Former United Naga Council (UNC) President and Advocate L. Benjamin, considered as an intellectual in our society, in a tete-a-tete with Newmai News Network (NNN) on the prevailing situation in the region.
NNN: Not very long ago you had been the chief of the United Naga Council (UNC), what is your opinion on bringing all Naga inhabited areas under a single administration?
Benjamin: There is no harm. You know the states like Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka were created out of the state of Hyderabad on the basis of racial and linguistic identity. In recent years under the same principle new states like Jharkhand, Uttaranchal and Chattisgarh were born. It is constitutionally justified when one goes through the constitutional history of India . You know when lemon juice and water are mixed in a single glass, they serve drinking purpose to the extent of good health but when water and petrol are mixed in a container, they don’t serve the purpose and ultimately they are to be separated for their respective purposes. When people of same racial and linguistic identity are put under the same administration there is harmony and tranquility, I meant.
NNN: Can you kindly give your comment on affiliation of schools of 4 (four) hill districts of Manipur to NBSE?
Benjamin: So long as affiliation of schools from one state to another state is concerned there are certain formalities to be fulfilled as per standing Act(s) of Board of Secondary Education of the respective state. So I have no comment.
NNN: About 8,000 students from four hill districts of Manipur are appearing for class X examination under NBSE through schools in Nagaland. What is your comment?
Benjamin: Appearing class X examination under NBSE from/through Nagaland schools cannot be termed as affiliated. Students from any state can pursue their studies in any other state of India including Nagaland if they so desire and also provided their parents can afford.
NNN: Ok. coming back to the Naga issue reveal your stance on the ongoing Indo-Naga peace process?
Benjamin: I should say it is an outcome of hard and enormous labour of both Naga people and Indian government. You know for more than 35 years Nagas and Indian Army were in armed struggle. There had been uncountable bloodshed/killings which had resulted that there have been numerous widows today on both sides out of this armed struggle.
To suppress this armed struggle, the Govt. of India applied/administered its different acts against Nagas including its draconian acts like IPC, TADA, Arms Act, AFSP Act and NSA but failed to contain the same and lastly the Govt. of India confirmed that Nagas’ problem is political issue and not that of law and order problem. After attaining this confirmation, both the Govt. of India and the Naga leaders entered into ceasefire to facilitate peace process through negotiation. Thus, it is hard earned for both the parties. The Naga population wish and pray that Naga political issue be politically, logically and amicably addressed through ongoing peace process and under the same precedent other insurgency problems of North East India also be addressed if they fall under the same category.
NNN: Are you satisfied with the present constitutional rights of tribals in Manipur?
Benjamin: It is alright as enshrined in the Indian Constitution, but its enforcement for target people is far behind the expectation. Enforcement of tribal rights is yet to be ensured and intensified with special care that it should not hamper/assassinate Nagas’ birth right.
NNN: Being a seasonal social worker of your district Chandel, do you have any intention to contest in the ensuing Manipur Assembly Election of 2007?
Benjamin: I’m thinking so with the endorsement of people in my Assembly Constituency which comprises of different tribes.
NNN: If so, on what political party are you contesting?
Benjamin: As you know, at the present juncture Nagas are having common political issue which is to be settled/overcome and, as such, it is not advisable to emphasize on particular political party unless the party itself does not stand against the Nagas’ aspiration, target etc. We Nagas have faith in Nagas’ inheritance i.e democracy in politics and socialist in culture.
Aspiration and feedback of Naga civil society shall be the placards of contesting candidate (s) and, henceforth no particular political party is necessarily attracted to me. Every political party has its own political ideology, manifesto and what not, which sometimes is not commensurate to particular racial and linguistic identity. So, my contesting party ticket shall be preferably dedicated independent candidate or any other party which will not aggravate the interest and aspiration of indigenous people includ ing the Nagas.
NNN: Well, the hottest issue right now is the big dam.Being a long standing social worker what is your opinion and suggestion for divided opinions on construction/non-construction of Tipaimukh Dam ?
Benjamin: Generally construction and commissioning of hydro project(s) mean for industrial development of the state concerned. But in Manipur while initiating such projects, we have had bitter experience in 2 (two) Dam constructions, one at Maphou dam (Thoubal Dam) in Mapithel area in Ukhrul district and Khuga dam in Churachandpur district. Whenever such hydro projects are proposed there are two groups of people being affected i.e (i) affected people at actual construction area, (ii) affected people in submerging area (upstream). It is the duty of concerned government and funding agencies to assess the quantum of damages being caused to these two affected groups of people in both areas and values thereof. The affected land owners should be compensated under the Land Acquisition Act,1894 for their alternative livelihood before the starting of construction works of hydro project. What the law says is that if the land is required for public purpose it should be acquired subject to the payment of adequate compensation for land(s) and unsufructs thereof for alternative livelihood of affected land owners. In Manipur such processes were not properly observed in the cases of both Maphou dam and Khuga dam.
In the process of land acquisition for these two dams, the official concerned (Revenue Dept) and the Land Acquisition Collectors) committed the following irregularities
The area of land acquired for dams on paper and record are much higher than the area of lands physically acquired to meet their ulterior purpose. Thus portion of land compensation amount goes to somebody’s purse other than the affected land owners.
Ownership of lands either in individual cases or village wise were not settled in time and as a result there are numerous civil/land dispute cases in civil courts till date.
All payable compensation amounts worked out at the relevant time as per prevailed market rate of the locality were never paid to the affected and owners before the commencement of dams construction. The land compensation and value of damage standing crops had been paid from time to time in piece meal system which amounts failed to meet procurement of alternative land for their livelihood.
Till this day affected land owners of these two dams in Manipur are not in receipt of the full amount of their respective land compensation. The affected land owners of both the dams constructions are resorting to strike,bandh, blockade and litigation in demand of payment of remaining amount of land compensation and enhancement of land compensation on the ground that they were not in receipt of compensation amount in full and in time while most of them sustained injury on their bodies and some of them lost their lives even. Thus construction of dams in Manipur became a curse to the affected land owners and caused disputes, hatred etc.
It is my humble and sincere suggestion towards both the parties i.e implementing authority and affected land owners to ensure the following points.
a) Free and fair assessment on area of land being affected and values thereof for both (i) construction area and (ii) submerging area.
b) Payment of compensation for land and usufruct to the affected land owners be completed under Land Acquisition Act before commencement of dam construction so as to accomplish the process for possession of land under relevant sections of Land Acquisition Act.
c) Apart from payment of land compensation under Land Acquisition Act, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on special package/preference in favour of affected land owners in terms of appointment to job (Grade III & IV posts) as and when the project is commissioning be also drawn officially.
After accomplishment of above three points on suggestion, the construction of dam be commenced. In absence of accomplishment on there points, it will be another Maphou/Khuga dam and agitation of the affected land owners will continue.
NNN: How is your health and what age have you attained by now?
Benjamin: In the previous 3 years I was of ill health but under the mercy care of the Almighty God my health has improved a lot through family physician. I’m running between 59-60 years.
NNN: How did you work and what achievement (s) attained during your tenure as president of the UNC?
Benjamin: In spite of my ill health I shouldered the assignment of the president with the help and co-operation of my colleagues, members of working committee and leaders of tribe hohos who are intellectual persons in my Naga society. During my tenure not much achievement(s) were attained but whatever achievement brought to the Naga society during my tenure should be credited to the above mentioned colleagues. I will cherish their helping hand and co-operation the rest of my life.
NNN: People say that you are one of the social workers of Chandel district, how many years you have been in social activities and how do you comment on your performance?
Benjamin: I had already been in social activities for more than 30 years. It is not advisable to comment on my works by myself; people in the district are the right persons to do so.
