Diplomacy not war of words - the need of the hour

A D Singh *

Map of Manipur :: Pix - TSE

Manipur is now passing through a difficult time largely of our own making. Every organization armed or unarmed are out to destroy the very fabric of the society, all in the name of saving the state or the nation or the country, whatever name you like to refer, to Manipur. In the process of liberation of the nation from the clutch of the imagined foreign hand, the people – their lives, their rights, their welfare have been completely forgotten. They are no more than mere statistics. The guns have been silenced in the hills of the northern part of the state, due to ceasefire agreement between two warring 'governments', so also in the south to a large extend. But in the bowl of this beautiful place on earth called the valley area, the guns have been replaced by cheap grenades and improvised bombs, being freely used against the public to extort money all in the name of liberation.

More recently another cacophony of considerable decibel has been raised on the ownership of the land. The beautiful ranges of hills, lyrically described as nine rows of forts (barriers),but sparely inhabited, has been claimed by different tribes as their own as if they sprang from the earth below their feet. The north and north eastern part has been claimed by the Muivah centric Nagas. The southern and south western chunk has been claimed by the Kukis.

The Meiteis who constitute around 65 pc of the population of the whole state and live in the valley which comprises only one tenth of the whole state, always consider themselves as the true custodian of nation state that is Manipur. They are very passionate about it and its boundary. After all, they had fought many wars as unified people unlike other group of people during the last two centuries, some times lost and driven out but regained their sovereignty subsequently. Due to better geo-political condition, they are better off socio-economically. There lies the cause of the present precarious political situation of the state in which the people are caught between a specter of balkanization of the small state and uneasy unity.

All the three communities have published maps showing their areas of interest. Only unfortunately, there has been overlapping over each other's assumed land. This leads to a war of words between the warring groups. Each group has traced its ancestors to a bygone era, in trying to prove its claim to be the true and original settler of the land which they are occupying now. Thankfully they do not trace too far, or else they will be surprised to find their common ancestor somewhere in the jungles of the Africa continent from where the Homo sapiens are believed to have been mutated from apes.

In the process, one community, the Kuki has been unjustly called foreigner. This leads to a strong retort from Mr. Susan Suantak (Who really is the foreigner ….., TSE dt 12 Dec'12) regarding the tag of foreigner to the Kuki-Chin tribes. Mr. I Wolring (The History of Anals..TSE, dt 20 Dec '12) asserts that Anals are original settlers in the present area called Chandel District.

Both the articles are very interesting and informative. In fact Mr. Wolring must be a pious man to conclude his article on a philosophical note as a true Christian, calling for peace to all. One only hopes that the nationalist leader of the recently formed Forum, dose not shoot off another salvo on any other community in anger and desperation on the issue of integrity of Manipur. The population of the New World (America) are almost all migrants from other continents. They have stopped fighting and seems never to regret it. They now rule the world.

The other player in this game of churning Manipur are the communities residing in the north and northwest of the state. They are earlier known by their tribes, but now want to be referred by the generic name Naga to be identified with the other communities of Nagaland, our neighbouring state of woe. What started as a local issue of the Nagas of the Naga Hills of Assam and which should have been resolved with the signing of Shillong Accord, has been complicated by a faction which do not want to end the fight against Indian government. One of the strong leaders of the insurgent group happens to be from Manipur. He has a vision of a unified and independent Nagaland (or Nagalim) and is perhaps troubled by memories of his early years of life in Manipur (apparently renewed afresh when he was unjustly denied permission to visit his home). He wants to lead his brothers and sisters to a new land of destiny where there will be no discrimination (at least he seems to believe so). He is casting a long shadow over Manipur. His followers are determined to carve out a part of the state to be his domain. Hatred of the major community the Meiteis has replaced all sense and sensibility.

Under these circumstances, the majority Meitei community has a big role to play. The first step is to stop talking about their 'recorded' history of two thousand years, about their valour, about their sacrifices because such stories leave out the other communities. The later can not feel related to the history. They feel isolated, hence are not worried whether the state remains in one piece or trisected. The state chronicles mainly records the story or history of the ruler. The people are left out, but their stories of common identity and love for other are to be found only in the folklores. Cultivate this aspect of life of the people.

When some tribes want to change nomenclature of their tribes who are we to object. They are only loosing their original identity. It will take years for them to re-establish a new identity among the new comity. Anyway most of the tribal people have already lost part of their identity as regards their name. They are now Livingstone, John, Lucy, Mary. So have the Meiteis. Now they are changing to a more aboriginal names in an attempt to reclaim identity. So insinuating to the personal life of other people will only help the Naga leaders to advance their propaganda to other people of India about their presumed grievance of discrimination, and to project the Meities as their tormentor.

And thus justify their demand to allow them to live separately and in peace. It is not just for holiday or fun that the Naga social organizations are inviting thirty leaders and opinion makers of other parts of India to a meet where they will utilize every bit to pour out their woes. Rest assured, there will be many among the crowd willing to listen and believe them. One must give kudos to these Naga leaders for their vision and strategy. Unlike our pundits who can not see beyond their nose and think straight, they always have some thing up their sleeves.

In a small state like ours which is not even the size of a district of Assam not to mention about other bigger states, and which do not have adequate resource of it own, any form of administrative division shall not be viable. The Prime Minister has said on record that money does not grow on trees. Alternative Arrangement whatever it may mean, or Sixth Schedule status shall not alter the plight of people. It will of course, enrich the asset of some of the leaders and their family members and cronies. The prosperity of the people lies in joined effort to improve our own condition. This is the message which needs to be conveyed to common Naga people that one need not make mistake to learn the bitter truth.

The other step to be taken is for the government to draw up an exhaustive and time bound plan for development of the hill regions irrespective of community. It may not be practicable at present to connect all the hill tops which covers nine tenth of the state, but the head quarters and surrounding areas should be connected and interconnected. Schools, colleges, hospitals and other government offices should have habitable living quarters. If all the head quarters in the hills are developed as tourist hill stations, there will be no dirt of officers or teachers to be at station all the year round. One has to agree that socio-economic condition in the hills is still primitive.

It needs improvement without further delay. The hill people themselves need change of approach to solving their socio-economic problem. We shall ask the government to provide the infrastructure and opportunity. But it is the people who should prepare themselves to grasp the opportunity. If they wish to be benefited out of modern technology and modern management they must be willing to integrate with democratic system of administration. Harping on adhering to anarchic tribal law or tradition alone shall only isolate them. Modern laws are for the benefit of all irrespective of status and class. Let us change and face bravely the new world together.

Some people from the hill has expressed their opinion that since there are only 20 hill members in the 60 members state assembly, no hill leader can dream of becoming the CM of the state. They are probably unaware of the way how a CM is elected. The political party which holds the majority in the election which is held invariably every five years choose its own leader to be the CM either by consensus or election among themselves.

And not all members may belong to one party or a community. Anybody aspiring to be a leader must be able to have a big number of followers. He must be acceptable to a majority of the members and to the high command or headquarter. It is for him to cultivate camaraderie among his party men. Two such leaders from the hills had been CM for more than twenty years among themselves. This is no accident nor by dealt of appeasement nor was enforced by anybody. They become CM by their own caliber. Politics is like a game of snake and ladder. Some rise only to fall, some others rise and rise, and win the race.

At this crucial juncture of state political situation, the Meitei politicians should show their statesmanship to hold Manipur intact. If the hill people want the CM to be from among them in return for an undivided Manipur, as an assurance for their welfare ,that is a small price to pay. Recall the Mizoram Accord. How Mr Laldenga became CM and peace return with a bonus to the state.

I am sure our own politicians shall not let down the people in their search for peace in the state. The other Meitei leaders should also use their tremendous power of diplomacy to woo back the hill people to collectively strife for the progress of the state instead of trying to put the clock back. But for God's sake don't tread on the toes of others. A large heart with immense patience, reconciliatory approach to problem, and diplomacy are the need of the hour.