Just at a glance it might look irrelevant to discuss the following issue under the current upheavals in Manipur. However, from a deeper look and a futuristic angle it is very much relevant.

The current upheaval is accumulation of many years of step-motherly treatment by the Delhi, widespread corruption, and lack of leadership and a common direction of political, economic and social destiny. Some of the organizations if not all, seem to suggest that we have no future with India and China is an option.

China is one of the most undemocratic countries in world with no respect for human basic rights, individual freedom and federalism. One should not judge China by recent very superficial economic boom, which is nothing but result of western interest and investment owing to its huge market size due to its shear numbers and huge reserve of cheap labour and semi-skilled workers.

Corruption is widespread and is growing to an alarming scale, which the ruling coterie themselves are worried about. China is famous for producing anything very cheap with worse of qualities with no respect for internationally excepted standard and specifications, that’s why the world is worried if it goes out of hand the whole economy of the world might collapse.

We don’t need to go far to see the evidences, see all the goods coming via Moreh. I might as well add one more observation; Chinese way of life is very much old fashion with plenty of taboos and discriminations in spite of the ultra modern image they want to project to the world.

Manipur is a part of the seven sisters which is at the confluence of the Indian mainland on the west, China on the north and South-east Asia on the east. This strategic and unique geopolitical location is THE greatest asset we have. India and China, with the huge and growing middle class, are two of the world’s biggest markets and growing by day.

The growing economy of the South-east Asia is something the world is not taking lightly. Now, our biggest challenge is how we make the best of this scenario. What we can sell to them by exploiting our rich natural resources, how can we play a two-to-three-way role in trade among South-east Asia, India and China.

Our ancestors vision this long time back and took advantage of it in their own ways. I believe there are enough native economists, industrialists and business men and women who will spring up once the conducive environments are provided. Or at least, we can educate our children to take full advantage of this unique socio-economic entity.

Now, how do we bring about the said conducive environments? The need of the hour is a political and economic autonomy for the seven sisters from the highly unitary biased Indian Federalism. The first step towards this autonomy is the unification of the region into a common voice. And, the first step towards the common voice, calls for all the underground groups in region to throw away whatever differences they have among them, prepare a common platform and come to the negotiation table with Delhi.

Time is ripe enough now, because, Delhi has been looking towards the east not to miss the PAN-ASEAN boat and the seven sisters is the link for the South Asia (Afghanistan to Bangaldesh), South-East Asia and China. Moreover, it is high time we put a strong voice across the table that we are an unique socio-economic entity, not just mere broader states of India and we intend to take rein of our own future.

As long as there are sectarian insurgencies in the region, Delhi will always have an upper hand, be it the forces, be it how we feel of each other among us and be it how the world sees. Mainland has nothing to lose while every aspects of life in the region will gradually deteriorate, as we can see now most gravely in Manipur.

A question could be raised here. Are we giving up and submitting passively to the so called Mainland Indian hegemony. No, not at all, rather we will be fighting rightfully for what we deserve, our proper place in the world and show to the rest of the Indians the true colour of federalism.

Believe me, it will be much more challenging than trotting guns in jungles. Remember, even if we achieved independences separately after many years of sacrifices, we still need to live together, form common socio-economic platform, be the unique entity linking the South Asia, South-east Asia and China.

Talking about ideological difference, let me assure that a borrowed neither communist nor western democratic ideology will not work here. It is because, the seven sisters is a little cosmos in itself with varieties of communities with distinct histories and customs.

We should gradually construct a system based on our histories, age old customs and need of the times. World has seen enough examples where attempt to impose a borrowed system without regards to local and regional customs only led to catastrophes. Well, we will worry about it later.

FIRST, the need of the hour is to fight for the political and economic autonomy for this unique entity called "The Seven Sisters" which will enable us to design our own destiny.

If we start today, in near future we will not only be very prosperous but will be dictating many economic and political terms in the entire surrounding regions, because of the fact that "The Seven Sisters" is nothing but "The Golden Western Gate " for South-east Asia, "The Golden Southern Gate " for China" and "The Golden Eastern Gate " for India.