Reorganisation of Districts of Manipur with Special Focus on SADAR Hills for the Integration of Manipur

R.K. Rajendra Singh *

Subject : Reorganisation of Districts of Manipur with Special Focus on SADAR Hills for the Integration of Manipur.

Hon'ble Ministers and MLAs,

1. I, on behalf of the citizens, patriots and particularly the intellectuals of Manipur and on my own behalf deem it a privilege to write this open letter to the representatives of the peoples' government; embodying the agony, apprehension and predicament of the people of Manipur at this juncture of demand of full fledged District of SADAR Hills. It is not that we are against the demand of such districts.

We are rather in favour of more number of revenue districts in Manipur for more funds for development. However the division of Manipur into number of districts should be in a realistic manner with the sole aim of making Manipur a sub-nation of homogenous group, rich in culture, education, sports and for an all round development. It is most necessary and imperative to have minimum of 4 to 5 seminars and workshops for 3 to 4 days each by intellectuals,social workers, resource persons, leaders of all groups, followed by public dialogues and brain storming sessions.

We must be aware of the fact that there is nothing more important than this matter, since it is question of integration or disintegration of this state of Manipur if the government fails to Reorganise districts of Manipur in realistic manner as per the administrative expediency and ground reality of the prevailing situation.

2. Why the majority community Meiteis keep silent, but call themselves Big brother. Is it big brothers' role or big cowards role? Are they ignorant of the consequence. The economic blockad means use of violence for political objective and it is disruption of Manipur and its economy throwing unjustified strain on valley and the valley people. It is again nothing but inviting the valley people to unleash dangerous repercussion.

Any way for the time being let us consider the followings :- At the very outset we need to orientate ourselves and channelize our ideas in the background story of the subject for a critical analysis. Every one of us should be aware of the following facts - that there are three distinct phases of Historical background to be oriented before we discuss the SADAR Hills in detail:-

(a) First Phase - Manipur Maharajah's period just before the Khongjom War when Brg. Gen. H. Collet ran the Provisional administration on 27 April, 1891.

(b) Second Phase - British period of 56 years from 27 April, 1891 to 15 August 1947 when India got independence. It was during the British rule of Manipur that Major H.St. John Maxwell, the political Agent who made the division of Manipur into two, that of valley and that of the Hills. He also gave the name SADAR Hills which is short form of "Selected Area Development Administrative Region" - 'Hills'. There was SADAR Bazar also but it has been renamed as Paona Bazar.

(c) Third Phase - The Manipur State Hill Peoples (Administration) Regulation 1947. Responsibility for Administration in the Hill - Article 3. The responsibility for the administration of the Hill Peoples is vested in the Maharajah in Council and shall be exercised in accordance with the constitution Act of the state and the provision of this Regulation as amended from time to time.

This regulation, 1947 consists of 7 chapters and 78 Articles.

ORIENTATION OF FIRST PHASE AND THIRD PHASE

3. Hills under Maharajah of Manipur till 1891.
Reference a gazetteer compiled and published by the Intelligence Branch, Quarter Master generals' Department in the year 1886 - Gazette of Manipur "The Hill Country is divided between Thangal Singh General and Balaram Singh General".

(a) Thangal Singh - The Cachar Road and villages along it, the Kohima Road as far east as the ridge of country lying along the north of Route No. 5 from Route No. 9, southwards including all dealing with the Akamhows.

(b) Balaram Singh - Kukis at the southern end of the valley and whole of the hills west of the valley with the exception of the Cachar Road. The North Eastern Corner including the Somrah Basin Route No. 6 and the Kaboo valley.

4. This is the testimony that before the British came, our country Manipur was ruled and administered by our own people and there was no discriminating and different patterns of law and administration in the valley and hills. After the independence of India on 15 August 1947 and according to "The Manipur State Hill Peoples (Administration) Regulation 1947". Such system of law should have been automatically revived in the Independent India. After the Merger of Manipur in India such system of law and administration and the boundaries should be consolidated and strengthened as a symbol of Independence.

5. Second Phase - The British Period (from 1891 to 1947)

The special focus being on SADAR hills, this Second Phase is taken up separately as follows :-
(a) SADAR is short form of Selected Area Development Administrative Region as is given in the land records of Manipur. Likewise there are still number of SADARs in many states of India particularly in North India and UP as established by the British Paramouncy during their rule in India. In Manipur also there was SADAR Bazar and one Maxwell Bazar, now known as Paona Bazar and Thangal Bazar respectively.

(b) Maj. H.St. John Maxwell took over the charge of Manipur Administration from Brig. Gen. H. Collet in Sept. 1891. Maj. Maxwell was known by the Meiteis as Borosaheb and he married Princess Sanatombi of Manipur. It was he as a political agent and Superintendent of the State Administration established SADAR Bazar and Sadar hills under the same pattern, aim and object of other SADARs of India.

Valley region	Area Sq.Km.	% Area
(a) Imphal East/Imphal West	1228	5.5
(b) Thoubal District	514	2.3
(c) Bishnupur District	496	2.2
Total of valley district	2238	10%

It is categorically said that, 2238 sq.km. is inclusive of SADAR hills e.g. Langol, Nongmaijing, Thangjing, Koubru etc.

Hill Region	Area	Percentage
(a) Senapati District	3228 sq.km	14.7
(b) Ukhrul District	4500 sq.km	20.3
(c) Chandel District	3313 sq.km	14.8
(d) Churachandpur District	4570 sq.km	20.5
(e) Tamenglong District	4391 sq.km	19.7
Hill Total	20089 sq.km	90%

IMPORTANCE OF SADAR HILLS

6. Thus, the nearby hills around the valley administrative centres were selected for development administrative region. The most important factor was that, it was from the point of view of security and protection of the centrally located lowland areas of Imphal which had been the capital. In fact it was tactical and strategic plan to secure the dominating high features around the vital central administrative area of Imphal and surrounding areas which were often disturbed by hostile intruders as seen in the history of Manipur.

This was the reason that the Kukis who were expert in using muzzle loading indigenous guns and later the Nepalis were categorically selected and made them settle in these hill areas. The Maharajahs of Manipur as well as the British thus planned to protect and secure the valley as well as the lower hill ranges and also to terrorise the intruders.

GOOD PLAN CHANGED INTO WORST SITUATION.

7. However, because of the nomadic nature of the Kukis, their unsettled problem in other places dangerous life in Burma (Now Myanmar) and many other unsuitable places forced them to migrate to different pockets of Manipur and settling in many places of Manipur hill areas. They swamped in many places of the surrounding hills, 3 to 4 times bigger than the original given places. Even among themselves the New Kuki population is more than double the population of indigenous old Kukis. This is the only reason of the "Cleansing Operation by the Nagas" in the recent past.

So the government has to take care of any possible clash. The Majority Meitei big brothers must wake up and come out of their deep slumber cabin of cowards to see the burning and destroyed trucks and cars with the killed drivers. See the fasting and Hunger strike for the ownership of SADAR on one side and rallies of protest on the other side against such ownership. Our questions to Meitei big brothers are - Not a single inch of land for you? You are not concerned with SADAR?

8. Now the government and the people are requested to have critical analysis of the following:- based on your own mental appreciation and take the Decision for action :- Manipur had only one single district till 1969. Between 1969 to 1972 five districts were made namely Central District North district, South district, East District and West District. Now there are nine districts as follows. The areas of the districts are also shown as under (Fig. 1)

9. The above reorganisation of 5 districts into 9 districts have been in such an unrealistic manner that it created psychological disintegration and encouraged separatism on ethnic lines everywhere in Manipur. Unluckily the reorganisation of districts into 9 districts have been clearly on ethnic lines destroying the old reorganisation pattern of homogenous groups in districts. If India govt. do not think of disintegration of Manipur it is high time to intervence and strongly recommend to reorganize the districts again as an emergency to save Manipur avoiding the dangerous grand mistakes with the sole aim of integration of Manipur.

There should not be tribal land as there are no tribal in the true sense. All are Hindus, Muslims and Christians with equal economic conditions and social status. Hardly there are only about 3% to 4% tribals amongst Meiteis and Kabuis. After about 10 years Christians will become majority community in Manipur. In economic condition and educational level the Christians are much higher than the Muslims. In the real practical sense they are the land holders of 92% Land of the whole of Manipur.

10. The world will be surprised to know that in the 90% of areas of Manipur there is no land law when there are land laws even in African jungles. Land ceiling Acts, Acquisition and Eviction Acts, Forest Acquisition Act, tenents Act is not heard in Manipur where there are more than 20 to 30 land laws and Acts at an average in all states of India.

Meiteis are happy to live in this primitive stage of human beings without land law in the hill areas, whereas the Non-Meiteis are taking full advantage of acquiring more and more land in that lawless, Actless hill areas! what a curse on Meiteis and blessings to other non Meiteis. Meiteis are losing their ancestral places like, Koubru, Thangjing, Nongmaijing and so many holy places.

CONCLUSION

In Manipur the intellectuals and educated persons are kept tongue-tied and thus they cannot form public opinion for the integration of Manipur. There is no freedom of press for those who do not join any party or organisation if he or they would like to express his ideas to form a public opinion. It has also been noticed that, with all their patriotic zeal, the Manipuris might have been the best fighters in the Battles and wars, but as politicians they are most worthless, cowards in the field of politics for the unity and integrity of Manipur.

The unity and integrity of Manipur will remain threatened and disturbed till the following actions are taken up -
MLR & LR ACT.

(a) The Greatest obstacle on the way of unity and integration of Manipur is the failure to extend the MLR & LR Act 1960 to all parts of Manipur. The withdrawal of the Bill to extend MLR & LR Act was the greatest damage to Manipur. So it should be extended immediately by all means.

(b) Manipur must be unified under a common or uniform system of law and administration.

PANCHAYAT

(c) The whole of Manipur should be covered by the Panchayat system of administration without any discrimination.

RE-ORGANISATION OF DISTRICTS OF MANIPUR

(d) The division of Manipur into districts should be in a realistic manner. Hills and valley should not be divided politically, administratively and geographically. Every district should be combination of hills and valley wherever possible.

(e) The people of Manipur are of the same origin and category. They had been living in the Hills and valley for thousands of years. Many of them became Hindus about 300 years back and many became Christians about 120 years back. Whom are to be called tribes? If the reality is to be considered, those who did not embrace both Hinduism, Islam and Christianity should be called tribes.

(R.K. Rajendra Singh)
Convenor
Ex-Member Manipur Human Rights Commission

---

* R.K. Rajendra Singh wrote this article for Huieyen Lanpao (English Edition) . This article was webcasted on August 26, 2011.

---