Agenda before the Honourable CM, Manipur

Dr. Khomdon Singh Lisam *

CM O Ibobi and Union Power Minister Shinde :: Pix - TSE

It is now clear from newspaper reports that Mr. Shushil kumar Shinde, Union Home Minister is applying tremendous pressure and still is likely to pressurise on our Hon'ble Chief Minister, Shri O. Ibobi Singh to agree to certain terms dictated by the NSCN-IM and the Government of India which are likely to affect the communal harmony, solidarity and unity of all ethnic groups in Manipur including Nagas, Kukis, Meiteis, Meitei Pangans( Muslims) .

Our Hon'ble Chief Minister, Shri O. Ibobi Singh is not a weak Chief Minister. At the same time, he may not want to offend the Union home Minister. He had already indicated his unwillingness to accept the terms and conditions spelt out by the Union Home Minister. We are worried that our Chief Minister may meet the same fate of Maharaja Bodhchandra Singh who was forced to sign the Merger Agreement on 21 September, 1949 through deceitful and forceful tactics contrary to international laws. The Congress High Command may threaten our Hon'ble Chief Minister for change of leadership or use any other tactics to force him to agree to the terms and conditions. The Government of India is interfering unnecessarily in the internal affairs of Manipur. The recent reported outburst of the Union Home Minister on our Hon'ble Home Minister Shri Gaikhangam for clamping curfew in Imphal is a clear example. But our Chief Minister will be the "People's Chief Minister "if he acted to safeguard not only territorial integrity but also the communal harmony, social integrity, solidarity and unity of all ethnic groups of Manipur.

Mr. Shinde is only echoing the hidden agenda of the Government of India. Nagaland is already enjoying a special status under Article 371A of Indian Constitution. Why is Mr. Shinde so desperate to bring about a solution to the vexed Naga issue by giving a further special status to Nagaland and special status of Nagas in Manipur beyond the purview of the Manipur State Government before the Nagaland Election in March, 2013? The Government of India is doing this not out of love of the Nagas or out of respect for Mr, T. Muivah but to fulfil their own hidden agenda.

On various occasions, the Government of India indirectly instigated us to fight with one another in the name of hill and valley, in the name of general and schedule tribe, in the name of Greater Nagaland, Nagalim or Supra State or Alternative Administrative Arrangement to keep the North East India or Manipur divided. The hidden agenda of the Government of India is how to keep the North East perpetually divided and fight with one another so that we can never dream of a sovereign and independent North East. They may be afraid that the unity of North East means the end of India. They know very well that the North East India is a sleeping giant. They saw T. Muivah of NSCN-IM who has strong linkage with all insurgent groups in the North East as a potential leader of North East. They are therefore using Mr. T. Muivah as a pawn to fulfil their hidden agenda.

My humble appeal to our Hon'ble Chief Minister is that he may please stand by the voice of the majority people. While listening patiently to the Hon'ble Prime Minister and Home Minister, the Hon'ble Chief Minister may kindly consider asserting his views based on the following facts

A. For Countering the unreasonable demands of the NSCN-IM

Judging from past incidents, it is not reasonable to conclude that the Government of India knows everything about NSCN-IM and Manipur. We need to remind the Government of India about the evil consequences of NSCN-IM activities in Manipur. The NSCN-IM is one of the 40 insurgent groups in the North East. The NSCN-IM charged the Manipur Government of being communal and demands for "alternative administrative arrangement" outside the purview of the Manipur Government. We need not enter into a debate who is more communal- NSCN-IM or the Manipur Government. But the facts remains that NSCN-IM is collecting around Rs, 50 lakhs to 1 crore of illegal tax everyday from the Manipuri vehicles passing through Senapati district and Nagaland with the full knowledge of the Government of India. The NSCN -IM is killing many innocent Meietei drivers every year and causing grievous hurt to hundreds of innocent Metei drivers every year . The NSCN -IM is burning many trucks and buses passing through the national highways every year with the full knowledge of the Government of India. They were imposing economic blockade on the national highway of Naga dominated areas on flimsy grounds for months together to harass and deprive the Meteis of the essential commodities like food, medicines, petrol, diesel, LPG gases etc with the full knowledge of the Government of India. The NSCN-IM designated camps are functioning in Ukhrul, Chandel and Tamenglong although the cease fire with NSCN-IM is not extended to Manipur. The NSCN -IM cadres had cruelly murdered many innocent Meitei officers without any fault or provocation, The NSCN -IM cadres had no respect for women as evident from recent episodes. Action speaks louder. These are happening with the full knowledge of the Government of India.

Manipur belongs to more than 40 ethnic groups of which major tribes are Meiteis, Nagas, Kukis, Meitei Pangans (Muslims). We cannot satisfy one group at the cost of other. The Kukis are already demanding for a separate Kuki State out of Manipur openly supported by the Mizoram Chief Minister. Satisfying one insurgent group will lead to similar demands by other insurgent groups. What Manipur needs is the solidarity and unity of the people to bring peace, prosperity and development -not huge funds from the Government of India to divide us. Manipur is already sitting on a volcano or ticking time bomb. If we go by the dictates of the NSCN-IM and the Government of India, people will charge the Indian National Leaders for destroying Manipur and the consequences may be very detrimental to India. They should not repeat the same mistake which they have committed during 1947-1950 in the North East India. The Government of India may be thinking that the clash will be between Meiteis and Nagas or Meiteis and Kukis or Nagas and Kukis. On the contrary, the clash may be between Manipuris and the agents of the Government of India. Now, all the ethnic groups of Manipur know the Government of India's hidden agenda. We will not fight among ourselves. The Government of India should be held responsible for any untoward consequences. The blame will come heavily on the Government of India.

As a part of the strategy , the Hon'ble Chief Minister may kindly bring these points to the notice of the Government of India and place the following points :-
1. The Government of India should work for communal harmony, social integration, solidarity and unity of Manipur and not for destroying Manipur.
2. The Government of India should ask the NSCN-IM to dismantle all their designated NSCN-IM camps from Manipur as the cease fire is not extended to Manipur
3. The Government of India should create National Highway Protection Forces to ensure smooth passage of passengers and goods through the national highways.
4. The Government of India should ban Economic blockade and punish the culprits according to law
5. The Government of India should initiate actions against NSCN-IM for not adhering to or violating cease fire ground rules
6. The Government of India should ask the Nagaland Government not to interfere in the internal affairs of Manipur as a good neighbour in true Christian spirit.
7. The Government of India may consider appointing T. Muivah as a Chief Minister of Nagaland as a part of the "honourable negotiation" to bring peace in the North East,
If the Government of India still insist on accepting their terms and conditions, the Hon'ble Chief Minister may kindly assert having a referendum on the subject of Alternative Administrative Arrangement under supervision by the Government of India without further delay as a part of the negotiation.

A. For amendment of Indian Constitution by removing extremely discriminatory provisions

1. Although the Indian Constitution may be perfect in many aspects, certain provisions of the Indian Constitution are extremely discriminatory and it is dangerous and harmful to Manipur. Manipur is practically a hill state. Article 371C of the Indian Constitution encouraged us to fight in the name of Hill and Valley on the pretext of protecting the hills. Arrival of Hinduism in Manipur in the early eighteenth century had built a wedge between hill and plain people starting Mangba Sengba culture as happened in those days anywhere in the world. Taking advantage of this religious divide and Mangba Sengba Culture, the British played "Divide and Rule" in the name of giving special protection of hill people and to woo the hill people to accept Christianity. The Government of India played further the "Divide and Rule Policy" and even formalising it by incorporating it in the Indian Constitution. Now Meiteis are partially Hindunised and the hill people are also partially Christians. We are neither pure Hindus nor pure Christians; Meiteis are still practicing animism and traditions of Sanamahism, which are not characteristics of pure Hindus. Hill people are still observing Lui Ngaini , Gang Ngai or Kut festivals and many other traditions, cultures of particular ethnic groups and Tribalism which are not the characteristics of pure Christians. We have common ancestors and common origins. Earlier, we were only one people and one nation and we did not have any differences. Certain provisions of the Indian Constitution are extremely discriminatory, which instigated us to fight in the name of hill and valley. If the Government of Indian wants Manipur to have peace, prosperity and development, solidarity and unity, the Government of India should amend the Indian Constitution to restore our original status and declare the whole state as Hill State under Article 371 C.

2. The Government of India had repeatedly threatened to sacrifice the territory of Manipur on various occasions to satisfy the whims and fancies of NSCN-IM. The emotional attachment of the Manipuris to the 2000 year old history of Manipur is so strong that they are ready to sacrifice their lives to protect the territorial integrity of Manipur. This has been demonstrated on 18 June 2001 when 18 precious lives were lost and more than 5 lakh people came out in the street when the Government of India unwittingly declared the Naga ceasefire without territorial limits. This has happened in spite of many strong resolutions taken by the Manipur State Assembly to protect the territorial integrity of Manipur. This repeated humiliation by the Government of India has resulted to loss of trust between the Government of India and the people of Manipur. In order to regain the trust and confidence of the Manipuris in nation building, the Government of India should immediately take steps to amend the India Constitution mentioning specifically that Article 3 of Indian Constitution shall not apply to Manipur.

3. In the name of democracy and secularism, there is a silent war without arms -that is population invasion by migrants from other states in India. According to 2001 Census, the population of outside migrants in Manipur was 707,488 as against the Meitei population of 751822, tribal population of 670,782 (UCM) . The influx of outsiders has reduced the indigenous tribal population into minority .Within 20 to 30 years; the Meiteis also will be reduced to microscopic minority as happened in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Tripura and other places. The influx of outsiders from other states has posed a threat to the Manipuri identity and culture of the indigenous people of Manipur. It has posed a threat to Manipuri language, scripts and local dialects due to ever increasing influence of Hindi as the link language and "Bazar Bhasa "in trade and commerce. It has deprived the indigenous Manipuri population of their ancestral land, food, employment, manual work, education. The Manipur State Cabinet has taken a decision on 12th July, 2012 to adopt the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873 in Manipur. On 13th July, 2012, the Manipur State Assembly had also taken a resolution to implement the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873 (Inner Line Permit System) in Manipur. The copy of the resolution was submitted to the Union Home, Minister, Government of India on 3rd August, 2012.

Now the Government of India has to issue the approval letter so that the State Government can issue the order for implementation of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation , 1873 ( Inner Line Permit System ) in Manipur without further delay. This is required for protection of rights, identity, culture, language, land, script and mineral resources of indigenous people of Manipur.

4. The evidence of encouraging disunity and inciting communal conflict between hill and valley is evident in the wording of the full text of the Article 371C of the Indian Constitution. As a part of the Constitutional obligation, the Government of Manipur enacted the Manipur Land Revenue Act-1960 which is discriminatory to the extreme. The hill region, comprising about 90 percent of the total area of the State, contains only 35.45 percent of the State's total population, while the valley region with only 10 percent of the total area has to support 64.55 percent of the total population. Originally the valley people and hill people were living in peace and harmony and respecting each other. The Meiteis people cannot purchase land and settle in the hills whereas hundreds of thousands of hill people comprising of all ethnic groups are purchasing land and settled in the valley. The valley people cannot even buy back the land from the hill people. The tribal permanently settled in the valley are still categorised as Hill people. This is a gross discrimination of the valley people. The Meities are very peculiar race - they will never leave their homestead and live in the hill areas. They never did so in the last 2000 years and they will never do it. The benefits will only go the people in the hills. But this will definitely bring emotional integration and oneness among the people in the hills and the valley. Moreover, the vast tracts of hilly lands cannot be developed without proper survey and establishing individual ownership. Manipur cannot become rich without enriching the hill people. In order to bring solidarity and unity of all ethnic groups in Manipur, the Hon'ble Chief Minister may kindly propose to the Government of India for making amendment of the Indian Constitution to bring uniform land laws for all ethnic groups in Manipur.

5. The Meiteis / Meeteis and the Tangkhuls and Marams have common ancestors and common origin .The Meitei Kings used to dress in Tangkhul dress at the time of coronation to remember their common ancestors. The dress and traditions of Tangkhul are found incorporated in many festivals and ceremonies of Meities. The Government of India classify the hill people as Scheduled Tribes whereas the other tribe namely the Meiteis were classified as General. The result - we are prevented from being united. The Government of India encouraged us to fight with one another in the name of general and tribal. The tribal people complained that the general people (Meiteis /Meeteis) looked down the tribal as some inferior race leading to conflicts and tensions among the ethnic groups who have been living together as one harmonious people before the advent of Hinduism, Christianity and British Rule. If the hill people are tribals, the Meiteis are also tribal. We want the restoration of the original status of Meities to the tribal status.

The Meiteis are also Tribal as they fulfilled all the four criteria of being a tribal. The four criteria are:-
1. The tribal people should belong to the Mongoloid race. Meiteis belonged to the Mongoloid race.
2. The tribal should practice animism, a primitive form of religion where ghosts and spirits are worshipped. The Meiteis do worshipped ghosts and spirits particularly on the first Saturday of Lamda month (March) even today. The Meiteis therefore practice animism.
3. The Tribal should be partially Hindunised. Meiteis are partially Hindunised even today. Swami Vivekanand said that Hinduism is a racial religion and one becomes a Hindu by birth. All the so called Hindus of Manipur become Hindu by conversion. They still worship Sanamahi in every house. The Hindu Meities are still following the costumes and traditions of Sanamahism at the time of birth, marriage, death and festivals. This shows that the Meiteis are partially Hindunised.
4. The Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in cases no 8 SCC 191 (277) AIR 977 SC 3297, 1997 (6) JT449, 199 (4) Scale 746; 1997 (6) Supreme 530 etc stated that Tribal should be first settlers in the country. The Meiteis/Meeteis were the first settlers of Manipur as evident from many scientific researches.

Considering these facts, the Hon'ble Chief Minister may kindly propose to the Government of India to amend the Indian Constitution to bring the Meiteis under the Scheduled Tribe category of the Indian Constitution.

6. The Government of India had created the Naga Regiment of the Indian Army in 1970 in Ranikhet. But Manipuris were denied of any such job opportunities. The Indian Army is presently having a shortfall of 95,000 riflemen. A separate Manipur Regiment of about 10,000 capacity mixed with Punjabis, Kumaon, Garhwal and Gorkha etc. may be created to make up this shortfall. The biggest employers like Railways, Coal Mines and other central services have very little number of Manipuris on their pay roll. The Assam Rifles, BSF, CRPF posted in North East can not tale the Manipuris as their own people because these are exclusively manned by people from other states The Manipuris will take the Assam Rifles, BSF, and CRPF as their own force once the Manipuris are also allowed to join these security forces. The Government of India had conducted special recruitment drives of the Kashmiris on various occasions. The Government of India had never conducted any special recruitment drive for the Manipuris. Presently there are more than 6 lakhs educated unemployed persons in Manipur. Manipur being a small state of scanty resources, only two options are possible for the young people - either to join state Government jobs or to join the underground movement. In order to bring solidarity and unity among all Indians and for building a United India, our Hon'ble Chief Minister may kindly propose to the Government of India for establishment of a separate Manipur Regiment under Indian Army and to reserve at least 10% of Assam Rifles, BSF, CRPF posts in North East should for Manipuris. A special recruitment drive may be conducted to recruit Manipuris in the Railways, Coal Mines and other central services.

7. Since 20 August 1992 Manipuri Language has become the first Tibeto Burman language to receive recognition as a schedule VIII language of the Government of India. The Manipuri language (Meiteilon) has it own script. Earlier, the alphabets of the Manipuri language could not be finalized as the original documents were burnt down by King Garib Niwaj in 1732 at the time of conversion to Hinduism. Now after painstaking research, the alphabets have been finalized. Only very few nations in the world have their own scripts. This script should be respected and given due recognition by the Government of India. The Chief Minister may kindly propose to the Government of India for including the Manipuri (Meitei Mayek) Script in the coins and currency notes of India without further loss of time.

8. Under the existing Indian Constitution, the parliament is out of reach for a small state like Manipur. Electing a Lok Sabha MP has been reduced to the state of just formality. Even if Shri Krishna or Jesus Christ is sent to the Indian Parliament from Manipur as a Lok Sabha MP, he will not be able to become Prime Minister of India. So our only consolation is the State Assembly and State Councils as provided under the Indian Constitution. Article 169 of the Indian Constitution empowers the Parliament to create a Legislative Council of state. Further, we need experts and informed opinion on many matters of great importance to Manipur. We feel that the prominent academicians, professionals, intellectual groups, who will never contest elections, should have a say in the planning, administration of the state at the legislative level. It is therefore proposed that our Hon'ble Chief Minister may propose to the Government of India to amend the Indian Constitution to create one Legislative Council of 40 members with provision for 10 nominated members for Manipur.

9. The Honourable Chief Minister may kindly plead to the Government of India for constitutional amendment to increase the number of Rajya Sabha MPs to at least seven on the basis of equal representation of states as done in USA and other countries.

10. The Honourable Chief Minister may kindly plead to the Government of India for appointment of eminent political leaders, senior military and police officers who were working as Director General of Police or Major Generals as Ambassadors and Governors.

I would like to request the Hon'ble Chief Minister to bring these points to the attention of the Government of India without further delay. This is a cause which is worth fighting for and worth dying for. The implementation of these suggestions will bring lasting peace, prosperity, development, solidarity and unity of Manipur for the future generations. Otherwise, the future generation may not excuse us for not doing anything good for them. We are living for nothing. Let us die for something.