Problem of 1949 Annexation of Manipur
- Part 3 -

Professor Naorem Sanajaoba *

INSTRUMENT OF ACCESSION executed on 11-8-47 between Governor-General of India and His Highness the Maharajah of Manipur
Courtesy : RK Jhalajit Singh

Third Issue

A question has always been asked whether a state after its annexation could regain its lost political status or has lost all its status. Possible ways and already applied benchmark are given below. In addition to it, the UN's Committee of 24 had been looking after to de-colonise the colonised states, and if need arises, reports were submitted to the Security Council. This issue can also be mentioned in relation to the case of Manipur.

State Retained

An independently existing state may ceases to exist as a state when the state no longer maintains to do so. Even after being illegally annexed, Ethiopia, Austria, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Albania could regain and save its state from losing its entity. In the recent past, three Baltic States integrated under Nazi-Soviet Secret Pact could regain its state as earlier in the form of Estonia, Lithuania and Libya.

James Crawford writes: A state can continue to exist for example even if its government is reduced to relative impotence or even if its territory is wholly occupied". The trend that is observable in today's world is decolonisation. Paul Kennedy in his "Rise and fall of Great Powers (1988)". "Preparing for the twenty first Century (1993)" writes about the great political fragmentation and emerging economic globalisation of the world. The sovereignty of the annexed state can also be treated as a case of suspended sovereignty. Wrongfully annexed state can also again be created. Why because annexation of that state could also be due to the inability to resist annexation. Retrocession of treaty is also accepted benchmark.

In addition to it, according to universally accepted benchmark, as in the Western Sahara Case, state can recognize and follow self determination benchmark. The benchmark of the self determination unit shall always override the 'Territorial Integrity Rule' of the state which perpetrate annexation.Moreover, when a new state is created, it is always followed by two ways of devolution and secession. As in the case of Greece seceding from the Ottoman Empire, and Netherland from Belgium, it was on the basis of secession benchmark that Indonesia, North Korea, North Vietnam, Bangladesh, Guinea-Bissau was created and came into existence.

Today, International law, after so many changes, has created many new laws concerning the creation and resurrection of state on the basis of historical legality. Jawaharlal Nehru writes that States shall have the right to secede after 10 years. Any of the international laws and benchmarks does not approve, allow or support annexation of state irrespective of whether the state is member of the United Nations or not.

It even furthermore threatens and violates world peace and security. The prime objective and responsibility of the UN is to maintain world peace and security. UN system does not allow and permit 'aggression' and 'annexation'. It even resorts to power to stop aggression and annexation if it becomes inevitable.

Table No. 2
COUNTDOWN ANNEXATION
1947 AD

1. 19 April - Nehru ultimatum to states – threats with hostility
2. 15 May - Manipur Draft Constitution ready
3. 20 May - British Cabinet resolution – states to be fully independent
3a. 2 June - Nehru-Mountbatten's Secret Revised Plan
4. 3 June - Mountbatten's negative attitude to the states
5. 15 June - AICC stand: State's sovereignty lies with state people
6. 17 June - Jinnah categorical: state to be independent sovereign
7. 25 June - Interim cabinet accepts states department creation
8. 1 July - Manipur king(Maharaja) becomes nominal figurehead.
9. 2 July - Assam-Manipur Agreement: Indian agent to stay in Imphal
10. 2 July - Secretary of State, Listowell: States not subject to British parliamentary Legislation

11. 5 July - Patel on Blood theory, 'all knit by bond of blood'- possibly Aryan-Dravidan blood theory (?) of state.
12. 5 July - Gandhi to Mountbatten: States should not be independent Gandhi possibly wants Indian empire not British
13. 10 July - Indian Independence Act, 1947: British suzerainty over states in Indian subcontinent lapses
14. 25 July - Mountbatten officially declares states independence
15. 26 July - Manipur Constitution adopted
16. 28 July - Mountbatten reception to Rulers(Lunch on August 1) – Diplomatically pressurises for Indian Dominion ( His ambition to be India's Governor General).
17. 31 July - State Negotiating Committee approves 2 agreement drafts
18. 8 August - Mountbatten reports to Listowell: states remain independent save three subjects – States not committed to Indian Constitution or GI Act. 1935 etc
19. 9 August - Listowell approves Mountbatten's 25 July proclamation
20. 10 August - Manipur King directly takes over hill administration

21. 11 August - king signs treaty of Accession: under Cl. 7 & 8 – Manip[ur's independence retained in the escape clause (cf. 5 April, 1946 meeting of Nikhil Manipur Mahasabha & MPM, Res 6 Part II- Manipur to be independent – RK Bhubon in chair)
22. 14 August - King swears in the Interim Council
23. 15 August - King hoists PAKHANGBA FLAG in Council Hall. Paramountcy cleared of Manipur
24. 28 August - King announces – Manipur is sovereign
25. 6 November - Indian Congress agent Debeshwar Sharma admits that Manipur is sovereign: Sovereignty lies with Manipur people (Categorical)

1948 AD

26. 2 January - Manipur King attends Ruler's meeting at Shillong attended by Sardar Patel and State's Ministry – Later announced that Manipur becomes independent.
27. 28 February - Hijam Irabot attends Calcutt Communist Conference with Asian Revolutionaries – adopts militant Chinese Revolutionary line (later on practised too)
28. 25 May - Congress Election Manifesto: To abide by Manipur Constitution (Congress members majority in the Constitution Drafting Committee)
26 May - Assam Prime Minister Gopinath Bordorloi pleads autonomy of Manipur
29. 11 June -
27 July - Manipur Assembly election-popular government
30. 23 June -
3 July - Akbar Hyadari's reconnaissance to annex Manipur

31. 2 August - Akbar Hydari's letter to the King: Dewan simply watches "Treaty Relation" between two countries- Manipur and India. He is very categorical about the word Treaty like Katzu
32. 22 August - Akbar Hydari abolished Dominion agency
33. 22 August - PC Ghose preaches Purbanchal theory in meeting
34. 18 September - Manipur Hills and Plains meeting opposes Ghose proporsal
35. 20 September - Tomal Congress Writes To Indian Constituent Assembly: Manipur independent unit of India (probably in the sense of continent)
36. 21 September - Manipur State Council declares Krishak Sabha and Prtaja Sangha unlawful organisations
37. 21 September - Hijam Irabot goes underground.
38. 18 October - Manipur Legislative Assembly opened: popular sovereign government operates
39. 26 November -
- Prajashanti Led Government (Non-Congress) sworn in:
Insignificant Congress minority propagates for Indian annexation of Manipur: Annexation would nullify unlawfully the Manipur Constitution, they themselves drafted in the Committee

1949 AD

40. 10 March - Assembly Q. No. 21 L. Achou about Governments knowledge of the information about Manipur's merger with India
41. 22 March - Assam Governor Shri Prakash discusses with king about Manipur Communist insurgency. Rustomji Chatterjee at Imphal
42. 14 April - India Government asks king to transfer all powers to Dewan (an unconstitutional parallel centre of power
43. 16 April - King appointed Major General Amar Singh as Dewan
44. 5 June - Manipur Socialist Party meeting urges for referendum on Manipur – India Relation.
45. 25 June - Prakash secret memo, to King – India does not recognise Manipur State Council and the elected assembly (Popular Sovereign)
46. 26 July - Congress Bulletin 4: Indian Congress backs Manipur Congress – Slogan to dethrone the Constitutional figurehead-king
47. 29 July - Hill MLAs against annexation of Manipur by India
48. 3 August - Public meeting resolution to India's Prime Minister. Manipur cannot be merged with India
49. 15 August - 4000 Congressmen celebrate Independence and day and Students' Federation hoists Black Flag, Ex-Minister Dr. Leiren hoists Black Flag.
50. 25 August - Ruling Manipur MLAs against annexation of Manipur- Meeting resolution to Deputy Prime Minister. India not to annex Manipur to his country

51. 7 September - Shri Prakas Telegrammes King To Discuss "Affairs of State" at Shillong
52. 8 September - Young Socialist League meeting opposes annexation
53. 17 September - King reaches Shillong
54. 18, 19 September - King communicates to Indian agent at Shillong that he lacks capacity to enter into treaty as all political powers have been lawfully transferred to people
55. 18 September - Shri Prakash telegrammes to Patel and V.P. Menon: Manipur Maharaja detained under Regulation III and 'ANY OTHER MEANS' (Code language of House arrest of king under military seize). – King as captive and mental torture.
56. 18 September - PS to King writes to Shillong SP to withdraw forces encircling Manipur King. Seize continues. Maharajah's all communication lines snapped. Literally, he is a captive.
57. 20 September - Psychic oppression and seize continues on the king
58. 21 September - King coerced under duress to sign annexation treaty
59. 21 September - Bhagyabati Patrika Manipur Public opinion: Manipur cannot be subjugated and made subservient to a foreign nation (India).
60. 15 October - Mr. Velodi, State Minister. India occupies Manipur.
61. 15 October - Major General Amar Singh takes over Manipur against people's will
62. 15 October - Gazeete of India, Ministry of State Notification No. 219-p, Dated 15 October 1949- order to dissolve popular Ministry and the elected Manipur Legislative Assembly (Suspended Sovereignty)

(This article was originally written by Prof. Naorem Sanajaoba and is translated by Aheibam Koireng Singh)

Concluded.....