UNLF shares thoughts on key issues-II
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 24 2019: Struggles of some groups with ethno-exclusive outlook after bearing no success against a superior enemy like India u-turned and fell into 'peace-talks' and 'SoO' and this creates more internal conflicts between the co-existing ethnos, the UNLF Central Committee remarked.

These groups are often used as a tool by the Government of India with divisive and reactionary ideas along communal lines to create more inter-ethnic clashes amongst them so that unified liberation struggle of the region against them cannot take shape.

Many attempts had been made in the past to destroy Manipur and enslave its' peoples by outside forces but the peoples of Manipur had been resilient and fought for their freedom and dignity.

The indigenous peoples of this land had been interdependent, with common origins, common ancestry, and they shared this region and habitat.

There may be petty squabbles amongst them, but they had lived as inseparable communities so far.

Manipur is a multi-ethnic and pluralistic nation.

India has utilized the divide and rule policy and helped develop the idea of ethnic exclusivism to make the ethnic groups think and act for their own self alone.

This harmful ideology was encouraged to be practiced by the NSCN (IM) so as to increase the animosity and rivalry among the ethnics, which must be resisted by the collective will of all indigenous peoples.

The relationship between the territories and peoples and the inner philosophy behind territorial integrity must be understood by everybody as inseparable, for which people are not afraid to die, and they rise for the territorial integrity of the land, it asserted.

The territorial integrity of a land must be understood as the relationship between the territory and the population, that the land and people are linked with an inseparable connection, that nature's environment, the air and water, the mountains, the rivers, the lakes and forests are all organically related with the human beings, and it is also linked up with the system of law and governance or the polity of the land.

There is an organic relationship between the environment and the people, and this relationship in its pristine undisturbed self is its territorial integrity.

So when the GoI wants to settle their negotiations with NSCN (IM), they should not disturb the relationship of Manipur's territory and its people, and the relationship between the indigenous communities and their close organic polity.

The UNLF and the revolutionary groups of Manipur and the people of Manipur shall resist with all their might any attempt to disturb the integrity of the State, the Central Committee asserted.

The contradiction between hills and plain is advantageously used by GoI as a weapon of their divide and rule policy in suppressing the liberation struggle of Manipur; and the different social strata of ST, SC and OBC as granted by the Indian Constitution is a wedge to divide the collective society.

Within the present India political system, there is no way to bridge this social divide.

That means, the peaceful co-existence and co-development of indigenous people is impossible as their divisive policies have shown.

"Therefore, if we cannot achieve our right to self-determination, by uprooting the clutch of India's divide and rule policy, and to assert our own co-existence and co-development, the future of Manipuri people is going to oblivion", it continued.

At this crucial juncture, some among the Meitei population, who have been taking major role in the Nation building process of Manipuri Nation since time immemorial with their courage and determination; have become weak-hearted and started to demand inclusion of Meiteis in the ST list of Indian Constitution.

Their contention that without the Indian Constitutional support Meiteis cannot survive is a direct fallout from being colonized for a longtime and hence the ever-dependency syndrome which corroded the national character of the Meiteis who were brave and defiant, reads the statement.

This demand will be a dangerous blunder and is just like erasing the long historical journey of the sovereign independent Manipuri Kingdom which withstood the ravages of time.

It will also negate the historical legacy of the Meiteis in taking major role in the Manipuri nation building process.

Above this, the tribal people, who are already included in ST list are vehemently opposing this demand.

Therefore, UNLF considers this demand of some Meitei groups to include in the ST list as a dangerous blunder as this demand will widen the chasm between Meiteis and tribals to the benefit of adversary forces, it conveyed.

"As long as we remain under the alleged Indian subjugation, safeguarding our racial identity, our dignified existence and prosperity is impossible.

Therefore, to be able to achieve our National independence, with autonomy at all levels, and to create a democratic system in tune with our native genius, respect for identities and traditions, and respectful co-existence of all communities, and to prosper together in equality, justice and freedom shall be our motto and let us all work together towards this end", the Central Committee asserted.

It then conveyed heartiest greetings to all party cadres, local members, officers and NCO's and privates of MPA and to those patriotic sons and daughters who are observing the function and to those Manipuri expatriates living in different parts of the world.

The UNLF Central Committee also extended its heartiest greetings to other fraternal revolutionary parties of Western South East Asia (WESEA) and like-minded ethnic revolutionary groups as well.

It further highest honour and reverence to all those party founders, leaders, cadres, and revolutionary fighters as well as those compatriots who made supreme sacrifice in the course of the liberation struggle.

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