ES Reporter

ITANAGAR, Apr 23:The Yobin Students Union (YSU) and All Arunachal Anti Corruption Students Union (AAPACSU) in a joint press conference on Monday has urged the state government to fulfill their four point charter for demands concerning further upliftment of lesser known-Yobin Tribe (Lisu) that is  still living in a primitive state.

The organization has been demanding withdrawal of government order to allow participation of Ex-servicemen settlers in Panchayati Raj under Vijoynagar Circle and clarification on the matter. It is also seeking suspension of DC, CO, ADC, Miao for showing favouritism towards non indigenous settlers by overlooking sentiments of locals. Immediate completion of (150kM) Miao-Vijoynagar road is also another point.

Addressing a press conference, AAPACSU president, Tana Ganesh Tara expressed displeasure over government apathy towards the plight of the Yobins and called upon the Chief Minister to initiate necessary action to fulfill the long-standing demands of the Yobin tribe.

Displeased over non fulfillment of demands despite expiry of ultimatum served earlier, Tara informed that Vijoynagar is caught in a time warp and development has become a mirage for locals due to continuous negligence meted by the state government all these years towards the community.

Over the extension of right given to temporary settlers to partake in Panchayati Raj election, Tara alleged that not only allowing outsiders to partake in PR system is infringement of PR guidelines, but such privilege to temporary settlers is not permitted anywhere else in the state.

Stating that the future of Yobin tribe is being threatened, he alleged that it is inhuman to displace an entire populace from their ancestral land just for the sake of settlement of few outsiders. “The locals there have now become aliens in their own homeland,” he asserted.

The union who recently toured Vijoynagar, Changlang has alleged that the settlement of the retired Army families was not done as proposed in the land settlement policy which was meant to be on “vacant lands” instead it resulted in forceful eviction of people from their ancestral villages.

Also informing that Vijoynagar circle is totally cut off from the rest of the world due to lack of proper road communication, Tara  called for early construction of Miao-Vijoynagar road which has been halted due to unknown reasons despite funds sanctioned under PMGSY and foundation stone laid in 2011.

The president of Yobin students union, Ngwazosa Yobin in his address requested the government to fulfill its promise to accord ST status to the community while claiming that the community was granted ST status in 2015 but later revoked in 2017 due to unknown issues.

Moreover divulging that the government agreed to review its decision on ST issue, he called for taking a final call on grant of ST status to the community immediately.

When asked why they should be given ST status, Ngwazosa   replied, “Because our community needs it,” and pointed to their poor living, economic and social conditions.

“We have become an integral part of the local society now and our people feel deprived as they have not received recognition as Scheduled Tribe till date,” he rued.

He underscored that ST status can only improve the economic status of the community as it is facing irreparable economic down turn for decades.

  Ngwazosa went on to allege that the Yobins precarious position has become further complicated after the government conferred rights to non-native settlers to partake in Panchayati Raj election while overlooking local’s rights.

The organization also demanded immediate suspension of DC, ADC and CO for ignoring the interest of the locals by giving more priority to the settlers. 

In this regards, the organization served another two days ultimatum to the government to look into their demands and threatened to resort to democratic mode of protest to press their demands.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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