The North East Students' Organisation (NESO) stressed upon addressing illegal immigrants issues among various issues raised during its sixth general conference held at Khumulwng, Tripura from November 24 to 26.
Host Tripura Students' Union (TSF) held panel discussion on the issue of the effects of illegal immigration, scenario of education in different states of Northeast and employment and economic development in Northeast India.
NESO chairman Samuel B Jyrwa stated that the conference unanimously passed and adopted resolutions that 'On Illegal Immigration', the issue of illegal infiltration of foreigners has been and is still a serious threat to the identity and security of the indigenous peoples of the region.
The conference decided that more proactive steps should be taken up by NESO in general and member organisations in particular on a war footing. It also decided to explore all possibilities to fight against the menace and to continue raising the issue with the concerned state governments at the state or at the Central level and to work out modalities according to the prevailing situation of the concerned states.
On education in different states of Northeast, the conference also deliberated at length with regard to the issue of education in different states of Northeast.
The conference is of the opinion that the present system is predominantly of the formal form of education. though the house recognized the importance of formal education, it also resolved that the present system of education should include job-oriented courses, introduction of vocational institutes, education should be location specific and the curriculum should include traditional values like culture, history, geography etc.
It further called for setting up more professional and technical institutes in all North Eastern states.
On Employment & Economic Development in the North-East, the NESO strongly urged the government of India to make the Northeast a Special Employment Zone, set up a Regional Placement/ Employment Exchange in the Northeast with its network covering the whole of the Northeast.
The recruitment of local youth in Central government Establishment be reviewed and in that they should have cent per cent employment in whichever state such an establishment is set up, i.e.; not only in Grade III and IV but also maximum absorption in Grades I and II. The Northeast should be treated as a special economic zone, the conference agreed.
In Special Constitutional Safeguard for Tripura, the conference unanimously adopted a resolution to demand for a special constitutional safeguard for Tripura with vast federal authority. NESO and the people of Northeast will always stand shoulder to shoulder with the indigenous people of Tripura to protect and uplift their identity, culture with rights over land and natural resources, the conference resolved.
Apart from the issues, the general conference also reiterated its stand on many important issues for implementation of Inner Line Permit (ILP) in all the remaining states of Northeast, to conduct NRC in all the other remaining states of Northeast with a specific cut off year, according to the unique situation of that particular state.
As the published updated NRC of Assam is not fully correct, there should be re-examination of the whole process of NRC of Assam, to implement all provisions of the Assam Accord (1985) and for the implementation of the recommendation of the Committee on Clause 6 of the Assam Accord for constitutional safeguard and repeal of the impunitive legislation like AFSPA, 1958.
There should also be opposition and demand for repeal of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019; special Constitutional Status with rights over land and natural resources and separate time zone for Northeast, to declare flood and erosion of Northeast as a national problem, settling of Inter-state boundary and inclusion of the Kok Borok, Khasi and Garo language in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution.
