What are other northeastern states that have similar procedures to separate indigenous communities from non-indigenous groups?
What are other northeastern states that have similar procedures to separate indigenous communities from non-indigenous groups?
the story So Far: on 5th July, 60-member Manipur Legislative Assembly It resolved to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and set up a State Population Commission (SPC). The approval of some private member resolutions moved by Janata Dal (United) legislator, Khumukcham Joykishan, came after more than two dozen organisations, most of whom were tribals, sought to protect indigenous people from an alleged demographic invasion by Assam-like NRC. demanded. “Non-local residents”.
essence
On July 5, the 60-member Manipur Assembly resolved to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and set up a State Population Commission (SPC).
Northeastern states have become paranoid about “outsiders”, ousting their numerically vulnerable indigenous communities. The Meiteis and Nagas of Manipur claim that the NRC is necessary as the political crisis in neighboring Myanmar has forced hundreds of people from the state’s 398-km-long international border. Most of those who fled belonged to the Kuki-Chin communities, which are ethnically related to the Kuki-Zomi people.
In addition to the Kuki-Chin groups, pro-NRC groups have identified “Bangladesis” and Muslims from Myanmar who have “occupied the constituency of Jiribam and are scattered across the valley areas” as well as Nepalese (Gorkhas). which “have increased in great numbers”. as “outside”.
Why is Manipur insisting on NRC?
Northeastern states have become paranoid about “outsiders”, “foreigners” or “foreign cultures”, excluding their numerically vulnerable indigenous communities. Manipur, home to three major ethnic groups, is no different.
These ethnic groups are the non-tribal Meitei people concentrated in the Imphal Valley, the central part of Manipur, and the tribal Naga and Kuki-Zomi groups mostly inhabiting the hills. There is a history of conflict between these three groups, but the issue of NRC has brought the Meti and the Nagas on the same page. They claim that an NRC is necessary because the political crisis in neighboring Myanmar due to a military coup in February 2021 has forced hundreds of people into the state from its 398-km international border. Most of those who fled or fled belong to the Kuki-Chin communities, which are ethnically related to the Kuki-Zomi people in Manipur as well as the Mizos of Mizoram. In July, seven student organizations from Manipur and 19 tribal and mixed groups – none of them representing the Kuki-Zomi people – presented a Memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi And Home Minister Amit Shah demanded implementation of NRC and setting up of an SPC to “check and balance population growth”. The state assembly bowed to these demands and decided to go for NRC and SPC.
Are there protective mechanisms in Manipur?
In December 2019, Manipur became the fourth northeastern state to be brought under Inner-Line Permit (ILP) System Arunachal Pradesh, followed by Mizoram and Nagaland. A provisional official travel document to allow inward travel of an Indian national to a protected area, the ILP is implemented under the British-era Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation. But less than two years later, an umbrella organization leading the ILP movement said the system was flawed and Manipur needed a stronger and more effective mechanism to protect the indigenous population. Pro-NRC organizations said Manipur has a strong pass or permit system that controls the entry and disposal of outsiders. But it was abolished by the then Chief Commissioner Himmat Singh in November 1950, more than a year after Manipur’s merger with the Union of India. This, he said, resulted in an increase “beyond imagination” in the population of non-Indigenous people.
He also recalled a movement for detection and deportation of foreigners from Manipur in the 1980s, following which the state government decided to use 1951 as the base year to identify and evict non-residents. Two agreements were signed. In June this year, the BJP-led government of Nongthombam Biren Singh approved 1961 as the base year for identifying “native residents” for the purpose of the ILP. Most of the groups are not happy with this cut-off year and consider 1951 as the cut-off year for the NRC exercise.
Are Myanmar citizens the only crooks?
According to the data presented in the Manipur Legislative Assembly, the population growth rate in the hill districts of the state was 153.3% between 1971 and 2001 and 250.9% between 2001 and 2011, while the corresponding national growth rates were 87.67% and 120% respectively. In the case of the Valley districts (Imphal and Jiribam, a small patch adjoining the Barak Valley of southern Assam), the growth rates during these periods were 94.8% and 125.4%. The unusual population growth rate of the hill districts indicates a strong potential for large influx of non-Indians. The situation is such that small indigenous communities may face extinction, requiring a study and action, the House was told. This indicated that Myanmar’s citizens, mainly cookies, were on the radar of the government.
They are not the only community viewed as demographic invaders. Pro-NRC groups have identified “Bangladeshi” and Myanmarese Muslims who “occupied the constituency of Jiribam and are scattered in the valley areas”, as well as Nepalis (Gorkhas) who “grew in tremendous numbers”. Huh”. Cookies have rendered the threat perception irrational. The community’s apex body Kuki Impi said that the NRC, implemented with either 1961 or 1951 as the cut-off year, would not be successful and would affect some Meti and Nagas as well. The biggest concern for the Kukis are members of the community, who had to be relocated from Senapati, Tamenglong and Ukhrul districts following alleged ethnic cleansing by Naga extremist groups.
What is the status of NRC elsewhere in the Northeast?
Assam is the only state in the region to begin the exercise of updating the 1951 NRC with March 24, 1971, as the cut-off date for an individual’s citizenship. This date was included in the Assam Accord of 1985, which ended a six-year anti-foreigner movement, as large numbers of people were believed to have crossed over from erstwhile East Pakistan from March 25, 1971. , when Pakistan started a campaign. Operation to effectively launch Bangladesh Liberation War. The complete draft of the Assam NRC was published in August 2019, excluding 19.06 lakh out of 3.3 crore applicants, which the BJP-led government in the state and some indigenous groups refused to accept. Their petitions for re-verification of the NRC to weed out “Bangladeshi”, allegedly included by mistake or fraud, are pending before the Supreme Court, which had supervised the exercise.
Nagaland RIIN. Tried a similar exercise called (Registration of Indigenous Residents of Nagaland) in June 2019 to differentiate indigenous Nagas from predominantly non-indigenous Nagas. The move, which was seen as directed specifically against the Nagas of neighboring Manipur, was shelved after protests by several groups, including the militant National Socialist Council of Nagalim or NSCN (IM), of which Most of the members are from Manipur.