Tikhir tribal council (TTC) stand on indigenous tribe certificate issue

Drawing attention to the recent government order directing DCs/ADCs to ensure that indigenous/backward tribe certificates were issued only in the name of 14 recognized tribes and avoid mentioning Tikhir tribe in the certificates, the Tikhir tribal council (TTC) Saturday pointed out that the issuance of the indigenous/inhabitant certificate has never been issued on tribe basis.

In a joint statement, TTC president Topan K. Tikhir and TTC executive council chairman Dioto said three criteria required for indigenous inhabitants nowhere stipulated that those certificates were to be issued only against the recognized tribes.

Recalling that government in March 2005 constituted a committee to recognise Tikhir tribe different from that of Yimchunger tribe, the TTC said despite such positive action, the fresh directive virtually brought Tikhir tribe as Yimchunger tribe by “throughly suppressing the birth right of the Tikhir tribe.”

Further, maintaining that an office memorandum (OM) cannot overrule the High Court decision, TTC pointed out that subsequent to the judgement and order dated May 24, 2007 Tikhirs have been issued Indigenous inhabitant certificate till the latest government OM. “This is an insult to the court request as well as our people,” said TTC leaders.

In the light of the above, the TTC requested the government to “immediately revoke” the OM in so far as it related to the issue of indigenous inhabitant certificates to Tikhirs.

TTC cautioned it would have no option left but seek contempt petition in the court of law and resort to its own course of action and government shall be solely held responsible for the outcome if the issue was not addressed.