapati and Tamenglong comprised of the hill districts of Manipur.

The IDF was founded sometimes back by the prominent social workers and former tribal students' leaders of Manipur.

Former law student and ex-vice president of All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM) Ngachonmi Chamroy is the president of IDF while former apex students' organisations' leaders such as Ningthaodai Golmei , T.Robert , H.Mangchinkhup, Paul Chothe and Sony Zimik are the vice-presidium of the Front and P.Khamkhanthuam is the general secretary.

In that missive to the chief minister of Manipur intimated in the form of dispatching a representation and was also made available to Newmai News Network, the IDF stated in it that the Front had "successfully interacted with the tribal populace of the five hill districts in its whirl-wind campaign trail where it had held brain storming sessions in every district headquarters.

"From the interactions we are now convinced beyond a shadow of doubt that the tribal people in Manipur want early elections to the Autonomous District Councils (ADC) and also that, taking into account the acute shortage of teachers under Autonomous District Councils and the felt need of quality education, it is appealed that immediate appointment of teachers under ADC be made in the greater interest of the public," was the intimated message of the Indigenous Democratic Front to the chief minister of Manipur.

The IDF missive to the chief minister also stated, " And whereas, the tribal people in Manipur desire early elections to the ADCs, the IDF therefore, requests your government to bring forth a concrete decision in this regard in the ensuing Manipur state legislative assembly scheduled to be held from July 3, 2009" .