Enough evidence Manipur was independent: Chaoren-I
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, September 24 2022:
On the occasion of the 44th Raising Day of its armed wing the People's Liberation Army (PLA), which falls on September 25, the proscribed Revolutionary People's Front (RPF) paid its deepest respect to all the martyrs who laid down their precious lives in the course of the revolutionary movement and extended its unbound respect and gratitude to the people of Manipur.
In a public message issued in ahead of the raising day, RPF president Irengbam Chaoren said that love for freedom, dignity and the desire to live as an independent nation is the most treasured aspiration of every person in the world.
It was in the light of these values that the Government of India in November 1991 endorsed its stand at the United Nations General Assembly to end colonialism before the end of the 20th century.
However, India has neither discussed nor endorsed the question of Manipur's colonization till date but continues to dominate over the sovereignty of Manipur by imposing draconian laws like the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1 till date.
He said that India has misled the international community by wrongfully projecting free ancient kingdom of Manipur as its integral part while orchestrating to discredit the ongoing liberation movement of Manipur as 'separatist', which indeed is a self evident wrongful obliterating propaganda of India.
The existence of Manipur as a distinctive political entity is evident from the fact that MK Velody, secretary, Ministry of State, India officially announced Manipur as a part of the Indian Union only on October 15,1949.On this day, the independent Manipur state assembly and the then council of ministers was dissolved by belittling Manipur to a Part C status under the headship of a chief commissioner which is a testimony to India's annexation of Manipur in 1949.It is for the same reason that India owes to live up to what it had endorsed at the UN General Assembly in 1991 and retreat itself from occupying Manipur by restoring the lost political independence of Manipuri people under the established provisions of United Nations, Chaoren said.
According to Chaoren, the Government of India on several occasions has expressly shown its unwillingness to accept the cause of Manipur's liberation while successive governments and mainstream people of India have resolutely stood against the rights of self-determination of the people of Manipur in the name of India's unity.
However, the people of India should remember that Manipur reverting back to its independent status is not to be construed as antithetical to India's integrity, Chaoren said, adding that Manipur became an international treaty making power in 1826 (28th February) when it was involved in a British and Burma treaty preceding India which is an obvious example that Manipur's existence as an independent state preceded India.
Even prior to this, on September 14, 1762 Manipur and the British East India signed a Defence Treaty while another historic agreement was signed between the British and Manipur in April 1833 resulting in the boundary mapping of Jiri and western areas of the Barak River.
The historicity of Manipur's international treaty making power was witnessed again during the third Burmese War as the Maharaja of Manipur Chandrakriti and Governor General of India reached an agreement to help each other..
Moreover, Manipur had been different from Indian society with its own language, culture, tradition and distinct identity.
In the years after the World War II, it is a well-known fact that the number of independent nations was just 51 in the year 1945 which has increased to 193 today.
Comparatively among the galaxy of independent nations, Manipur deservingly stands as a distinct political entity with independent history and constitutional system.
(To be continued) .