Agenda for state representatives of proposed talk on Alternative Administrative Arrangement

Dr. Khomdon Singh Lisam *

A hoarding during Home Minister P Chidambaram visit to Senapati on 02 November 2011 :: Pix - Jimmy Leivon

NOW THE next round of talk to discuss the demand for an Alternative Administrative Arrangement for Naga inhabited areas of Manipur outside the purview of the Manipur State Government as a part of the final settlement of Indo-NSCN-IM peace talk has been scheduled on 12th February, 2013 at Senapati . The date was fixed during a meeting between Union Home Minister , Mr, Shushil Kumar Shinde and Shri O. Ibobi Singh, Chief Minister, Manipur on 5th February, 2013 .

The talk will be at the official level and not at the political level. Mr. Shambhu Singh , Joint Secretary ( North East ) of the Ministry of Home Affairs and a Special Secretary ( Internal Security ) will be a part of the team representing the Central Government and Mr, D.S Poonia , Chief Secretary and some other senior officers will represent Manipur. Probably Mr, L. Adani , UNC president and some other members of UNC is likely to represent NSCN-IM.

First of all, the officials representing Manipur should be very clear why the UNC is demanding an Alternative Administrative Arrangement for Naga inhabited areas of Manipur outside the purview of the Manipur State Government. The main contention of the NSCN-IM and UNC is that the Manipur Government is highly communal and the Meiteis are blamed for underdevelopment of the Hill areas of Manipur . The Manipur representative will clarify their position citing examples from documented facts The officials representing Manipur may kindly do adequate home work with a mission how to protect not only the territorial integrity but also communal harmony, emotional integrity, social integrity , solidarity and unity of all ethnic groups in Manipur.

1. What is the meaning of Alternative Administrative Arrangement for Naga inhabited areas of Manipur outside the purview of the Manipur State Government.

The officials representing Manipur should demand a full explanation and meaning of the term Alternative Administrative Arrangement from the NSCN-IM and UNC. Do the NSCN -IM and UNC mean having two state governments in Manipur - one for Nagas , another for Non-Nagas . What kind of administrative arrangement do they want without sacrificing not only the territorial integrity but also communal harmony, emotional integrity, social integrity , solidarity and unity of all ethnic groups in Manipur. If NSCN-IM and UNC can spell out the strategy to fulfil this basic objective , then that may be acceptable .

2. Who are the Nagas ?

The officials representing Manipur may not be very familiar with the history of Manipur and for that matter with the definition and history of Nagas. The present situation is the result of the wrong policies and strategies the Government of India had adopted during the last 63 years. The officials may not be in a comfortable position to represent Manipur in this type of talk . They may therefore ask the Government of India and the Government of Manipur to co-opt some experts and civil society representatives to join the talk . If UNC can be a party to the talk, why not co-opt civil societies representing Non-Nagas like Kukis, Meiteis , Meitei Pangans This will hasten the process in the final settlement of the Indo- NSCN-IM peace talk. The Nagas alone can not decide the future of Manipur . What is the definition of Nagas. The state of Nagaland does not recognise Tangkhuls as Nagas . The Manipuris never consider Tangkhuls or Kabuis or Marams as Nagas. Do the 30 odd Naga tribes communicate each other ? Only few years back, Anals consider themselves as Kukis and now under threat from NSCN, they have been converted into Nagas. Can one become Nagas by conversion. There are hundreds of questions which neither NSCN-IM nor UNC may not be able to answer .

3. Unique history of Nagas

This is not the time to discuss fabricated history. The Manipur officials should not be carried away by the term " unique history of Nagas" The phrase "unique history of Nagas " was used in 1918 for the first time by Mr. Charles Pawsay, the then Deputy Commissioner of Naga Hills who became Sir Charles Pawsay, Since then the NSCN -IM and other active Naga groups are using this phrase to conceal their true identity. The unique history of the Nagas is that they do not have any written history before 1918 although they are rich in oral history. Nagas did not have a Raja or a King. Nagas did not have a well defined kingdom or territory or boundary or sovereignty. This is the truth . Truth can not be decided by vote.

4. Is the Manipur Government communal ?

The NSCN-IM and the UNC charged that the Manipur Government is highly communal :We need not enter into a debate who is more communal- NSCN-IM or the Manipur Government . But the facts remains that NSCN-IM is collecting around Rs, 50 lakhs to one crore of illegal tax everyday from the Manipuri vehicles passing through Senapati district and Nagaland .under the nose of the security personnel. The NSCN -IM is killing many innocent Meietei drivers every year and causing grievous hurt to hundreds of innocent Metei drivers every year . They were imposing economic blockade on the national highway of Naga dominated areas on flimsy grounds for months together to harass and deprive the Meteis of the essential commodities like food, medicines, petrol, diesel , LPG gases etc. The NSCN-IM designated camps are functioning in Ukhrul, Chandel and Tamenglong although the cease fire with NSCN-IM is not extended to Manipur. The NSCN -IM cadres had cruelly murdered many innocent Meitei officers without any fault or provocation, The NSCN -IM cadres had no respect for women as evident from recent episodes. Action speaks louder. The NSC-IM and UNC think only for Nagas not for Manipur or Manipuris . Then who is more communal ? But Manipur Government never take up adequate steps to declare the NSCN as a Terrorist group or to punish the leaders of NSCN or their front line workers.

5. Responsibility for underdevelopment of Hill areas

Rome was not built in a day. It may take decades if not centuries for a nation to develop. Presently , most of the IAS and IPS posts are occupied by tribal of which many are Nagas because of their reservation quota, More than 35 % to 45% of the developments funds of Manipur are earmarked for tribal areas during the last five year plans . More than 30% of the Government jobs are reserved for tribal including Nagas . The same reservation norms are being implemented at the time of promotion. Tribal are allowed to purchase lands in the valley which constitutes hardly 10% of the state whereas no valley people are allowed to purchase land in the hills which constitutes 90% of the state. The valley people are deprived of their agricultural lands because of influx of tribal into the valley . There are five autonomous district councils dedicated to the development of hill areas. There is one separate cabinet minister and one separate department looking after the development of hill areas and these are exclusively manned by tribal since inception, The truth is that all the tribal VIPs coming to he valley do not want to go back to hills. They built palatial buildings in the valley and siphoned off the funds for tribal development . They sold all the CGI sheets, cement , steel, pipes , fertilizers etc. meat meant for hill areas to the businessmen in the valley and always blamed the Meiteis for the underdevelopment of hill areas. Anti-Meitei propaganda becomes a catch word for winning election and for proving themselves as innocent .

6. Harmful consequences of Alternative Arrangement

6.1. If Alternative Administrative Arrangement for Naga inhabited areas of Manipur outside the purview of the Manipur State Government is effected as proposed by NSCN-IM, there will be two governments in one state in contrast to one government two country system. The jurisdiction of Manipur Government will be confined and limited to the valley only . That means , Manipur will be disintegrated into fragments which is likely lead to a catastrophe and civil war for which the Government of India will be entirely responsible .

6.2. Hundreds of thousands of Naga people including VIPs occupying permanent residences and buildings in the valley will continue to occupy the residences because India is a secular country. They will not shift their houses to Ukhrul or Senapati or Tamenglong or Chandel, which will lead to another catastrophe .

3. Hundreds of hectares of land owned by the Nagas in the valley will continue to be possessed by the Nagas and no valley will be allowed to purchase back the properties because of peculiar land laws under the Indian Constitution.

4. The cordial relations between the Nagas and the Non-Nagas will be lost forever .

Instead, there will be always non-cooperation, enmity , conflict and fighting between the Nagas and Non-Nagas and Manipur will be fragmented state for which the Government of India will be entirely responsible. Anatomically , it will e a single state but physiologically it will be fragmented . If the anatomy is perfect and there is no physiology, it is simply a dead body. Earlier , the Government of India had committed a series of historical blunders leading illegal annexation of Manipur to India.. Now, the Government of India wants Manipur to be fragmented into pieces for which the Government of India will be entirely responsible.

Most of the Manipuris do understand that Manipur can not become a developed state unless all the hill areas are equally developed and Manipur can not become a rich state unless all the hill people become rich. In order to achieve this objective, alternative administrative arrangement is not the answer . The answer lies in bringing equality among all tribes inhabiting Manipur , bringing about constitutional amendments , more participation in decision making process , human resource development, development of roads and communications, uniform land laws , development of infrastructure etc. Manipur belongs to more than 33 ethnic groups of which the main are the Meiteis, Nagas, Kukis , Meitei Pangans . We should stand united. We should remember that our sole objective is not only to protect not only the territorial integrity but also communal harmony, emotional integrity, social integrity , solidarity and unity of all ethnic groups in Manipur.

The Manipur officials may assert the following points :-

1. The NSCN-IM should dismantle all designated NSCN-IM camps from Manipur as agreed with the Government of India as cease fire is not extended to Manipur . The Government of India should be responsible to expedite this.

2. The NSCN-IM stop imposing illegal tax, killing and harassing innocent drivers and passengers passing through national highways. The Government of India should be responsible to expedite this.

3. The District Councils may be given adequate authority and power to plan and implement all development works of all sectors. All recruitment , transfer and posting for the hill areas may be delegated to the District Councils. But finalisation of plan size, allocation of funds proportionate to the population and expenditure monitoring should be done by the state . There may be more than one cabinet minister. In this connection the relevant Acts may be modified . No other option may be acceptable to the people of Manipur.

4. The proposal for Alternative Administrative Arrangement is a suicidal step for Manipur and it can be decided only on the basis of a referendum conducted under supervision by the Government of India . If the NSC-IM and UNC still insist on Alternative Administrative Arrangement, then the Government of India should declare the date of the referendum as soon as possible.

4. The Manipur Officials may put up the proposal for amendment of the Indian Constitution as a part of the Talk . The Article 371C of Indian Constitution is discriminatory and harmful and it encourages disunity and fighting among the ethnic groups. The Article 371C of Indian Constitution should be amended without further delay for ensuring long lasting pace, prosperity , development of Manipur and for bringing communal harmony , solidarity and unity of all ethnic groups in Manipur . The proposed amendments are :-

4.1 The Article 3 of Indian Constitution regarding alteration of state boundaries shall not apply in respect of Manipur
4.2. All the ethnic groups in Manipur may be brought under an uniform Land Laws
4.3. All the indigenous religions of Manipur will be recognized by the Indian Constitution as the religions of the State".
4.4. The Constitution should provide establishment of an upper house ( Legislative Council ) with a minimum of 40 members with provision for 10 nominated Members.

The Manipur team under the dynamic leadership of Mr. D.S Poonia may kindly assert these points during the talk, This is a serious issue of great public importance which can make or mar the future of Manipur. Co-opting experts or civil societies is another option which can be explored for a meaningful debate during the talk .