Rongmei Naga group demands reopening of hill district courts amidst Manipur crisis

Imphal, Dec 7: The Rongmei Naga tribe, primarily residing in the hill districts of Manipur, has raised concerns over the dysfunctionality of district session courts due to the ongoing ethnic crisis in the state.

Ashinpou Gangmei, spokesperson for the Rongmei Naga People Organisation, highlighted on Saturday that the tribe, spread across various hill districts in Manipur, Assam and Nagaland, has faced significant obstacles in accessing legal services since May of last year.

Gangmei pointed out that 90% of legal professionals, including advocates and counsels in Manipur, belong to the Meitei community. However, due to the ethnic unrest, many have been unable to travel to the hill districts, resulting in a backlog of cases in the district courts, particularly in the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court of Tamenglong and other session courts in the region.

In response, the Rongmei Naga People Organisation has sent a letter to the Chief Justice of Manipur High Court, requesting that the district session courts in hill districts, especially in Tamenglong, be opened for fifteen days.

The same arrangement would apply to the capital city, Imphal, for the subsequent fifteen days. Gangmei argued that this would allow Rongmei Naga people in the hill districts to access legal services in the capital while also addressing the grievances of the Kuki Zo community.

“If court sessions are held for fifteen days each in the valley and hill districts, it will allow the Rongmei Naga people to travel to Imphal and access legal experts. At the same time, it will address the grievances of the Kuki Zo community as well,” Gangmei said.

Gangmei also noted the challenges faced by Kuki people in districts like Tamenglong and Noney, who cannot easily travel to Imphal for legal proceedings.

He stressed that the lack of functioning courts in the hill districts has made it difficult for the tribal communities to seek justice, with many cases remaining pending.

The Rongmei Naga People Organisation has been advocating for this solution since March 11, 2024, but has yet to receive a positive response from the authorities.

Gangmei lamented the heavy financial burden on people in remote areas, who often have to spend significant amounts of money travelling to Imphal, only to find their cases adjourned repeatedly.

The ongoing ethnic tensions in Manipur have deeply affected the administration of justice in the hill districts, and the Rongmei Naga People Organisation is urging the Manipur High Court to take swift action to address these issues.