Undoing of Manipur & silence of good people

Yenning *

Meira Paibi Protest at Uripok demanding implementation of Inner Line Permit System on July 28 2014 :: Pix - Shanker Khangembam

"The world suffers a lot not because of the violence of the bad people, but because of the silence of the good people," so says Napoléon. Who are the bad guys or good guys is a relatively moral question, something we best leave to our most esteemed readers to muse about. However, if one looks from the cultural perspective of Manipur, certain biases cannot be absolutely done away with the moment we talk about the good, the bad or the ugly. Take for instance, the idea of a good person in Manipur is as follows:

1. People who do not drink (even if we're the celebrated drinkers from times immemorial)

2. People who go to Thabal Chongba every year (whether you land up in an extra-marital affair is different issue; just go there like any normal person)

3. People who go to the dentist to check up the wife's dental concern (perhaps not from the view point of hygiene but simply for kiss-ability or the associated acts!)

4. People who make sure that their children go to the most expensive private tuition (whether the child develops cognitive knowledge or not is a different issue, what matters is taking them there)

5. People who come back home on time (irrespective of whether one is male or female as long as one keeps up with the déjà vu at home even if the works-loads are pressing at office)

6. People who respect invitation (even if you do not know the name of the deceased; but have to accept the invitation, who knows one day you might stand for election)

7. People who respect the traditional norms of the family or clan even if they're asking you to drink poison like Socrates simply because you followed your heart like Jonathan Stone the Living Seagull)

8. Others, such as the art of bribing (something we genuinelyencounter in the medical world such as the compulsory component of bribing the doctor so that we have a normal baby breathing, smiling and crying with us)

On the other hand, the typology of a bad people isas follows:

1. People who do not gift a debt.

2. People who do not believe in politicians.

3. People who believe that the Government does everything except the good for the people.

4. People who say that we have "mithibong mitambals" as the representatives of the people of Manipur (MLA Ibohalbi are you listening? You cried the loudest more than the ministers!)

5. People who say Manipuri films directed by intellectuals and produced by Thikadars are unwatchable.

6. People who prays for the success of Devendro and Sarita (looking at the amount of money they would earn, perhaps more than Mary Kom, once they win gold or silver).

7. Others, such as a Tangkhul who has developed democratic values and tolerance.

These distinctions become all the more important today, as we observed, many of the good people stayed away from the popular agitation demanding Inner Line Permit for (illegal) immigrants to Manipur. This is not, however, something new. Take any historical episode when people demanded justice, the good doctors, engineers, dentist and Zamindars stayed away from the movement. It was only when they were coerced to co-operate or when they realized that the tides of the times were changing, then they switched sides. Compradors, then who else?

The very fact that a semi-feudal and semi-capitalist place like Manipur can be a pull factor for immigrants in the age of globalization is something one has to deeply ponder about. Historically, urban industrialized places or regions, such as in the case of Europe during its transition from feudalism to capitalism or even today, from the under developed to the developing world (migrating) to the neo-liberal and technologically advanced West, acted as pull factors for migration. What we're witnessing in Manipur is just the opposite. What else can explain an illegal Nepalese village in between two Tangkhul or Kuki villages, or an illegal Bangladeshi village mushrooming up between a Meitei Village and another indigenous tribal village in any part of Manipur, than the phenomenon of counter insurgency operation on the part of Indian State?

Let's not shy away from certain hard facts. Saiton was declared a legal refuge colony for the Bangladeshi in the 1960's by former Chief Minister Koireng. However, inability on the part of the Manipur Government, and the patronage achieved by the illegal migrants from the Indian army and para-military force, Saiton today has flourished as the most illegally concentrated colony for the illegal migrants from Bangladesh. Two successive military operations in 2005 and 2006 were decisive in providing the roadway to illegal migrants from Bangladesh in Manipur especially in the Jiribam – Saiton Route, which is today absolutely captured and dominated by illegal migrants from Bangladesh (both Hindu and Muslims).

The two military operations, were, "Operation Tornado" in October 2005 and the "Operation Dragnet" in January 2006. In "Operation Tornado", five battalions of security forces, namely, 9 Para Field regiment, 13 Dogra Regiment, 53 Engineering Regiment, 26 Assam Rifles and 26 Rajput Rifles were used to flush out militants from the Barak Circle, i.e. the Jiribam Barak Circle in Jiribam Subdivision, Imphal East.

This was the time we heard about the habitation drives undertaken by Manipuris from Assam, Manipur, Tripura and Nagaland in the Jiribam Barak Circle in Jiribam Subdivision against the onslaught of the illegal Bangladeshis, who were and are receiving patronage and protection from a powerful Manipuri politician (politics of vote banks). In the name of flushing out the militants, the military largely targeted the Manipuris as "insurgents", a taboo which has not disappeared even today, and the immigrant Bangladeshis acted as "trusted" informers who politically drove away the newly (and co-evenly) settled Manipuri population.

"Operation Tornado" was followed by "Operation Dragnet" in January 2006. The major aim was to clear the two remaining subdivisions in south Manipur from the stronghold of the armed rebels in Parbung and Thanlon Sub-divisions along National Highway 150 in Churachandpur District. Troops of 57 Mountain Division under the aegis of 3 Corps were used in the operation.

The logic is simple, drive away the insurgents and plant "trusted informers" along the route. It is immaterial whether they are illegal migrants from Bangladesh or from Nepal or Myanmar. As a result of these operations, the route from Jiribam to Saiton is completely under the command of the illegal migrants. Sugnu, which was once upon a time known for its bamboo sooth and other traditional edibles, is no longer a commercial centre. It has been replaced by Saiton, hub of illegal migrants in Manipur.

When the demand for ILP was initiated, the Government of Manipur started cracking down on places like Hatta, Lilong and others but not in Saiton or the route from there to Jiribam, passing through Churchandpur. This created a feeling of insecurity among the Meitei Pangals who are a part of the Meitei society. Even when the Government was aware that Tipaimukh area in Churchandpur District has been run over by illegal migrants, it could keep quiet, perhaps on account of the patronage given to the illegal migrants by the Indian security forces and evenmore, to proceed with the construction of the Tipaimukh (mega) Dam.

Further, the Government could keep quiet when Nepalese migrants in the Makhan area of Senapati District, where the construction of Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Regional Campus Manipur is going on, came out with a declaration that sales of land in that area cannot take place without the approval of the Nepalese who have occupied the land!

Silence of the Good People

Manipur is a very small state or an erstwhile sovereign kingdom. It can be easily overrun by immigrants just like what happed to Tripura some fifty years ago. Obliteration of history and memory can occur. What can remain when your population has been wiped out or drastically intermixed just as it happened in Haiti or the larger Caribbean Islands?

There will be none to recount, none to lament or even berate the foolhardiness, ignorance or beauty of this place and people. Just imagine, even the words, which touched the core of our legislators, "mithibong mitambals" would not carry any meaning or relevance, when there are none to understand them. This brings us to the issue of how long the good people are going to be by-standers, mute spectators and the good denizens, when everything (including the prospect of earning profit) disappears in front of you.

All you need to do is enjoy a walk around Manipur, other than your medical camps and seminars and workshops, etc. and see for yourself the state Manipur is in. Then perhaps, you'd agree with us that the students were mercilessly and wrongly beaten up by the stooge of "mithibong mitambals". Then, perhaps, you may agree with Nepolean that the world suffers a lot not because of the violence of the bad people, but because of the silence of the good people.