The Montenegro REFERENDUM had voted for separation of Montenegro from its union with Serbia recently in the Balkan region of the EU. TIMOR LESTE got independence from Indonesian control in 2002 and passing through some national crisis.Nepal has become a democratic state with the denouncing of monarchy.
The ethnic represion in Myanmarled to international pressure pouring into Myanmar Junta.Kashmir had two Round Table Conferences to sort out its future political status. But the N-E has been left behind without any consideration. There are some meetings going on concerning the holding of Plebiscite under the aegis of the UN. Now the state has impose restriction on any such meetings without respecting the Democratic Rights of the Manipuris.
The most interesting news about N-E is the recent INDO-NAGA peace talk at Amsterdam. The Bangkok Declaration led to the strong public outcry in Manipur leading to the death of 18 innocent lives. That event has shown clearly the feelings of the Manipuris against the Balkanization of our Beloved Fatherland.
Territorial Integrity is the main cause of among us, but centre has no eyes to see it. The June 18 Uprising was followed by incidents like Manorama(AFSPA), Sexual Harassment, disappearance, civilians killing and total militarisation of Manipur. A Nuclear Device is ticking in Manipur.
The entire N-E is passing through many political, social, and economic crises arising out of long insurgency, ethnic tension leading to the loss of thousands of lives in Meitei-pangal, Naga-Kuki, Kuki-PAITE, Assamese-Bihari, Dimasa-Kuki, Karbi-Dimasa and polical crisis between Khasi-Garo in Meghalaya. In Mizoram also there is the problem of Brus and the problem of Chakmas in N-E region.
The region will see a new political development with the settlement of the vexed Naga problem with the long political discussion still going on. The peace talk started from 1997 without reaching into any settlement. There have been many talks with India govt in many foreign destinations like Bangkok, Amsterdam, Helsinki, Japan, London etc.
The NAGA political movement which started during the British Rule in India under the leadership of A.Z. Phizo has now reached the zenith with the Internationalisation of their struggle with the help of many foreign nations, NGOs and UNPO. The period was marked by the rise of another movement in the then Lushai Hills under the leadership of Laldenga but it was resolved with the signing of the Mizoram Accord with India govt during the reign of Zoramthanga,the present CM of Mizoram.
The same movement posed a threat due to their demand for a greater Zoram including some Southern portions of Manipur. The threat is still there in Manipur as some UGs are fighting for ZO Unification. But the greatest threat is the demand of NAGALIM including four hill districts in Manipur where the Valley composes around 2000 sq. km.only.
NSCN(IM)under the leadership of Mr. Muivah, a Tangkhul from Manipur(Kagleipak) and Mr.Isak Swu, a Sema from Nagaland is demanding for 'Nagalim', where 'lim' stands for land in Naga Dialect.
The demand for a Greater Nagalim will surely disturb the internal harmony in N-E if any state of one ethnic group has to be carved out of the present ethnically contiguous region without proper historical foundation. The Govt. of India has to handle the issue carefully as it will throw sense of of ethnic exclusiveness in the entire region.
Any demand for a constitutional safeguard to Manipur's Integrity has been sidelined for the last many years which shows the gravity of the situation. If not handled carefully it may lead to a total change in the demographic pattern of the region which has long been facing the problem of ethnic crises.
Now, the Tripuris are facing the threat to their existence; the Assamese are struggling for survival among the ripidly engulfing lakhs of immigrants across the border. In a recently published on influx in Manipur, it has been concluded the the total number of indigenous tribal population plus the native Muslim population has been outnumber by the migrants. Who will be held responsible for any such crisis which will cause a widespread civil chaos?
We, the People of N-E can live in peace only when we shed the ethnic politics of uprooting one another in the interest of one's own people. No country is cent percent ethnically exclusive. Thus we must be tolerant enough to treat the mongoloid race in N-E as our country.
The present political scenario in N-E opens up a wide range of prosperity and development if exploited to our advantage. The Nagas should not treat other ethnic groups as their enemies but as their fellow beings.
The Meitheis has never imposed our culture to any other ethnic groups at any point of time. If Meitheis had any such intention the large number of so-called Nagas and Kukis might have the chance of survival for thousands of years. Instead of going for any such ethnic expansionism in the region the present political, social and religous leaders must work for a Pan-Mongoloid movement.
The Meitheis must go for social reformation to bring Social Integration while the Naga and Kuki leaders must work for educating the general public of respective groups for bringing a sense of oneness without treating the Meitheis as their fellow men.
No Meitheis Had Ever Imposed Or Warned any community to adopt our culture or script. The thing is that other ethnic groups consider using Meitei script as imposition while using Roman script for the same. The Manipuri Language has been in use by many ethnic groups as lingua franca since time immemorial.
It is not our imposition. The N-E People must go for Pan-Mongoloid movement for our political unification in the region and must work for organising a big mongolian Union like E.U. in asian continent which will in the long run help the poor N-E race. Now, all the mongoloid nations are engulfed in mutual enmity like China-Japan, N.Korea- S.Korea etc.
The Zelianrong political movement started in N-E India during the rule of the Britishers under the leadership of Jadonang and Gaidinliu. The movement was a great opportunity in the region towards unification as Hijam Irabot was leading the Manipuris in Valley at that time. He wanted to integrate Cachar and Kabow Valley for Manipur's political independence.
Here we must note that the Zeliangrong region is contiguous to the said Meitei Areas. If Meiteis' leaders tried to bring understanding with Gaidinliu instead of putting restriction to her returning back to Manipur after she was freed from Tura Jail, Meghalaya in the year 1947.
The Zeliangrong region in Nagaland, Assam, and Kabow Valley Area where a seizable Tangkhul and Naga tribes settle. We lost a big opportunity in the past and should not lost again(Think......///?/)
Mr Muivah must learn something from Greater Israel and Hitler's Unification Movement of all German Inhabited areas in Czechoslovia(then), Austria, Poland and Hungary. History repeats itselves.
Long Live N-E people and no to expansionism.
* Puyam Rakesh Meitei ( a DU graduate & Jt-Secy MSAD) contributes regularly to E-pao.net
The writer can be reached at [email protected]
This article was webcasted on June 05th, 2006
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