NRFM urges Manipur people to take April 27 seriously
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, April 25 2023:
The armed National Revolutionary Front, Manipur (NRFM) said that the people of Manipur should not take lightly April 27, the day Union Jack of the British was flown for the first time at Kangla in 1891 .
According to a statement of NRFM, the British defeated Manipur in the Anglo-Manipuri war of 1891 and replaced Manipur's flag with Union Jack flag for the first time at Kangla on April 27, 1891 .
Though April 27 is very important as it was on this day that Manipur lost its sovereignty, majority of the people of Manipur seem to take the day lightly, the outfit said and appealed to the people to take April 27 seriously.
It said that Manipur remained under Burmese (now Myanmar) occupation for seven years from 1819 to 1826, 56 years under the British from 1891 to 1947 and now 74 years under India since 1949 .
The NRFM statement further said that the people of Manipur remember the Seven Years of Devastation popularly known as Awa Lan and the Anglo-Manipuri War of 1891 popularly known as Khongjom Lan every year.
However, commemorative events of these two important wars fought by forefathers of the land are being virtually converted into half-festival nowadays which need to be rectified soon, the outfit said.
While recalling historical events of Manipur from 1855, the year the British first interfered in the internal affairs of Manipur, till the forcible occupation by India in 1949, the NRFM said Manipur's military could not rose from April 27, 1891 .
The British left no military weapon or wealth when they vacated Manipur on August 14, 1947 .
There was no peace in Manipur for two years from 1947 to 1949 as the British did not enact legislation like 'Manipur Independence Act, 1947' and accordingly Manipur still remains under 'Divide and Rule' since 1891.However, many people of Manipur including women are fighting to regain the lost sovereignty by staying outside Manipur as underground.