Kabaw Valley : A Historical Perspective
- Part 2 -

By Budha Kamei *

Kabaw Valley - Pix :: Yaruingam Kashung/IndyaRocks

Read Kabaw Valley : A Historical Perspective - Part 1 here

Khunjaoba (1652-66), son of Khagemba also attacked Samjok twice in 1653 and 1659 and recovered cattle, buffaloes and elephants as spoils. He raided over the Chakpa Angoching village near the Chindwin River. He also defeated the Avas and captured their chief Choupha Mangtra. It was in 1657, Mangsataba, a tiny principality in the Kabaw valley was completely destroyed. [R.K. Jhalajit 1965: 108-109] Khunjaoba was succeeded by Paikhomba (1666-97).

He also like his predecessors invaded Samjok in 1692 in which he captured fifteen prisoners and seized shields, swords, guns and houses. In 1693, an expedition was sent to gather paddy from Samjok, which was kept at the royal granary at Mangsha. The Burmese attempted to invade Manipur across the Chindwin River in 1692 were driven out. [R.K. Jhalajit 1965:112]

Repeated attacks on the Kabaw Valley also had denoted that despite military control over them, there was no administrative integration with mainland Manipur. Moreover, Manipur's administration on the conquered Shans was always harsh and severe and thus the people could not be totally won over. At the same time, the social relationship between the Kabaws and Meiteis, despite absorption of the former into Meitei society was not very strong.

A reason for the lack of intensity in the process of integration was religious difference. The Meiteis were traditional Sanamahi cult whereas the Kabaw Shans were Budhists. The Shan connection with other bigger Shan States with whom they had socio-economic and cultural contacts was very strong. As a result, the Manipuri kings established a very strict and ruthless political control over Kabaw Valley. It is in the light of this not so congenial situation that Kabaw Valley was controlled for the access to and control of the natural resources therein. And its control of the Valley in the eastern frontier of Manipur provided a safety to the kingdom of Manipur from the Burmese invasion.

A new era set in with the accession of Garibniwaz (1709-48) at the throne of Kangla in 1709. Garibniwaz was a brilliant ruler and one of the greatest kings Manipur had ever had, played a significant role in shaping the future of Manipur. He led a series of invasions to Burma and devastated the country and gave the death blow to the tottering Toongoo dynasty of Burma, Kabaw Valley was in possession of Manipur. Garibniwaz occupied the towns of Matsen, Deebayen, Samjok, Myedu and Ava, an ancient capital of Burma.

He sacked Sagaing, set afire houses and monasteries in that area. He planted the standard of Manipur at Sagaing. In Kabaw Valley, Samjok was biggest, most powerful and a great source of revenue (tribute in the form of paddy) so Garibniwaz invaded Samjok seven times. He was also called Samjok Ngamba since he conquered Samjok. [Gangmumei Kabui 1991:243-48; Naorem Sanajaoba (Ed.):1993, Manipur Treaties and Documents 1110-1971 Vol. 1, N. Delhi,p. 37; J.Roy (1958). History of Manipur, Imphal, p. 36] During his reign, the boundary of Manipur extended far beyond Ningthe on three directions: North, east and south as well. [Dr. Suresh (2011). Endless Kabaw Valley, an article published in Huyen Lanpao, local English daily.]]

James Johnstone says, Manipur in olden days possessed a famous breed of ponies, larger and better bred that come from the Shan states. On these ponies were mounted the formidable cavalry that in the last century made Manipur feared throughout upper Burma, and enable her rulers on more than one occasion, to carry their victories arms within sight of Ava, where their Raja Pamheiba erected a stone pillar to commemorate the event.[1983:81; Sanajaoba 1993:32]

With the collapse of Toongoo dynasty, Alungpaya of Konbaung dynasty (1753-1855) set up the third Burmese empire at Ava after driving away the rebellious Mons and Shans. He brought a change in the political situation in Burma as was the case in its neighbouring countries. After the death of Garibniwaz, Manipur also witnessed a series of upheavals as numerous sons of the great king scrambled for power and this resulted in bloodshed and series of fratricidal killings. In this situation, the Burmese forces with advance weapons and firearms invaded Manipur time and again and devastated the country.

Not only Manipur the Burmese forces also occupied Assam and their aggressive action led to the outbreak of the first Anglo-Burmese war (1824-26). Gambhir Singh joined the British and raised a group of patriotic soldiers called Manipur Levy under the command of Captain Grant and Lt Pemberton. Gambhir Singh with his levy drove out the Burmese from Manipur, up to the western bank of Ningthee [Sanajaoba 1993:46] and reconquered the Kabaw valley in 1826. [R.K Sanahal Singh:1982, Kabaw Valley: A Retrospect, The Backbone Vol. 1] James Johnstone writes, Ghambir Singh along with his Levy under Grant and Pemberton in a short time not only was Manipur cleared, but the enemy driven out of the Kabaw valley.

Later on he was recognised as raja of Manipur and the Kabaw Valley was included within his territory. [1983:85-86] It is also stated that during the war Manipur forces captured Khambat, Wokhong, Tummu, Mungsa, Samjok comprising the whole extent of the Kabaw Valley from Khambat and Kale. [Dr. Suresh 2011] The first Anglo-Burmese war came to an end with the treaty of Yandabo in February 1826 and Ghambir Singh became the king of Manipur. The treaty of the language was as follows: with regard to Manipur it is stipulated that should "Ghambeer Singh desire to restore to that country he shall be recognised by the king of Ava as Raja thereof."

The British Empire is famous for his infamous practice of leaving imperial legacies behind in all her colonial countries. Manipur which remained under the British sovereignty for 56 years (1891-1947) have her share of legacies. The controversy regarding Kabaw Valley is one of such legacy. This dispute was one of the most intricate foreign relation problems of Manipur which lasted for eight years and involved political, military, economic and sentimental questions of the people and king of Manipur.

However, the treaty of 1826 did not mention anything about the Kabaw Valley which became a bone of contention between Manipur and Burma. The dispute was settled first in favour of Ghambir Singh and then later on it was given to Burma in 1834. The irony of the whole border settlement was that even after the Kabaw Valley was given to Burma, the Supreme Government still considered the right of Manipur as fully established to the disputed tract of country and under the agreement of 1834, Manipur was granted Rs 500 rupees monthly stipend as compensation for the lost of Kabaw Valley. [Alexander Mackenzie 2007:186; L. Iboongohal Singh:1963, Introduction to Manipur, Imphal, p. 137]

The treaty also provided that if it at any time the Kabaw Valley be reverted to Manipur, the payment would be stopped from the date of reversion. This was typical British way of saying that though finally the Burmese had been allowed to have the Kabaw Valley as a measure of political expediency and one likely to appease and gratify their king the right of Manipur to the disputed land had been formally acknowledged by the Supreme Government. [Lal Dena (Ed.):1990, History of Modern Manipur (1826-1947), N. Delhi, Pp. 28-29]

It is a fact, from 15th century Kabaw Valley was in the possession of Manipur till 1834 except for some periodical occupation by Burmese now and then, which the Manipuri King destroyed by war and established the legitimate right and at the same time right by conquest. James Johnstone has stated that Manipur held a considerable territory east of the Chindwin River in subjection, at other times only the Kabaw Valley, a strip of land, inhabited not by Burmese, but by Shans, and lying between Manipur proper and the Chindwin.

For the greater part of 18th century, the Kabaw Valley unquestionably belonged to Manipur, and it was never in any sense a Burmese province, a feudatory of great Shan kingdom of Pong. [Gangmumei Kabui 1983:81]

Kabaw Valley is still a question which touches the sentiment of the people of Manipur. During the Third Burmese war in 1885 the British forces invaded Upper Burma through Manipur and Kabaw Valley. And Kabaw Valley became a possession of the British. The King and Ministers of Manipur wanted the retrocession of Kabaw Valley which did not take place.

In the year 1932, [Churachand Singh 1891-1941] the Manipur State Government took up the matter with the Government of India and submitted a number of representation for the restoration of Kabaw Valley. But there was no positive response from the British India Government [Naoroibam Indramani: 2011, Approximate Boundary of Kabaw Valley During the Reign of Various Kings, a Seminar paper on 'Kabaw Valley' organised by Dr. Suresh Centre for Foreign Studies and Placement on 30th July at Central Library Hall, Imphal, p. 5]

There were further attempts to reopen the issue of Kabaw Valley, but the partition of India and Burma in 1937 and invasion of Manipur by Japanese forces must have diverted the attention of the Government of India and State Government of Manipur. Manipur Maharaja continued to receive the Kabaw Valley compensation up to 1947, when the transfer of power took place. The successor to the British, Dominion Government of India stationed a Dominion Agent in Manipur and paid the compensation. During this period of time, there was some move to raise the question of retrocession of Kabaw Valley to Manipur.

It is said that the interest of the Defence Ministry was aroused at the hint that if Kabaw Valley were reverted the Chindwin could be a good defence boundary, but diplomatic considerations led to the dropping of the Kabaw Valley topic. [Gangmumei Kabui 1988:35-36] Thus, Manipur lost her old territory, the Kabaw Valley. The present boundary of Manipur with an area of 22327 sq. kms remained fixed since the controversial transferred of Kabaw Valley to Burma in 1834. [Gangmumei Kabui 1991:7] But the boundary problem between Manipur (India) and Myanmar (Burma) still remains unsolved.

Bhyagachandra (1762-99) made a marathon struggle to drive away the Burmese and recover the kingdom of Manipur. In 1813, Marjit Singh became king of Manipur; his popularity plummeted for accepting Burmese suzerainty and ceding Kabaw Valley to Burma. He also promised to renounce all the claims over the Kabaw Valley. [Gangmumei Kabui 1988:25; Sanajaoba 1993:43] Thus, Kabaw valley was in the possession of Burma from 1813 to 1825, for twelve years.

But before 1813, except for some time during Bhyagachandra's flight to Assam, Kabaw Valley was always in the possession of Manipur. Pemberton states, "The territories of Muneepoor have fluctuated at various times with the fortunes of their princes, frequently extending for three or four days' journey east beyond the Ningthee or Khyendwen river, and west to the plains of Cachar." [Pemberton report 1935:22]

In 1819, Bagyidaw ascended the throne of Ava. Soon quarrel started between the Burmese king (1819-1838) and Marjit Singh (1814-1819) over the latter's refusal to attend the coronation of the former and the cutting of timber by Manipur in the Kabaw Valley. As a result, Manipur was invaded and devastated by the Burmese forces. This is commonly known as Seven years devastation (1819-1826), a dark period in the history of Manipur .

Concluded ....