Save North East

By Tigris Yumnam *

As a Manipuri and as an inhabitant of Manipur I'd firstly like to say that Manipur is a land of never ending problems. One of the biggest problems we have come across is the immigration of workers (mainly Biharis and Bengalis) and businessmen in our small and poor state Manipur. Their population has today crossed the limit.

It's time that we all wake up from sleep which has been going on since the coming of Santidas Gosai. The burning of Puyas may be regarded as one of the earliest destruction to the culture and tradition of Manipur caused by the Mayaangs in the entire North Eastern Indian especially in Tripura.

Here are some facts of Tripura. According to internet sources, mass migration of Bengalis from Bangladesh has resulted in widespread social and cultural problems in the state. Mention may be made of Tripura National Volunteers, the National Liberation Front of Tripura and the All Tripura Tiger Force striving to drive away the Bengali people.

According to the census of 2001, Tripura has a total population of 3,199,203. In 2001 census of India, Bengalis represent almost 70% of Tripura's population and the native population represent 30% of Tripura's population.

This is a serious blow into the cultural, political and economic life of the native people. The native of Tripura have become the minority in their own land. What the hell is this? The same thing is getting started in Manipur and in the entire North Eastern region.

Now. Let me come to Manipur again. The coming of the Mayaangs has reduced the employment opportunity of native people to a large extent. Go to Thangal Bazaar, Paona Bazaar, Dharmasala. Check out how many shops are owned by the Mayaangs. In fact, almost all the shops are owned by the Mayaangs.

Then we can also see that almost all the workers in the capital Imphal are Mayaangs. This means the economy of Manipur is being controlled by them as most of the big businessmen, traders are also Mayaangs. We all know what kind of destruction has been caused by the culture and tradition of the native.

If we don't stop this immigration of workers, we will also lost majority in our own soil and ultimately our political advantage. The main problem here is the counter notification of the Maoists that the Manipuri's should leave UP, Jharkhand, Bihar, WB.

Now the people of Manipur are blaming Manipur's underground outfits for this. This is where I want to react. Why are people blaming the outfit? Why now? What have the people done to stop or reduce the problem caused by the Non-Manipuris for all these years? What have the government done? Nothing.

Everyone was just enjoying the show. And now when this outfit has taken up its unavoidable step to save our state, Manipur, everyone is complaining that the group has created a serious problem. I think the group has done its best. Thanks to this outfit that everyone is awaken from the sleep.

Because of the Maoist's notification , many Manipuri students, officers, employees are coming back to Manipur while many labours and businessmen are leaving Manipur. We are suffering a heavier loss. That's what everyone has been complaining about.

I know we are suffering a heavier loss for time being, but in the long run, we are the ones who are benefited in thousand ways. Think of increase in employment opportunity. This will reduce the chaos among the people especially among youths. Cultures of native will be very safe, all the commercial establishment will be ours.

This will reduce wealth drain a hundred fold. However, if the people of Manipur do not want the tactics of this group we can go for democratic methods. What is necessary is our people to raise their own voice.

We can always have better ways to drive out the Mayaangs instead of force used by the group. It is called 'The Non-Cooperation'. We should not buy things from them, we should not give work to them. We should not give rent to them, we should not sell land and buildings to them, we should urge the Government to make laws that prohibits the buying of land and buildings by the Mayaangs.

Let us select the candidates who promise us to free us from the problem caused by the Mayaangs, give chance to our native shopkeepers, workers and businessmen - To our ease, CPI(M) has made a clarification that they have not made any statement regarding the driving out Manipuris from the four states.

This is not a communal article against the Mayaangs but one to save our own soul. This article is not against the right of a citizen to move and reside anywhere in India. This is an article supporting the right of people of North-East to save themselves.