RPF Celebrates 34th Foundation Day; RPF espouses common vision, future
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 24 2013 : "Starting from today when we are waging a legitimate war of liberation, we need to have a socio-politico-economic vision of our own which must be acceptable to all indigenous communities.

If we can envision a collective, common future, the present wars of liberation being waged separately by different groups would certainly come together.

By that time, it would not be much difficult to defeat imperialist India", the proscribed RPF asserted.

Greeting the people of Manipur and saluting all the 'martyrs' who have laid down their lives in the course of the ongoing revolutionary movement on the occasion of RPF's 34th foundation (February 25) which the outfit observes as Independence Demand Day, its President Irengbam Chaoren appealed to people of all communities of Manipur to introspect whether "we would have faced the present grim situation had Manipur evolved into a full fledged modem State in the form of an independent country" .

There are so many countries in the world which are peaceful and progressive, and where different communities co-exist in complete harmony.

It further questioned "Or is it a case of our indigenous communities not knowing how to live together?" .

If we look back to our history we will certainly realise that the present situation of distrust and animosity amongst the indigenous communities was created within the short period after annexation of Manipur by India" .

Before this, all the indigenous communities of Manipur were living together in harmony for centuries", the RPF President asserted in a statement issued to the press today.

Presently, one group is demanding alternative arrangement and another is seeking a separate State on the ground that the alleged 'puppet Government of Manipur' is communal.

Though these demands are communal, they demand threadbare discussion without any preconceived notions.

Either it is alternative arrangement or separate state, all of them entail protection of ethnic identity, representation in administration, access to resources and mode of land ownership.

Protection of ethnic identity, mode and scale of representation in governance, scale of accessibility to resources and mode of land ownership which are fundamental causes of different conflicts, are at present determined by the alien Indian law and system.

"It would be manifestation of immaturity and lack of political wisdom if our people must confront each other because we are not satisfied with the colonial system" .

"Our intellectuals, scholars and civil society leaders need to look beyond the colonial law and system.

No satisfactory answer can be found to the many questions pertaining to fears, apprehensions and aspirations of our indigenous communities within the Indian colonial law and system" .

Nonetheless, all the questions can be answered satisfactorily if they are examined beyond the colonial law and system with a long term vision.

However, all the people of Manipur are at present bound by the archaic Indian law and system.

It would be futile to work for a new, vibrant socio-politico-economic system as long as Manipur remains a colony of India.

"It is here the question of winning freedom for all our indigenous communities becomes paramount", Chaoren asserted.

Manipur can embark on the path of peace and progress and become a healthy nation only when Manipur is independent and free from all kinds of subordination.

It is a firm belief of RPF that Manipur can be developed as a progressive, egalitarian country only when it regains its right to self determination.

For all these reasons, it is the foremost duty of each and every people of Manipur to abolish the Indian colonial rule and win back the lost sovereignty to establish self rule of "our own people" .

"Our enemies which we must overcome are the vast multitude of the Indian military and the highly sectarian policies and strategies of the Indian political leaders" .

To defeat the colonial forces, there is no pragmatic option other than armed liberation movement, Chaoren asserted.

"Now is the time for all our people to join the armed liberation movement Only when the armed movement is raised to the desired momentum, our oppressed people can effectively counter the nefarious policies and programmes of imperialist India and embark on the path of freedom" .

"For this very reason the present generation of revolutionaries need to sacrifice more and devise more effective strategies by walking on the truthful tradition of people's revolution and win confidence of our oppressed mass", Chaoren exhorted.

Having realised that it would face harsh international criticisms because of its policy aimed at suppressing the liberation movement of Manipur through brute military force, imperialist India is now pursuing a specific strategy called Civic Action Programme (CAP) which is nothing but another delusionary tactics intended to pull away and keep off the oppressed mass from the revolutionary movement.

Through this tactics, the Indian military has been providing some momentary benefits to a handful of people and some of these beneficiaries have developed a mentality of subservience and an attitude to sycophancy.

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