On the issue of Non-Manipuri

Abo Mangang and Madhu Sahu *

This is a Back-and-forth email exchange between Abo Mangang and Madhu Sahu

Why are public not opposing this?
[ Sat, Apr 24, 2010 1:04 pm ]

The recent news of threatening the non-manipuris living in Manipur to leave the state is really a shame for the state. Public on small issues start dharnas, sit in protest but why not in this issue? why are public not opposing this? Why dont they think about their childrens who are in tremendous number in other states, really tremendous...lets be very practical, if a non-manipuri who will be compelled to leave the state were he was born n grown up!! will they be quite ? Just think that if in extreme condition , if they left everything n get settled in a different state which is very difficult,, they will really be violent in that state, so people should consider this issue n be careful before doing this!!

Madhu Sahu

On the issue of Non-Manipuri
[ Wed, Apr 28, 2010 1:54 pm ]

Sahu, what do you mean when you wrote Public on small issues start dharnas, sit in protest but why not in this issue? why are public not opposing this? I have some simple questions for you: Why don't non-Manipuris/mayang like you start agitations on this issue? Why are you trying to instigate Manipuris? Why did non-Manipuris/mayang not take part in many important agitations organized by Manipuris? Why are mayangs always silent on many important issues that affect the normal life of Manipur? It is known quite well that mayangs always keep silence on many issues as long as they are not affected. I can give you many examples.

What do you think about the anti-north Indian issue in Maharashtra and Assam? Why the people of Maharashtra and Assam didn't organized agitations, strikes on this issue? Do you think Manipuris are moron? Do you know the total number of Manipuris residing in other states of India is much less than 1 lakh whereas the total number of non-Manipuris residing in Manipur is more than 5 lakhs? If you do not believe just check census 2001 and just wait and watch for the census 2011 which has already started. When Manipuri women are sexually harassed, molested and raped and even murdered in other states, the Manipuris themselves protest and staged rallies denouncing the acts.

No common people of those states come for the rescue of the Manipuris. Do you know how Manipuris and other people from Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim are treated in other states of India? We are more respected when we go abroad, we feel more secure when we go abroad and we feel more freedom when we go abroad. We are more respected by the people/students of other countries say USA, UK, France, Russia, China, Thailand, Australia, Laos, Malaysia, and Indonesia than the original Indians while we are studying in big cities of India. I and some of my friends have experienced these feelings. You can ask any indigenous Manipuri who have gone abroad.

While we are studying/ staying in ! big cities of India many literate people of Aryan origin do not know that Manipur or any other North-eastern state is a part of India; but all of them know that Goa is the smallest state of India, smaller than any of the north eastern states; some Manipuris may feel sad while others may feel happy on this attitude. Some mainland Indians including engineering and medical students say Tripura is the capital of Manipur while others say Manipur is a district of Assam.

When asked why they are so ignorant about Manipur and entire north east, they say north eastern states are very small but they know about Goa (and its capital) which is the smallest state of India, and they say they are never taught properly about the North Eastern region of India. I and many of my Manipuri friends find it very ridiculous since we know a lot about the other states of India, we have learnt a lot about the history of India, we know India was under the Mughals and British for more than 500 years, we know about the freedom struggle of India but at the same time many literate Manipuris still do not know the true history of our motherland Manipur. It is really a pity. I tell you what: Kangleipak/Manipur has its own great history, tradition, culture, language, script, religion and resources ; and Kangleipak/ Manipur will emerge as a Great State respected by the whole world

Abo Mangang

Reply on the issue of non-manipuris
[ Fri, Apr 30, 2010 3:53 am ]

A reply to Abo Mangang on issue of non-manipuris
I, with my family was earlier settled in Manipur till 2007 and my elders were settled there for more than 300 years but finally we left the state. We don't love it anymore. I have a several friends there but they never accept me among them. They always treated me as outsider even I was speaking Manipuri. I was born there, was a domicile of the state but when I go for some official work in government offices, I was not treated well. They always take more time, more investigations, harase me more and this was only because I was a non-Manipuri.

You are very much concerned about your manipuris who are outside but we never treat them like this,,,, they are really having a good life, I should say a much better life outside Manipur and they are quite well accepted by us'.. Non manipuris are always tortured in Manipur regarding demands and if they fail to do so, they are either kidnapped or killed. Are you not aware of this fact????? NO!!!!!Because you have nothing to do with that'. Am I right? Regarding our involvement in social issues, you must know that we always actively participated, either it was the regarding the cease fire issue, AFSPA issue etc etc''.. As far as census, you should study it more carefully because the it is only very small percent of non-manipuris in Manipur as compared to Manipuris in other state.

You should also remember that maximum of non-manipuris are working as laborers in Manipur but Manipuris are at good position and earning a handsome salary outside Manipur. They are getting good education and you should always respect it. There is no sense in comparing Goa and Manipur, we will not be surprised to know that whenever I say I was in Manipur, the first thing which comes in the individual mind is Ah!!!! it is a terrorist influenced state'!!!! You have to give a major part of your income to terrorist there!!!!

So, unless and until these things are sorted, it is not a good place to live in and regarding this issue of non-manipur is 'you all should be very careful before doing so,,, May god bless Manipur.

Madhu Sahu

Issue of Non-Manipuris
Sat, May 01, 2010 4:27 pm

Sahu, your elders were settled in Manipur for more than 300 years i.e. before 1710 A.D. that is before the arrival of Vishnu Goswami????

'I have a several friends there but they never accept me among them' this statement is quite contradictory because acceptance and friendship go together; without acceptance there can be no friendship. 'They always treated me as outsider even I was speaking Manipuri. I was born there, was a domicile of the state but when I go for some official work in government offices, I was not treated well. They always take more time, more investigations, harass me more and this was only because I was a non-Manipuri' Manipuris and entire people from North East are treated as foreigner in mainland India even though we speak hindi.

In the eyes of the mainland Indians, people from north east are almost always from Nepal. And the manner in which they ask 'You are from Nepal, You are from Pahar, Are you Nepali? Are you pahari?' is quite irritating. We face problems in every aspect of life not just in government office but also in hospitals, banks, hotels, restaurants, parks. We face problems while we are travelling in bus, metro train, railways, autorickshaws, rickshaws. We are almost always charged much more than the actual fare for auto and rickshaws.

If one is searching for rooms to stay, we are charged more both by the brokers and the landlords. We are almost always taunted for our food habits; there are many instances in which we are not allowed to cook our own type food. For them we are people who always eat dogs and snakes! What nonsense!! 'Non manipuris are always tortured in Manipur regarding demands and if they fail to do so, they are either kidnapped or killed'. This is true for Manipuris also. Moreover, We are also tortured and killed on many fake encounters by the security personnel. Many Manipuri women have been raped and murdered by security personnel. Many innocent Manipuris are still missing because of Indian army and paramilitary forces of India. These are all because of AFSPA. There is no such problem for non-Manipuris staying in Manipur.

The number of security personnel killed by the militant in Manipur is much less than that killed by Naxalites/Maoists in other states. The behaviour of both Naxalites and Militants are similar. The same type of people are called Naxalite/Maoist by the national media, non-Manipuris and central government while the same type of people in Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Kashmir are called Terrorist! The word Terrorist is yet to be defined.

A world conference held previously after the 9/11 attack on World Trade Centre was unable to give a consensus definition of Terrorist. Recently, Maoists killed some 76 CRPF in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh in a single attack. Such a large number of security personnels have never been killed by militants of Manipur, Assam, Nagaland and Jammu and Kashmir in a single attack. Because of this attack, some Indian experts proposed the idea of imposing AFSPA and use of Indian army and IAF.

Both the Chief of army staff and IAF rejected the idea stating that there will be collateral damage i.e. innocent civilians will also be killed and injured along with the Maoists and they cannot fight or kill their own people. My question is why they are not saying the same thing for Manipur, Assam, Nagaland and Jammu and Kashmir; why they are not thinking about collateral damage in these states, why they are opposing removal of AFSPA from these states. This clearly shows that they do not consider people of these states as their own people, the people of India and they are concerned only about the lands.

AFSPA is in force in these states since 1958. That means people of these states are not considered as citizens of India atleast since 1958 by India and it's military. If this is the attitude of Indian government and military how will be the attitude of common people of mainland India? This has to be corrected first. Then, everything else will be solved automatically.

I have already sent a letter in this regard to honourable P. Chidambaram, the Home Minister of India. 'You should also remember that maximum of non-manipuris are working as laborers in Manipur but Manipuris are at good position and earning a handsome salary outside Manipur. They are getting good education and you should always respect it.' Where can you find the concentration of Manipuris in market places of mainland Indian states just like the concentration of non-Manipuris in important market places like Khwairamband Keithel and Moreh?

Have you ever heard Manipuri becoming Governor of a state, Chief Secretary of any other states? I have some non-Manipuri friends who told me that many non-Manipuri labourer appear poor but are really very rich in their hometown. 'There is no sense in comparing Goa and Manipur, we will not be surprised to know that whenever I say I was in Manipur, the first thing which comes in the individual mind is Ah!!!! it is a terrorist influenced state'!!!! You have to give a major part of your income to terrorist there!!!!' Please read my earlier post again then you will realize in what context I was using Goa.

Abo Mangang