Manipur News

By Taothingmang Luwangcha
Our social clock is ticking faster than the rattling machine guns in these midnight hours of our collective lives, disturbing every little tranquillity that we supposedly possess as modern human beings. But the irony is, without any hope for a coming dawn, we are getting lost in the darkness — one foot on murky water, another on fleeting, listless time of a lost generation. At this critical moment, we need to make some decisive resolutions and we need to vote for resistance.

In less than a year, we will be having the general election. A festival of the unknown majority. A celebration of false political freedom. Are we going to repeat the usual mistake again? It is an error that we go to cast our vote with some squashy realisation that we live in a modern society of computers and space technology, when we are aware of the incorrigible and obvious failing of governance and administration plus the all-round grime and grunge. We have to learn to say no against bluffs. Say no against primitive living. It will be a blunder if we cannot see our own mistake even after all these elections which we have in the name of democracy, when Manipur exists as a small branch to the tree of the Great Union of India while the big tree sees us not more than a frontier area, where it is all about military and authoritarian roots.

If we are too pessimist that we are just a small branch, then we will have to continue with our miserable lives and only have to wait for a miracle that will come one fine day, when we will stop equating life with simply fighting for survival, but live and compare it with blooming flowers and limitless skies. And if we are too lethargic that we can find contentment in election fever, calling it dearly as a five-year affair that comes only once in a while, so be it. But this cannot continue forever. We know it. The decadence of values in our society is nothing but our own defect.

Our purpose is to find a way ourselves and a lesson to teach our political masters in a plain political sense: A means to get rid of the mundane anarchy which we see in our time, in a general sense, as lawlessness and disorder. But if we look at ourselves honestly and the issues and matters around us, we can see clearly we don’t have enough time in this darkness to dig deeper into the political philosophies and engross ourselves into rhetoric and deliberation. Simple put, it’s time to act. It’s time to act against the injustice and lies of our time.

When the government has failed us, when the insurgent groups have lost their plots miserably, when the authority has turned their back on us, we have only one choice: Look after ourselves. Why should we always victimise ourselves? Why should we always vote for the open-secret, illicit relationship between the politicians, contractors and militants? We must vote for resistance, not simply with a thumb impression on a piece of paper with several meaningless party symbols promising us half-baked lies, but for the real change that we aspire for and would love to see around us. The blot on our finger is a blot on humanity; nothing can be worse than this blot in our voiceless generation.

We are too naïve when it comes to election on two counts: firstly, we are gullible as well as immature to vote for the right candidate, if one exists at all; and secondly, our voices are too silent in the cacophonic mainland parliament. Overall the argument is not about the dictatorship of the proletariat or an uprising of the masses for good, but rather the rekindling of hope from the lowest strata of the society — in stoking the embers of an awareness that we are living in the 21st century and that we can expect a lot more from our collective lives, by transforming ourselves into a peaceful and just society.

Let’s talk of no reason when there is none. Our collective lives are desperate for some rationality. The only logic, if we would ever care is the idea of oneness, the belongingness to humanity. Let us stop the blame game. Let us stop going to the election campaign. Let us vote for freedom. Our society is our group. Our group is made up of individuals, thence everything depends on us, each one of us. If election is the thing we care, then the outcome is ours. Looking back, looking sideways, however, we can see there is no one who is happy with it and that each one of us long for a real change. The change is us and only us.  

On hindsight — to the delight of the cynics, the pseudo-believers of democracy and the prying eyes of the sadists, all of them who are found galore in every leikai and leirak — nothing is going to change for us. But we can just give it a try. In the name of humanity. In the name of peace. In the name of liberty. We can see, yours truly believe, we are not approaching from a textbook approach, but from the most realistic idea: stop going to the election booth for a new world, to forsake the despicable society we live in today. The same cynics mentioned above would suggest an ‘action-able’ overture, like fighting face to face at the ground. But we need a starting point and this write-up only means to be the initial push-button, free of street politics and kowtowing to the dictates of the several masters: captain New Delhi, the spineless state government and the rudderless militant groups. Ironical this is again, though we are helping them by dint of our decadence and indifference while we let ourselves getting drowned in the currents of our time.

Can we have an alternative plan to the common tried-and-failed attacks with violent protests on the streets that occur once or twice every year, that explode only after a major issue? Can we have a durable agenda to find a lasting solution to the mess and maze of our neglected, battered hinterland? Can we just go beyond the freebies which come so cheaply around election time? Dispirited civil and frontal organisations here and there. The commoners everywhere. We know we are the first group, the buck can be easily passed onto, and we also know there are only two results: either we continue living the lives of the great unwashed in these filthy surroundings of blood, bombs and bullets as if we were destined to, or stop participating in the election mess while we write the stories of our lives with the help of sweat and conscience.

Fortunately, it’s only a matter of choice. We can divert our way from the local primary schools and elsewhere where polling takes place, and instead we can vote for a shared consciousness that will last long, much more than these lightless midnight hours in which we have forgotten the time, simply fighting for a piece of land and this and that, competing for how much we can amass, stealing and looting and killing, all in the name of the land. Folks, the choice is all ours.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/vote-for-resistance/

By Heigrujam Nabashyam
Political pundits from Plato and Kautilya to the modern-day gurus say: politics sans principle and morality is self-destructive.

In a democracy people are sovereign. They elect their representatives to take charge of the affairs of the State and govern themselves.

A recent statement issued jointly by New Delhi’s interlocutor and the General Secretary of the NSCN (IM) at Delhi appeared to have questioned this basic tenet of democracy. The joint statement stated that “while the differences between the two parties have narrowed, some of the proposals would require further negotiations to reach a mutually acceptable solution”. The communiqué seems to sound out the dump SPF government and the people regarding their “mutually acceptable solution”.

Although the prospect of finding a solution to the decades-old issue of Naga insurgency is welcome, a sense of doubt and suspicion in the minds of the public – and not without reason – is created by the secretive nature of the talk between the two parties. It was suspected that the Government of India and the NSCN(IM) had put Manipur on the table, although India government had from time to time reassured that they would not do anything against Manipur. Fact is, the Indian government has no moral right and authority to confer with any party or people in any manner that may affect Manipur without the approval and participation of the Manipur Government. This in the best tradition of democracy, is the rule of the game.

As the wise Gurus said, the government of India cannot practice diplomacy and play game without political morality; but only at its own peril. It is a different matter if the GOI requires a long diplomatic rope and hopefully the Lakshman Rekha be not crossed. However the telltale signs tell something unholy which is never a good presage.

The talk it is reported, have entered the final phase and arrived at a crucial stage – the logistics seen of NSCN (IM) and company may be an indicator to it. But one wonders the position and preparedness of the Ibobi government, except for its love of pushing the panic button occasionally whenever it believes Manipur is under threat – according to its myopic vision and strategy – from NSCN(IM) and company.

However after nearly a decade of firm rule by the O. Ibobi Singh government, Manipur seems rather dangerously uncontrollable. Its chief minister is protected 24×7 by hi-tech multi-security-rings of Special Forces from great dangers. The chief minister says even the ADCs (Autonomous District Councils) are threatened and therefore they have to be sheltered in Imphal under tight security away from the Districts’ H.Qs.

Truly, many things in Manipur – man, land, ADCs, and so on have become endangered species in spite of an indomitable leader ruling, since the last decade. We are engulfed with a sense of loss and the situation is made more and more funny too, by the development shenanigans of the government – a clever ploy of the SPF leadership to distract attention from its wrongdoings.

However, according to some development economists O. Ibobi’s government excels the record of all previous governments. The experts it seems, have identified development of Manipur with the multi-million rupees never-completing-projects funded by the Centre for this unlucky state. Interestingly this opinion of the experts is contradicted by none other than the former chief minister, Mr. Rishang Keishing, the towering Congress leader, who had said that despite the huge Central funding “we do not see any development as the funds meant for development works are being misused”.

One may remember the basic indicators of development are the measure of consumption of energy or electricity, water supply and services in roads and transport, health sector and education, etc. But sadly a cursory look at these indicators show dismal performance in most fronts despite the huge funds pumped in. The claim of achievement by the Ibobi’s government is ridiculously illiterate.

Looking at the achievements and its service records, one honestly feels that the O. Ibobi government’s understanding of governance despite it’s nearly decade’s rule seems rather unbelievably limited. Unfortunately its unimaginative and unlettered rule has caused deep communal divide for which the NSCN (IM) and company should be very thankful to Mr. O. Ibobi Singh and his men. This I believe is the greatest achievement of the SPF government.

Nevertheless every player in the game must remember that Manipur is home to no less than three dozen indigenous groups of people living intertwined in all areas of the hills and the valley. And it is in the best interests of each one of us not to raise the bogey of exclusive land rights or somebody’s ancestral land, etc. because no one would agree to it. And it would be futile to attempt to rewrite the history of this ancient land.

And it should also be in the wisdom of government of Manipur to restrain the Centre from doing anything inimical to this symbiotic relationship between the indigenous peoples in this part of the earth.

But one wonders how the O. Ibobi Singh government would deal with the GOI and the NSCN(IM)!

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/goi-nscnim-gom/

By RS Jassal
Any  dialect  with  single spoken  style develops into language and expands  within area bound societies and expands in scope by interaction with immediate neighbouring and far neighbouring societies but multiple spoken  styles pose hindrance in  synthesising it into single dialect dictated as experienced in Tangkhul  region. They are having 20 to 22 styles in spoken terms. And language to survive and develop must have script commonly understood far & wide.  These days we call it regionalisation- cum – globalisation.  English is an example for now being used world over. Languages /dialects disappear also in vice the versa fashion if there is no outlet for interaction under geophysical constraints and lack of production of literature. 

And for lack of production of literature Manipur is a classic example, how Puyas which were scripted in Meitei Mayek became value reduced and finally in medieval period, then Maharaja Garibniwaz realised the reason of the backwardness of his subjects. It was realised being non-active in Bengali dominated culture of greater east & undivided Assam.  It could not go assertive in linguistic assimilation with neighbouring states like Burma/ Assam in immediate circles and Bengal in a bit broader perspective. To take his subjects to higher echelons of exposure &progress, he thought it fit to replace Meitei Mayek with Bengali script to script Manipuri spoken system. Anthropologically speaking, certain phonetic pronunciation of letters/ vowels in a particular society   speaking system cannot be fitted in exaction into borrowed script, but the borrowed script provides bigger plank for people’s spoken dialect to flourish it transmitted into bigger circles. It happened so for Manipuri’
s got amazingly productive results. Manipuri’s availed the fruits of civilization strides as prophesied by the king though vocal part remained same i.e., primordial. Assamese also used Bengali script & while conversing with Assamese, Manipuri and a Bengali the vocal pattern is distinguishably reckoned to ascertain the origin of the speaker.

Bengali, Devnagari and Gurumukhi scripts basically owe their origin to Sanskrit. And Sanskrit is a concretised form developed from Prakrit, Khari Boli, & Pali etc. all mixed. With decline of Chandra Gupta Maurya Empire, Sanskrit lost its spoken relevance and many other languages off shooted in various regions.  Since it is a subject of linguistics, I stop here only to avoid digression, as I have to argue for Hindi & Hindi movies.

Hindi is our national language. Most of the States constituents of Indian Union accept it and some who do not officially but did so unofficially are now excelling in speaking Hindi even better than Central Indian States, South India is example. Movies are one medium which bring people closer in learning language in casual way i.e., enjoy fun while you learn.

In Manipur, hill & valley all speak Meitielon but Meitei Mayek script revival through state efforts is resented by hill people and if not condescending on my part, majority of Meitei’s specially those  who feel perfectly at comfort with current script (as volumes of literature exists) produced in that . Sana Mahiism religion& Vaishnavism coexist here side by side. Under changed circumstances even Vaishnavites have small to medium size Sana mahi temples structured at suitable place(s) in their residential abodes. It is mixed in their socio cultural bodings. There is a section of society who takes it very seriously; if Sana Mahism is undermined. Hence at times it took shape of conflicts too. It is known fact during Chief Ministership of late Y.Shaiza, two Youngman from Sana Mahi faith  fell to bullets while attempting to reinstall statues of Sana Mahi in Kangla. Their memory is still in 1st MR where armoury was got vacated and shifted as armoury   was old temple building. Sana

Mahi faith people still adore photo of Y.Shaiza along with their martyrs of faith.

So Hindi, as such, has nothing to attack Manipuri cultural ethos but it is only to involve them for better interaction with people of other areas of India.  But it is sad Hindi movie stands banned here. Some sections of UG contest that Mayang culture will overwrap Manipuri culture which does not fit in the imaginary test of discontent. There is a State level Hindi Parishad functioning in the State. There are even 1800 or so Hindi teachers on government roll and they are teaching both in the valley and the Hills. Till date there are more than 100 Hindi teachers who have been decorated with National Awards. There is hardly any taxi having music system which does not have Hindi audio cassettes to play. I have attended more than 800 social sittings with Meitei’s alone as well hill people mixed in the last 15 years after my retirement. After a bit up beat  of the gathering into mood that too  by another banned liquid( Som- ras)  locals sing gazals,  Hindi songs so beautifully and
artistically  with  touch of classic’s  that I get surprised how  they learned and when  they practised. 90% households own their video& CD cassettes in Hindi But yet Hindi movies are banned in Manipur say valley as Hills do not bother to accept this dicktat and they are enjoying their drink & Hindi movie side by side with open minds. It is also a general rule things get more wanted under ban. May be this is the reason for flourishing of both – Hindi  & the drinks in spite of friendly and indirectional  BAN by  both the UGs & other mighty powers who mint money with no revenue payment to the State.

But, the million dollar question is who banned Hindi movies? Curious enough, I was told it was RPF on killing of SS Capt Bhaigya.  On questioning , why , I  was told the person who hit him  on head (from back) with strong stick in the AR raiding party  had spoken in Hindi language and SS Capt had died on the  spot as a result of that  UG group  banned the Hindi movie. I asked the same person, supposing the person had spoken in Manipuri, had the ban order would been on Manipuri language. This questioned person just laughed it over.  But coincidently same date, month & year Hindi movie were banned in Assam too.  I met important second rung leader of the RPF at some unsuspected meeting ,  he  was smart , addressed  me uncle  and appreciated  my  journalism. I felt encouraged and honoured so I suggested him to lift the ban in public interest. He said he agreed with my opinion but that ban on Hindi film will be over after completion of one year, the death period of the SS Capt as said in the write up.  Now it is more than 6 years yet ban has not been lifted. Probably, the cinema distributors have not put in any effort(s) to approach the persons on the other side concerned and asked for lifting of the ban.

Author is hopeful if approached by distributors like they did in Assam with ULFA, RPF may consider lifting of the ban. Everyone including Manipuri appears to be desirous to witness 70 mm Hindi movies on large screens in cinema halls but there is ‘GOLDEN QUIET’. Why?  I do not understand,   despite the fact that it will open employment to many, coupled with entertainment, fun, education and financial gains assured to accrue no one is ready to pursue the negotiations. On the other hand  ‘MAKE HAY WHILE THE SUN SHINES’  is for those who  are happy  with absence of Hindi movies  so that Manipuri films can do the rounds but they are not giving  it a  visionic thought  – that they are  actually  constricting the scope of development of Manipuri  film skil

ls and getting it locked in their  land locked state. They need opening film shooting to Mumbai film makers to visit Manipur to shoot nature and develop skills mutually

Advantages of screening the Hindi, Manipuri and other State films could result in the following:-

1.     Can generate huge revenue to State as Entertainment Tax, and be trend setters for inviting tourists too and open self employment avenue.
2.    It will restore HUMAN RIGHTS – to enable common man live life according to one’s choice as enshrined in the FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS in our Constitution.
3.    It will brighten enough the dull / restricted life style the citizens are leading today. Once in a month Panjabi, Telgu, Bengali, Assames, Nepali films can also be screened to generate good will for outsiders. Big  cosmopolitan  cities  like Chandigarh, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai & Mumbai, Hyderabad where there is large population of Manipuri  students, Govt/Public Sector employees can be approached  to screen Manipuri films once a month or more  on demand from the Manipuri’s . That is a step to realise egalitarian social structure. Who will be the ultimate gainer? No doubt both, but perhaps Manipur more.
4.    The scenery, landscape beauty of vales and dales, Sekmai lager and Lake District is not less than Cumbria, which will make film makers from Mumbai, Manipur as shooting & tourism destinations. After sports we must eye on it. So pleas encourage Hindi/ Hindi movies in the State.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/hindi-language-hindi-cinema-manipuri-compulsions/