The Armed Political Movement Of Manipur Nagas Till The Signing Of Framework Agreement
- Part 1 -

Aheibam Koireng Singh / Sukhdeba Sharma Hanjabam / Homen Thangjam *

Introduction

The political movement of the Nagas, as different from the popular form of politics informed by electoral democracy, has traversed a long way. The path has been thorny but sweet and full of discovery. Along the way it left innumerable milestones, which are the stuffs of legend and history, and created many a friends as well as foes.

One remarkable achievement was that it could forge a political unity of identity among various tribes speaking a thousand tongues inhabiting different realms of territorial spaces in different states of India and different regions in Myanmar, practicing different ways of lives. This happened amongst diverse tribes who once upon a time, before the arrival of Christianity, communicated through the language of headhunting and the tribes who fiercely remained loyal to their own clans known by independent names.

On Identity

The identity assertion and expansionism of the Nagas is the major source of conflict in Northeast India. It is more relevant if we examine the development of the Naga as a political creed. The mission for the cultural identity has been a non-starter even today with each community prioritising their own culture and identity. A cultural project of Manipuri Nagas such as 'Lui-Ngai-Ni' still remains as a tokenistic calendar programme.

The political project includes two compulsory component of religion (Christianity) and Naganess or Nagaisation and in that religion plays a key role to spread the political identity in Manipur. The debate of 'Old Kuki' or 'Naga' is yet to be addressed. However, those communities that could accept the religion but not the identity have been the victim of the political project. Thus the project of political identity has its foundation on blood and tears.

In the case of Manipur, Naga identity is largely a post-independence (sic. India's) phenomenon while the Naga Hills was a pre-independence one particularly after the formation of Naga Club. The present Naga tribes of Manipur did not know the term Naga as late as 1940's, Shimray stated (R.R Shimray, Origin and Culture of the Nagas, N. Delhi: Samsok, 1985). He recorded his boyhood experience when he and his father were called Naga by a retreating Japanese troop during World War II.

He and his father were struck with wonder when the Major of the Japanese troop who entered their house. They told the Japanese troop that they were Tangkhuls and not Naga. The formation of NSCN-IM under the leadership of a Manipuri Tangkhul and later on a Manipuri Naga Th. Muivah strengthened the Nagaisation process in Manipur. So they developed a narrative of history as a strategy to stake claim in the movement so as to satisfy their emerging political needs.

Subsequently, with the abating of the NSCN-IM's clout, the political project of Naga identity is also waning as the formation of political identity was based rather on coercion then on consensus. It is interesting to note the message for KUT 2015 delivered by PS Haokip, President of KNO. In his message, the Nagas of Northeast have been included within the Kuki fold.

According to him,
If Kachin and Kuki are blood brothers, logically the fold to which SS Khaplang belongs, i.e. Heimi, Naowa, Lainow, Makury, and Para with whom we share a common culture, customs and traditions are a part of Kuki-Kachin group, and not a part of the disparate Naga groups. Sharing similar traits, Konyaks, Phom, Khimnungan and Yimchunger in the state of Nagaland are our blood brothers, including all the Tribes of Arunachal Pradesh and Bodo, Karbi, Kachari and Mishing people in Assam.

Pu HC Ngurdawla of Tripura has stated that half the population of the Ranglong Kuki people migrated from Tripura to the Peren district in Nagaland, NC Hills in Assam and Tamenglong district in Manipur, where they are called Zeliangrong, comprising Zeimi, Liangmei, and Rongmei. It is rather strange that all these groups are one and the same people. However, we did not know this reality for such a long time until the mystery and truth was revealed through the faithful servants of God (Message for KUT 2015 delivered by PS Haokip, President of KNO at Churachandpur District, Manipur on 1st December, 2015)

Similarly, communities under Naga fold have been fluctuating. What is more revealing is what Isak Chisi Swu stated about the Naga identity. He stated,
Our existence as a nation has been recognised in the international community from January 23, 1993, under the leadership of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim, as we became a member of the Unrepresented Nations and People's Organisation. Yet, to remain ignorant of our own nationhood, origin and identity is deplorable. There is a sense of urgency for every Naga to know his and her own identity as a people. I feel it is important to know this. I am constrained to fill this vacuum by sharing these following stories of our origin and migration in a nutshell, and attempt to provide some authentic knowledge of our story as a people in a simple and practical way, and to the best of my memory(Isak Chisi Swu, From Generation to Generation: Stories of Origin and Migration of the Nagas, Dimapur: KH Foundation).

So the story of "Unique History of Nagas" is just a political response of the Government of India (GoI). If demanded, the GoI may also declare the 'Unique History of Manipuri Nagas" as well. There is no pint in claiming a nation based on the declaration of the GoI as they will not have any hesitation to declare any communities in India demanding the same.

Territorial Aspirations

Aspirations for territorial expansion of the Naga political movement first came to notice in the 9th point agreement signed between the representatives of Dominion of India and NNC in 1947. The agreement on boundaries (No 6) mentioned, among others, "To bring under one unified administrative unit as far as possible all Nagas" (The Naga Akbar Hydari Accord, 1947). However, the agreement could not be implemented. But, it was quite clear to the NNC leadership at that point of time that there was no Nagas in Manipur as the tribes were known only by their community names.

Further, the historical relation of Angamis with the Kingdom of Manipur strengthened their position that their territorial aspiration was towards Assam. It is recorded that since time immemorial Angamis on a regular basis received education in the Manipur Palace. In return the Manipuris could freely pass through the Angami territory for trade and commerce. In times of need, Meitei King sent soldiers to protect them on occasion such as when there were raids against the Angamis by other tribes.

Thus, they always maintained a good relation. It was also reflected in the Expedition of the Naga Hill by the Manipur Kings with British. Oral accounts of the Angami elders reveal that the Angami villages were deliberately left untouched by the Meitei King but instead attacked other tribal villages during the expedition.

Likewise, drawing strength from such historical legacy and relationship, AZ Phizo visited Manipur with a proposal to initiate a collective movement against India. This happened in the initial days of the NNC and he met MK Priyobrata and other tribal elders. But as the proposal could not concretise and receive consensus, it was decided to have separate movement but support each other. In the text of Dr Arambam Lokendra, Angami Zapu Phizo, in his urge to secure more support for his peoples' struggles was learnt to have visited Imphal, and met the Manipur Chief Minister Maharaj Kumar Priyobarta, to discuss the possibility of a common endeavour to fight against the Indian state. Stephen Angkang, an elderly Tangkhul, told me of the anguish of Phizo in the Manipur peoples' response, their inability to fraternize with the precious cause (Text of Dr Arambam Lokendra Lecture at the Inauguration of The Naga Archives & Research Centre, Dimapur, 7 November 2015).

Thus, on the part of the NNC leadership, as far as territorial aspiration was concerned Manipur was never in their cartographic imagination. It is evident in the 14-point statement of NNC on the "Historical Facts of the Naga (Undated NNC Statement Signed by Th. Muivah and Imkongmeren respectively General Secretary and Vice President)." The statement asserted the existence of 'Free Nagaland' and the preparedness of not yielding its sovereign independence to any other state at any point of time. In this document the claim of NNC, only the Naga Hills was mentioned, and Manipur was nowhere found.

As a result, their territorial claim extended towards Assam. In case of Assam, it has been explicitly documented as "Area transferred out of Naga territory to Assam and now claimed by the Nagas" (A. Lanunungsang Ao, From Phizo to Muivah: The Naga National Question in Northeast India, N. Delhi: Mittal, 2002). So the territorial claim of Manipur is a recent development. What is more unfounded is that the claim for Manipuri territory is based on History of Naga Hills and on selectively unofficial records of British as the Manipuri Naga are always with the Kingdom of Manipur at different capacity, be with administration or Constitution making, etc.

(To be continued)