IMPHAL: Two of the top civil society groups in Manipur have demanded an NRC-like document to put a check on illegal influx of immigrants into the state.
The Manipur civil society groups proposed adoption of the National Register of Citizenship (NRC) to scientifically identify the illegal immigrants and push them back and check further illegal infiltration into the state.
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The civil society groups in Manipur has urged the state government to take steps to check illegal influx of immigrants into the state.
The civil society groups in Manipur have alleged that there have been large-scale influx of illegal immigrants from neighbouring Myanmar Bangladesh as well as Nepal.
The Manipur civil society groups have alleged that the demography of the state has been affected due to influx of immigrants from these countries.
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A memorandum has also been submitted by the Co-ordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) and United Naga Council (UNC) to Manipur CM Biren Singh.
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In the memorandum, the civil society groups stated that the indigenous people of Manipur are concerned with the unregulated influx of immigrants into the state.
It added that unchecked influx of immigrants into Manipur since 1947 have threatened the identity, territory, economy, and socio-political scenario of indigenous people in the state.
“Many present socio-political unrests in Manipur either are directly or indirectly consequences of the illegal influx of immigrants from the neighbouring countries especially Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Nepal,” the Manipur civil society groups said.
It added: “The native people of Manipur can no longer afford to remain silent as this menace has been adversely impacting the future security and well-being of the original natives.”
“It has adversely impacted the native demography, social order, and geographical topography which is often manifested in racial, ethnic, religious, and political tensions in the state,” the Manipur civil society groups further said.
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“The immigrants keep coming and are now claiming ownership over the native people’s land. Many unrecognised villages have been mushrooming in some specific hill districts of Manipur for the last some decades and the state government remained a silent spectator without any control over such unreasonable increase of new villages which are supposed to be the villages of illegal immigrants coming from the neighbouring countries, especially from Myanmar,” the Manipur civil society groups stated in their memorandum to CM.
“If the present situation is allowed to continue, more serious unwanted ethnic conflicts and violence is imminent in the state, to avert such unwanted eventualities, appropriate and timely intervention is required from the state government to ascertain the legality of such citizenships and the landholdings,” the Manipur civil society groups said.