RPF chief's message on PLA's raising day
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 25 2012:
Contd from previous issue .
The agreement signed on July 19, 2010 by India with Jubilant Oil and Gas Private Ltd (JOGPL), headquartered at Netherlands and based at Noida for extraction of oil from Manipur without knowledge of the people is continuation of India's coercive rule.
The attempt to extract oil from Churachandpur, Jiribam and Tamenglong is a big plot of the Indian government and global capitalism to loot natural resources of the people.
The extra power given by Indian Constitution under Seventh Schedule to the Union Government to use freely natural resources found in any part of India is as good as "Drain of Wealth" under colonial rule.
India Government is challenging the rights of the indigenous people guaranteed by the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, 2007 by giving false report in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) that one sixth of the total geographical area of Manipur does not have any important flora and fauna, Chaoren asserted.
Spineless representatives of Manipur, who have addicted to the culture of dependency could not prevent extraction of oil and preserve valuable wealth of Manipur like oil, which should be used by generations after generations.
"Our priceless environment and natural wealth could be protected only when the hills and plain take a collective decision by shedding narrow and sectarian outlooks" .
"The strong opposition put up by communities in the hills of Manipur against the attempt to extract oil clandestinely is a right step.
We all should join the movement", the RPF chief exhorted.
The ill-treatment meted to the people of the WESEA in other parts of country in the aftermath of Assam violence has made clearer the relationship between WESEA and India, and it is exactly the relationship shared between an oppressed colony and colonial masters.
On top of this, harassment, rape and ill-treatment of women of this region and ignoring of complaints of neglect and racial discrimination of the people are not a new story.
This is an extension of political framework of Indian state based on racism.
All these things have clearly exposed an Indian political culture, which could not see the region beyond the geo-political and strategic point of view.
The present case would not be the end of racism.
Because of this reason, it is impossible for the people of this region have a peaceful living in other cities of India.
India is trying to cover up its racism by spreading false propaganda that the exodus of people of the region from other cities recently was caused by rumours and instigation by Pakistan.
Moreover, India's attempt to lend a communal colour to the clash by projecting it as a fight between the indigenous people and Muslims is a part of the game plan targeted against the freedom struggles of the region.
Landlords dominated India's political class, who have mastered the art of British imperialism and they founded the nation-making process on militarism, racism and divide and rule policy, and the system is still in practice.
As India's scheme of things did not include the region, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel told Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on November 7, 1950 "People of this region could not be trusted because of their Mongoloid like features" .
"The same treatment is evident in targeting people from the region in other cities and this has strengthened the case for the need of restoring our freedom" .
"We all should remember the directive given by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to Indian soldiers to flee the region by leaving its people alone during the 1962 Sino-India war", Chaoren reminded.
"At the conclusion, I would like to remind all that the need for freedom could be looked beyond the canvass of historical circumstances" .
"The unstoppable journey of the freedom struggle has its faith in finding roots of our history because this can only usher in a society where there exists non-communal, classless people, communal harmony and wellbeing of all the people" .
"The ongoing freedom struggle in Manipur is not for a future founded on the history of well off and powerful people.
The masses should realize colonized and oppressed people have the need for living as a free men.