Reviewing Unification Politics of Manipur Nagas through Ethnicisation of Education (2006-2008)
- Part 1 -

Aheibam Koireng Singh *

The issue of affiliating schools and colleges in Naga inhabited districts of Manipur to Nagaland Board of School Education and Nagaland University first came into notice as a delegation of All Naga Students Association Manipur (ANSAM) met the Nagaland Chief Minister, SC Jamir to press their demand. It urges to facilitate affiliation of schools and colleges in Naga inhabited districts of Manipur to NBSE and Nagaland University. The representation claimed that 'displaced' Naga students, who left Imphal valley in the wake of the anti-ceasefire agitation, failed to pursue their academic career due to the hostile environment compelling the students to take admission in schools and colleges in Nagaland.

The demand for affiliating the schools in the four hill districts of Manipur to NBSE in lieu of the Board of Secondary Education Manipur (BoSEM) and subsequent replacement of BoSEM textbooks with that of NBSE in Manipur's four hill districts of Chandel, Tamenglong, Ukhrul and Senapati which was being launched as a part of the non-cooperation movement by a section of the sponsored Nagas in pursuit of its agenda for Naga unification resurfaces in July 2006.

In its pursuit, thousands of BoSEM textbooks were confiscated and consigned to flames alleging that syllabi of BoSEM underrate the cultural, social and traditional values of the Nagas. Such a move is very much related with the common Naga aspiration to live together as one under a single geographical entity. BoSEM text books are allegedly instrumental in subjugating the culture and tradition of Nagas and other ethnic groups of hill districts on the grounds that it amounts to imposition of Meitei culture over other ethnic groups.

Naga Students Union, Chandel (NSUC), Naga Students Federation (NSF), Angami Students Union (ASU), ANSAM, Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong, Zeliangrong Students Union Manipur (ZSUM) were the organizations involved in the burning of books. The Naga organizations involved in the demand for shifting to NBSE affiliation alleged the state government of imposing Meitei script, but it was denied by the Manipur Education Minister stating that pursuing the Manipuri language/ Meitei script by tribal students is optional.

In view of the Naga Peoples Conventions (NPC) resolutions of August 8 and 9 in the year 2001 and 4th of November 2005, the movement for affiliation to NBSE and Nagaland University was statedly launched by ANSAM as part of the non-cooperation movement against the 'present state of Manipur' in pursuit of the demand for unification of all Naga homeland. UNC, Naga Womens Union Manipur (NWUM), and Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) too supported the pursuit for affiliation to NBSE.

UNC, NWUM, NPMHR, and ANSAM issued a press clarification stating it as inevitable to set the record straight to justify the resolute stand of the Naga people for common administration. The joint statement outrightly rejected the allegations that the demand for introducing of NBSE syllabus in the four hill districts was planned by the NSCN-IM as a blatant lie.

The matter reaches the corridors of those in power at the national capital as a delegation team of NSF on July 2006 met the Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh and apprised him of the affiliation issue of private schools of Manipurs four hill districts to NBSE. The delegation also apprised the matter to Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Minister of State, PMO Prithiviraj Chavan, and also called on George Fernandes, Convenor of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The delegation then met Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Chairman, National Commission for Minorities and Joint Secretaries of University & Higher Education, Department of Secondary and Higher Education. Earlier, the NSF submitted a memorandum to Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh stating that the four Naga Hill districts the Naga student community of four hill districts of Senapati, Chandel, Ukhrul and Tamenglong resolved to severe affiliations with the States educational system and had denounced the imposed syllabus prescribed by the Board of Secondary Education Manipur. Subsequently, 163 private schools of the four Naga hill districts on March 25, 2006 have introduced the syllabus prescribed by NBSE and the process of affiliation had been initiated as well, claimed the NSF memorandum.

The State Cabinet of Nagaland on June 12, 2006 referred the matter to the Ministry HRD for urgent intervention. However, reacting strongly to the reported assurance given by the HRD Minister to the NSF delegates, he had not received any intimation from the centre in connection with it, the Manipur Chief Minister stated. Later, he informed that HRD Minister had denied giving any assurance to the NSF team further adding that the HRD Minister guaranteed him of no interference from the centre.

The Kuki Students Organisation, General Headquarter (KSO, GHq) too came out on 25 July 2006 deriding the affiliation stand of the Nagas stating it as being conceivably framed to aid logistic support to the integration move of the districts in question with Nagaland at the behest of NSCN-IM. While rejecting the move as lacking validity and acceptance, KSO negated the claim by Nagas that the four districts in question belonged to them and asserted that it have been proportionately possessed and represented by both the Nagas and the Kukis in all sphere of domains.

In the meantime, NSCN-K issued a warning of strong action on 25 July 2006 against any civil organization which becomes a partner in the campaign to adopt the books prescribed by NBSE in the schools located in the four hill districts of Manipur at the alleged instigation of the rival NSCN-IM stating that no civil organizations should encourage the NSCN-IM in its sinister design of impairing the career of the students and sowing the seeds of communal distrust, further warning that if any of the organisations and individual 'found taking part and supporting the drama being enacted by NSCN-IM, NSCN-K' would awarded capital punishment without giving time for clarification or explanation and that none of the student organisation should also give in to the pressure of ANSAM, NSF, UNC and Naga Womens' Union, Manipur which were acting at the behest of NSCN-IM. It also added that NSCN-K would never allow the NSCN-IM to succeed in its devilish design.

The NSCN-K, Zeliangrong Region reiterated that whatever the NSCN-IM, UNC and ANSAM did nothing had been long lasted and successful and termed them as communal forces trying to create problems among different communities living in the state. The Kangleipak Students Association (KSA) also took serious note of the NBSE affiliation campaign by NSF and its accomplice, and urged the State Government to take up definite steps so as to neutralise the design of NSF and to safeguard the career of the students who were being put under serious trouble.

The Kuki Movement for Human Rights (KMHR) along with KSO, in its open letter sent to the Union HRD Minister in the early part of August 2006, while asserting that the movement for NBSE affiliation was being undertaken by ANSAM conceivably in support of NSCN-IMs Nagalim agenda, mentioned that NSCN-IM, UNC and ANSAM were behind the slaying of 900 Kukis during the ethnic cleansing campaign of early 90s. The letter also took serious note of the claim by some Nagas that Ukhrul, Senapati, Tamenglong and Chandel are Naga districts.

The letter further noted that any matter or issue pertaining to these districts should be a State subject and it must be up to the State whether the matter needs to be forwarded to the Centre or not. It further noted that anything related to hill districts has to be dealt with by the Hill Area Committee of the State which is responsible for all the hill people and the entire hill areas. Contending that Kukis, not Nagas are majority in the hill districts of Manipur, the open letter stated that if the Nagas want to continue their communal politics, they can, at best speak for Nagas. They dont have any right to speak for the whole hill districts of Manipur without the consent of the Kukis or to bypass the State Government.

In the meantime, five Naga MLAs from Manipur have, on August 2006, written to the Prime Minister requesting for early intervention to give effect to the affiliation of all the private schools in the Naga areas in Manipur State to the NBSE and approval thereof as a special case. However, the six other Naga MLAs, all from the Congress party did not append their signature to the representation. They include MLA and MPCC (I) President Gaikhangam, A Aza, RK Thekho, DK Korungthang, Power Minister Francis Ngajokpa, and Z Mangaibou.

On 8 August 2006, a one-day open discussion on demand for an informal adoption of Nagaland Board curriculum and syllabus by some schools in Manipur and the future of students involved was held under the joint aegis of All Manipur Students Union (AMSU) and Democratic Students Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) at GM Hall. Taking part in the discussion, noted educationist Late Dr TS Gangte categorically stated that the efforts being made to adopt the curriculum and syllabus prescribed by Nagaland Board in the private schools located in the hill districts is unreasonable and would never materialise.

It was done at the instigation of some vested interest group of people with the main objective of setting one community against another, he said. The contents of the text books and the syllabus prescribed by the Manipur Board were in no way inferior in comparison to the all India level whereas Nagaland State didn't even have its own literature and standard language, Dr Gangte added.

On 26 August 2006, there was a mass rally in Senapati and Ukhrul districts demanding speedy implementation of affiliation to NBSE. The rally at Senapati ended with a submission of memorandum signed by President of Private Schools Forum and addressed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, favouring the affiliation to Nagaland. In Ukhrul, the representatives and students of Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS), Hungphung Katamnao Long (HKL), ANSAM, Ukhrul District, Tangkhul students Union, Tangkhul Naga Long, Tangkhul Youth Council and Tangkhul women union took part in the rally and concluded with submission of memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister by handing over to the district authority pleading the same as submitted in Chandel.

to be continued....