[ Pisi Zauing ]
MIAO, Aug 14: The political department’s perceived attempt to bar the Singpho Students’ Union (SSU) and the Singpho Youth Organization (SYO) from the joint high power committee (JHPC) meeting on grant of permanent residential certificate to non-APSTs, scheduled to be held at Namsai on 17 August, has been largely condemned by Singpho leaders and elite groups.
The SYO and the SSU, who had participated in the JHPC meeting held at Itanagar in the past, have not been invited for the meeting at Namsai, whereas other student unions representing affected Khampti, Mishmi, Tangsa and Nyishi communities have been invited.
Talking to this correspondent, Singpho Development Society secretary general Ongyun Maio expressed astonishment at “the suspicious intent of the state political department.”
The Singphos are the most affected by the issue in question and therefore the JHPC should take the Singpho community into confidence, he said.
“Unfortunately, we do not have any elected representative in the government; but it does not mean the Singphos are extinct. Singpho is a major tribe of the state and the most affected by outsiders, which means that our participation in every JHPC meeting is mandatory,” Maio said.
He appealed to the political department to reconsider its decision and include the SYO and the SSU in the proposed 17 August interaction at Namsai.
The circular for the meeting was issued on 8 August by the political department, vide No POL – 193/2004 (Pt-I).
The 12-member JHPC is headed by Environment & Forests Minister Nabam Rebia as its chairman.
Other invitees to the meeting include the deputy commissioners of Papum Pare, Changlang, Lohit and Namsai districts, along with AAPSU representatives.
The student unions representing the Khampti, Mishmi, Tangsa and Nyishi communities too have been invited, whereas the Singpho community has been left out for reasons best known to the political department and the state government.
