PREPAK greets on International mother language day
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 20 2014 : The proscribed PREPAK has greeted all the people who have dedicated their lives to the cause of their mother languages on the occasion of the International Mother Language Day (February 21) .

A statement issued by the outfit's assistant secretary, publicity and propaganda Leibakngakpa Luwang said that a language is inter-woven with the culture and tradition of its speakers.

It also conveyed support to all the movements aimed at developing and reviving link languages spoken in South East Asia and all other dialects.

When a language becomes dead or obsolete, the downfall of the nation who speaks it is not far off and their civilization would crumble sooner rather than later.

It was on November 17, 1999 that the UNESCO General Conference declared February 21 as the International Mother Language Day.

On February 21, 1952, students of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) took out a mass rally in protest against the Pakistan Government's declaration that Urdu should be the official language of the country.

In the course of the rally, police opened fire and killed some students.

This sparked off a strong and sustained movement for the cause of Bengali language.

Unable to suppress the mass movements, Pakistan recognised Bengali as the second official language of the country on February 29, 1956.Although the movements were for recognition of Bengali language, they sowed the seeds of Bengali nationalism which ultimately led to the creation of an independent Bangladesh for the Bengali speaking people of East Pakistan.

Saying that Manipur language is now passing through a critical stage of survival, the outfit noted that Manipuri language was pushed on a path of degeneration after Manipur was brought within the ambit India's cultural sphere of influence.

At the instigation of Santidas Gosai, king Pamheiba collected a large number of invaluable Puyas on October 5, 1732 with a sinister design to turn Kangleipak into another Hindustan.

On account of this historical fait accompli, a generation of people who had forgotten their own history, culture and language were born on the soil of Kangleipak.

Eventually, an intra conflict cropped among the Meiteis because of adoption of foreign language and religious practices.

Following the categorization of hill people as outcaste after the Meiteis adopted Hinduism, the hill people were put in a condition of alienation from Meiteilon even though Meiteilon was the lingua franca of the hill people and valley since ages.

This ultimately sowed seeds of distrust and segregation between hill people and valley people.

After Kangleipak was merged into the Indian Union, the fate and position of Meiteilon became more and more critical.

Meiteilon, the lingua france of all indigenous communities of Kangleipak was reduced to the status of a second language.

Obsessed with English medium education, young children are being taught and encouraged to speak English in their daily lives thereby putting the young generation in condition of complete disassociation from their own mother language.

It is crucial to struggle collectively to develop Manipuri language as a complete lingua france.

In the process major dialects of hill people should be developed as associate language while allowing all other dialects grow and mature.

This would held in bringing about egalitarian development and consolidate integrity among the indigenous communities.

The outfit further called upon elites of both the hills and valley as well intellectuals, scholars and general public to work collectively for preservation and promotion of the mother language.

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