Manipur People's Convention for a United Hills & Valley Peace
Manipur People's Convention for a United Hills & Valley Peace on 11 June 2016at Delhi
With increasing tensions in Manipur, some concerned citizens came together to start a dialogue. An almost historic meeting for Peace and Reconciliation was held on Saturday 11 June 2016, in the, Constitution Club, New Delhi organised by concerned citizens from Manipur State. Many eminent personalities – from hills and valley -- were invited as a part of this important meeting and their opinion sought for resolving the current crisis in Manipur.
Some of the eminent speakers who were a part of this convention included: Mrs Rose Mangshi Haokip, President, Kuki Women’s Union, Mrs Sitara Begum, Muslim Woman Leader, Ms Binalakshmi Nepram, Founder Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network & Northeast India Women Initiative for Peace, Mr David Boyes, Founder-Convenor, Northeast India Forum Against Racism, Dr Alana Golmei, General Secretary, Northeast Support Centre & Helpline, Manipur, Mr Lakpachui Siro, Co-founder of FUNICH (Forum for Understanding the Naga-India Conflict and Human Rights), Mr Babloo Loitongbam, Director, Human Rights Alert, Mrs Lucy Jajo, Conflict Widow, Mr Harsh Mander, Director of the Centre for Equity Studies, Dr Anuradha Chenoy, Dean, Jawaharlal Nehru University.
The meeting was arranged by concerned citizens for all communities from Manipur who are living, or working in Delhi NCR.
A Manipur People’s Resolution was adopted at the Convention wherein it was reiterated that Manipur is a land of multi-ethnic communities consisting of Meiteis, Nagas, Kukis, Zomis, Gorkhas, Punjabis, Tamil, Marwaries etc and that we the concerned communities would like to ensure that we all live with peace, harmony and dignity.
The Convention supported the historical struggle for the Inner Line Permit (ILP) or its equivalent protection that started in 1980s and continues till now spearheaded by JCILPS. The Convention also recognises the concerns of hill people of Manipur, their reservations and fears towards the 3 bills and resolve to work to ensure that a solution is brought about.
An important historic beginning to ensure that all communities sit down together, discuss our grievances and ensure we work for solutions symbolised the spirit of the People’s Convention. The Convention also strongly appealed to organisers of ongoing protests to ensure that no students below age of 18 is used in protests as it’s a violation of Child Rights Convention and that recurring blockades that block medical and other emergency should not take place.
A proper protest that respects human rights must be adhered to. Convention also expressed strongly the view that Manipur and Northeast India have all been connected to New Delhi and not with each other and hence efforts be made – socially, culturally, politically, economically – for people of Manipur and NE region to build bridges of understanding.
The Convention also called for lifting of all forms of military laws etc such as AFSPA in region.
(Summarised from the article Manipur People's Convention for a United Hills & Valley Peace)
References
Manipur: Three Bills and Ensuing Tensions in the Land of Jewels
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