Imphal, April 30 2009: Recalling the historic uprising of workers against the industrialist and capitalist class in Chicago, USA on May 1, 1886 in which workers fought valiantly with steadfast determination for their rights, the proscribed Revolutionary People's Front (RPF) has called upon the masses of Manipur, who are being allegedly suppressed and exploited under the alien rule to launch a united struggle against the Government of India.

In a statement issued by its publicity secretary T Leishemba, the outfit asserted that there was no means other than the united strength of the people for a liberation movement to be successful.

"No liberation movement can be successful without people's support".

"All these years, people's struggle for a better life is only leading them to greater misery.

With employment avenues shrinking fast, the general mass are being pulled below the poverty line.

"With the few rich people becoming more and more powerful, they started looking down upon the poverty stricken vast majority.

"All these social ills and economic woes are additional burden loaded by New Delhi on the heads of Manipuri people," the outfit alleged.

This heavy burden of being under the alien rule allegedly characterised by exploitation and suppression can be removed only when Manipur regains its sovereignty.

As such, workers and peasants of the State need to strive towards creating their own sources of income and make Manipur self-reliant, the RPF exhorted in its May Day message.

Even as the early part of May was celebrated at Spring Day in the olden days, today May Day has become one very important day which carries the message, "Workers of the World, unite".

Exploitation of workers by industrialists/capitalists and colonisation of sovereign states by powerful countries still constitute main chapters of the contemporary world history, the outfit observed.

Going back to the historic workers' movement of May Day, it said that workers were forced to work for 16 hours in a day as if they were robots.

Following continued exploitation of workers in such inhuman manner, the workers collectively launched a massive strike in Chicago in 1886.The then workers' leader Albert Parsons said, "We are not animals, we are also human beings.

Let us fight for our rights captured by the exploiters".

Reacting to the workers' strike, Citizen Committee formed by capitalist class, using mercenaries and State force tried to subjugate the workers movement.

The unarmed workers were attacked with a volley of bullets.

However, the industrialists' assumption that the workers movement can be subdued by spilling blood turned out wrong.

The workers were only emboldened by the atrocity suffered and eventually they won their battle.

But many of them were killed in the movement while hundreds were imprisoned.

Some of the workers' leaders including Spice, Fisher, Engels and Albert Parson were hang to death.

Schoor and Phinedan were imprisoned for life.

Nibena was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment.

Young Lingdi, then 22 years old, was found dead inside a prison cell.

In the USA, the day is being observed as a day of protest and rally against the failures and misplaced policies of the Government, the outfit noted.

The day is also observed by workers and trade unions as a day of raising a movement for protection of their interests.

The day is also a holiday in most of the countries across the world.

In communist countries, the day is commemorated by organising massive and high-level meetings to educate workers on the changing dynamics of the time and suffering of workers in different countries where there is exploitation and discrimination, the outfit observed.

As exploitation of men by men is still prevalent within neocolonialism and capitalism, there is no change in the underlying May Day message for unification of workers, peasants and other exploited people and to fight together for their rights.

This is the basic interpretation of May Day, the outfit asserted.

The RPF also reminded all the peoples who have been exploited, suppressed and victimised by alien rules that their rights would not be handed over to them on a platter with dignity.

As such, people of the State need to launch a united and strong movement like the workers of the USA, valiantly and with firm determination, should they free themselves from the alien rule, the RPF exhorted.

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