Internal Contradictions - Like-minded thinking is paramount
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: May 22 2010 -

It's only that the NSCN-IM and its supporters including the neighbouring state–Nagaland's government and all its frontal organizations have not formally declared an armed war against the people and the Government of Manipur.

But then there had been a media report a few days back in which the NSCN-K had severely denounced the Naga Hoho, the apex frontal organization of the NSCN-IM for "unilaterally declaring war on behalf of all Nagas against Manipur state... by stirring up unjustified anger over a tiny issue…"

All that the NSCN-IM leaders, from Isak Chishi Swu and Th Muivah down to the last rung of errand-boys and its frontal organizations based in Nagaland and Manipur are doing are undoubtedly nothing short of declaring a war against the people, the government and the boundary of Manipur.

The NSCN-IM and its frontal organizations have imposed total blockade on the National Highways 39 and 53 cutting off all supplies of essential commodities to Manipur. They have banned all vehicles bearing Manipur's registration numbers from entering Nagaland.

They had also set on fire at least seven fully-loaded trucks of Manipur on NH 39 in Nagaland completely destroying them, and pushed down two loaded trucks into the deep gorge of the hills in that state during this month.

Not only that, the NSCN-IM cadres or the members of the outfit's frontal organizations, there is not much difference as their activities and objectives are one and the same, have also been continuing a campaign of setting fire to the office buildings of the Government of Manipur located in Ukhrul, Senapati, Tamenglong and Chandel districts.

Over and above all these violent attacks, a terrorist has died a terrible death while trying to plant a powerful bomb underneath the Kangpokpi bridge in order to destroy it in the midnight of May 17-18. It was obviously a part of all these attacks being carried out against Manipur.

Then, on the other hand, a propaganda war has also been launched by all these anti-Manipur groups against the Government of Manipur, the territorial integrity of Manipur and the Meetei community from all directions.

These groups have been launching series of anti-Manipur attacks by way of issuing statements/press releases, writing blogs, sending SMS on mobile phones and organizing demonstrations, acts of vandalism, etc, in Delhi or Nagaland or Manipur or elsewhere. Their propaganda blitz has been mainly based on the Hitlerian belief that "if you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed."

In all these attacks on Manipur and the Meetei community, the NSCN-IM, its frontal organizations based in Nagaland, Manipur and Delhi and, most importantly, the Government of Nagaland are united as one, and act as one.

Remember the two times attacks on the Manipur Bhaban building located at Sardar Patel Marg in New Delhi where a large number of students and non-students of Nagaland came in buses and official vehicles of the Nagaland Bhavan, and pelted stones and destroyed a lot of properties including the official vehicles belonging to the Government of Manipur in the early part of this month.

It's highly condemnable that the Delhi Police did nothing to stop the attackers. It was quite evident that the authority of Nagaland, the MPS and the MLAs of that state, who were camping in Delhi at that time, materially or morally helped the Naga rioters in those attacks.

Otherwise, they couldn't have come in buses and official vehicles of Nagaland government. Besides, the way the Nagaland Armed Police, some Cabinet Ministers and officials of Nagaland tried to force their way into Manipur even though the Mao gate was blocked by Manipur police, and also the way the Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio and his Cabinet Ministers spoke against the Government of Manipur and condemned its actions clearly showed that the Government of Nagaland is in solidarity with whatever the students of Nagaland and the NSCN-IM do against Manipur.

Meanwhile, it's worth noting the comments made by the leaders of seven political parties of Manipur that the Government of Nagaland is NSCN-IM's frontal outfit.

Keeping in mind what kind of forces the State Government and the people of Manipur are facing, it's of paramount importance that first of all, the Government of Manipur is unbreakably united in its fight against the challenges, and must ensure that there is no difference at all among the Cabinet Ministers, whether be it on choosing which highway to be used permanently for transportation of essential commodities or providing security escorts, etc.

On the other hand, all the CSOs of the state working in the same interest of protecting the territorial integrity of Manipur must also join hands as one, and think and act as one. It's not the time for divisions in thought and actions.