On the issue of Non-Manipuri :: An eye opener for all
- Part II -

Dad William *

I have been analysing the views expressed by many readers in e-pao on the issue of non-Manipuri. It seems most of the readers are expressing their opinions just because they want to write without analysing and understanding others point of view properly; without having a good knowledge and information related to Manipur , India and the whole world at large.

Any way it is a good sign that more and more people are expressing their opinion in the public forum. It shows that our motherland Manipur is heading towards improvement. If a person starts abusing someone just because someone's view is not compatible with his own, it is a sign of frustration and helplessness. Anger is often a sign of helplessness.

I think opinion expressed by Mr. Abo Mangang is quite good. It is very informative. I think he is a well informed and well educated person. I hope more and more people of our motherland Manipur start expressing opinion just like him in a very mature and informative manner. God bless you and God bless Manipur.

One thing I would like to mention is that Law is framed by government to suit its own society. The same law which is applicable to one area or nation may not be applicable to another area or nation. For example, tribal can buy land and settle in the valleys of Manipur but Meitei cannot buy land and settle in the hill districts of Manipur except Churachandpur.

This is quite funny but it is a fact. This law is a gift of India to our motherland Manipur. This is one of the reasons why there is some form of disunity among various ethnic groups of Manipur and there is a threat to the territorial integrity of our motherland. The views of Manitombi and Abo may be anti-national for those who love India but it is not so for those who love Manipur.

I think Manitombi is very worried for the future of Manipur and is trying to save Manipur from being dominated by non-Manipuris. His/her apprehension is quite reasonable if we remember and analyse the case of Cachar, Tripura and Sikkim where the indigenous people (wh! ! o were m ajority originally) has become minority. Same thing can happen in case of Manipur.

So, we should be very alert. Any Manipuri becoming the Chief Minister/Minister of any northern, southern or western states of India is indeed impossible. If thinking and acting for the sake of Manipur makes one to be labelled as hard core Manipuris, then all those who think and act for India are also hard core Indians. If all non-Manipuris are driven out of Manipur and all Manipuris are driven out of other states of India, who will lose more?

It is definitely non-Manipuris and so the Indian government will never accept this idea. We may face some hardships in the beginning but be assured that Manipur and Manipuris will not disappear from this world. We can exist without any kind of help from non-Manipuris.

If you know the true history of our motherland, Chahi taret khuntakpa, the condition of Manipur during the 2nd world war, the patience and existence of Manipuris during the longest economic blockade in NH-39 etc., you will not be worried for the existence of Manipur. Once a British said 'one Meitei is equivalent to a battalion of British soldier'. He was trying to say that a Meitei can do all the things which are done by different groups of people in a battalion.

It does not mean a Meitei can kill all people in a battalion alone! We are a very courageous people by nature. Just ask yourself why lots of Manipuris have brought laurels in the field of sports for our motherland in spite of having lots of socio-economic and political problems in Manipur. The Indian intelligentsia and Indian government know very well that Manipur has every pre-requisite and has the ability of being a free nation.

India is not accepting the proposal of holding plebiscite under the supervision of United Nations Organization by an insurgent group of Manipur because it will lead to creation of an independent Manipur. So, they have tried and trying everything with a multi pronged strategy (social, economic, political, cultural, religion, education,! ! migration) to stop Manipur from becoming a free nation.

We have to be very smart and intelligent. We should have a long term vision and action plan for our motherland. We should try to face the short pain for the long term gain. The call and struggle for freedom will get stronger and stronger as long as India treat Manipur with discrimination and corrected its wrong policies and programmes in Manipur.

All of us know there is no true freedom in Manipur just like any other big states of India. Insurgency is not the root cause of loss of freedom (Many are unlikely to believe and accept this because they are wearing 'goggles' given by India); loss of freedom is the root cause of insurgency. Insurgency arrived after the merger of Manipur to the Indian Union in 1949 and gained momentum in late 1970s after the implementation of AFSPA in 1958.

'Recently, Maoists killed some 76 CRPF in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh in a single attack. Such a large number of security personnel 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.' ................this is a comment from Abo and this should be an eye opener for all.