STDCM Bats for Empowering Meitei Youth

Last Updated on August 10, 2023 by SPN Editor

Imphal/ August 10, 2023 (SPN)| On the occasion of the International Day of the World Indigenous Peoples 2023, which is celebrated every year on August 9th, the Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM) has articulated its optimism regarding the pivotal role that Meitei youth will play in advancing the cause of the “oppressed Meitei community,” aiming to secure their comprehensive socio-economic and political rights.

Embracing the theme of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 2023, namely “Youth as change agents for self-determination,” STDCM emphasizes the significance of youth across all indigenous communities.

This theme resonates with the notion that the young generation holds the potential to drive transformation and secure the rights enshrined in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

Within the context of the persisting conflict, STDCM sheds light on the deeply concerning issue of violence and aggression perpetuated against the indigenous community, characterizing it as one of the most heinous forms of injustice faced by the Meitei people.

This aggression not only challenges the right of the indigenous Meitei community to self-determination but also contradicts the principles laid out in the UNDRIP, highlighting the urgency for intervention.

STDCM underscores the essential role of Meitei youth in confronting external forces of aggression that have for years threatened the socio-cultural and political rights of the Meitei community.

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Recognizing that these external aggressors have consistently curtailed the right to self-determination, the Meitei youth are called upon to stand resilient and fortified against such threats.

The indigenous Meitei youth should recognize the forces of external aggression that have posed a threat to the Meitei community’s socio, cultural and political rights for many years, STDCM maintained.

Amid these challenges, STDCM highlights the importance of Meitei youth recognizing the broader global context. The statement asserts that indigenous peoples worldwide will unite in solidarity, providing unwavering support to the Meitei youth as they navigate and resist external forces that seek to diminish their rights.