The Naga Integration and Manipur Integrity issue had been talked about and enough press releases, statements by civil societies, individuals and by the apex bodies of Nagaland and Manipur had appeared in the news media. The State Assembly in Manipur and Nagaland had passed resolutions time and again for Naga integration and Manipur integrity to convince the central government and gain people’s support. It has penetrated deep into the minds and bodies of the people and emotion is covertly at high tempo.
How long this fluid situation is to continue is a conjecture. Some people considered the matter will remain explosive in one form or the other, so long as the NSCN (IM) and Government of India (GoI) peace and settlement process of the protracted 58 years of the Naga issue remains unresolved.
What is this Manipur integrity (MI) and Naga integration (NI) is all about. The Nagas consider that NI would effect betterment of the Nagas with uniform rules, regulations and laws for one people one nation. Whereas, in Manipur there are mix and different rules, regulations and laws for two different sects of people namely valley people and the hill people.
The Meiteis consider disintegration of Manipur would create a vacuum and the position they enjoy today may be degenerated in the future.
The Nagas claim that by blood they are one and the Meiteis claim by history, the Nagas and Meiteis are one. The Naga Hoho vice president Keviletuo Keihuo in his chief guest speech on the 27th August Martyrs Day held under the aegis of the United Naga Council (UNC) at Mao gate, Song Song village, Senapati District had stated that the Meiteis and the Nagas are different people and have to live in separate territories but will be good neighbours.
Truly, the whole world is a global village, but everywhere the different sects of people have its own land boundaries and demarcations.
The effectiveness of these differences in Manipur is clearly laid by the fathers of the law makers that the valley Meiteis are tabooed to encroach by way of purchase of tribal lands.
Since this is the line of differences of the world order, it is not far to seek, that the Meiteis and the Nagas of all hues will have to support its own people’s opinion. However, this should not be construed that the Nagas hate the Meiteis nor the Meiteis hate the Nagas.
In fact if a conflict ensued between the brown Indians and any of the yellow Mongoloids race of Ahoms, Arunachalis, Nagas, Meiteis and Kuki Chin Mizo tribes, it will not be the brown people to come to the rescue but the Mongoloid race of the North East (NE) will be the first to speak and be in the forefront for its yellow people.
Therefore bickering between the Meiteis and the Nagas on MI and NI should be “upgraded” to open discussion with facts, as the famed former Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) secretary general and the present Naga Hoho general secretary Neingulo Krome had called upon the then deputy chief minister Chandramani Singh to sit across the table instead of speaking fires behind the scene at Delhi years back, in his speech at the anti 18 June 2005 declaration as Manipur Integrity day and holiday by the Government of Manipur at Senapati on the 16 June 2005 rally.
The most pertinent matter at this stage may have to be, how to safeguard Imphal valley and the adjoining areas and Nagaland/Nagalim which are landlocked territories.
The tragedy with the Meiteis is they have false pride. They think unusually tall, talks big and loudly against its neighbours at New Delhi and on anyone if it were not in their line of thinking. Going beyond the ground realities, they think that no power on earth could disturb them, with enough food production in the valley. But as the universal Bible says, man does not live by bread alone but by every word that he speaks.
The highlanders whom the Meiteis think mutes, when they imposes chaka bandh of the state’s National Highways, not for the like of it but out of compulsion, the valley inhabitants used to be in disarray, groan and have to eat their words and bark at New Delhi for not coming to their rescue.
On speaking of Manipur integrity, the Meiteis have always been on the defensive, damage control exercise and the decades of continuous lip services as “promise” to look into. Whereas in the valley region projects works and appointments are declared and taken up simultaneously.
As a political furtherance, Panchayati Raj in the valley are strengthened with wide powers and implementing fund are being okayed recently. On the other hand the much talk about “autonomous” hill district councils are not having election for the last so many years due to loggerhead on its power and functions. The writing on the wall of Manipur is terrifying with bandhs here and there everyday as if the people have had lost confidence with the government. This is a bad omen as the Bible says.
The NSCN (IM) is in hot pursued and told that diplomatically they are gaining ground but for New Delhi’s obvious practical difficulties it is taking its own time. But in the meantime the NSCN (IM) had indicated that they are not going back on some fundamental points.
The question of Naga Integration had met with stiff opposition from the Meiteis with strong backing of the CPI and CPM who are fast turning into a bourgeoisie capitalist party beset with corruption and the so called classless communist ideology is a farce in Manipur.
The United Committee Manipur (UCM) should be shrewd to caution the Meira paibis and clubs not to take the Naga MP(s) and MLAs and other leaders participation in the Naga integration rally at Kohima on 31-08-2005 as a social issue. It is the electorates and the Naga people to decide whose MLAs/MPs are to recall or take up action on the Naga integration or Manipur integration issue. Any wrong moves and rumours may arise sporadic violence and blood shed among the Meiteis and the Nagas.
S. Ashikho, President,
Tadubi Twon Committee
Senapati District, Manipur
Patrick A Kolakhe, Secretary,
Mao Tribe Ex Naga National Workers
Shepoumaramth Region Organisation
