By R Rungsung
For the past years and today Manipur with various Communities and Meitei as the Commanding one, has been swaying forward and backward creating periodical uncertain situation that concerns the future of Meiteis and others. Leaders and enlightened lots have been reminding us of stark realities. We are in danger of ignorance. What worries us all is whether the warning in media, such as, violence, bloodshed, uprising of June 18, 2001, etc. will have any effect. I hope it does. Other tough wordings like: Secession, promoting enmity, tension, hatred, etc., among the communities appeared in the media with full force that distinctly directed towards the Nagas integration. More to it were insulting words such as, “Nagas can freely leave Manipur and join your Nagaland without taking an inch of Manipur land.” All sound authoritative.
All the above quoted words (associated with emotions and sentiments or motives) carry the ultimate intended reality that purely translated and interpreted the meaning as: (1) manipur belongs to Meiteis, (2) What the Meiteis think, want and play the others must follow, (3) Meiteis will have final say in all that happen in Manipur, (4) Meiteis being the majority have the sole authority over all others. If this presentation (an argument against Meiteis) is wrong and not palatable then all the forceful and threatening words quoted above are bogus and empty sounding. But I take it otherwise. They are real. This is my sincere observation and not allegation.
Taking all this into consideration one has to ponder and digest minutely to avert confrontation and undesirable consequences in times to come. As we all know the outcome of emotional banging against one another. Here we are the last ones to receive (attain) world civilisation. We know the global happenings.
On the other hand the new administration in Nagaland (due in this March) will bother with the issue of integration - that is how long it will take to find its foot to end Indo-Naga problem. It is the collective issue to all Nagas irrespective of areas and directly strikes the neighbouring States and thus becomes one of the bitterest pills to swallow. We are all in it and none can escapes from it by pointing accusing finger one another. Nagas living in Imphal valley with well established properties do not matter much. For some permanent and for some secondary. The choice is left to one’s best wishes and Nagas as a whole will not force or dictate (so far I know as had happened in the past everywhere in the world). Nagas can do without them. As such valley people claiming this and that in that connection bears has nothing to do with integration. Moreover, Nagas need not quarrel with Meiteis. We need friendship and love.
Passing and adopting resolutions in assembly or council or any organisations for integrity and against integration will have no effect nor will it solve this issue. For, there exist two distinct facts. One, Meiteis will depart from the demand of integrations. Two, the psyche of Meiteis is dipped in the fear of becoming smaller entity if the hill areas have to be scrapped out from the present State of Manipur, leading integrated Nagas to a better life than the present one. This is the true picture of Manipur today. So if we do not make haste in dealing with sanctity of mind the emotional attitude it is likely leading to catastrophe.
The situation in all fronts is in turmoil. Decades of mistrust and suspicion between majority and minority are seeded deep. Knowing the economics-insensitive and ignorance of hill people, Imphal valley has been usurping all wealth bestowed by Delhi. Such selfish trend will continue and thus the spirit of cohesiveness and coexistence fails to work for good and Manipur’s stature will remain unchanged. Nagas cannot change the mindset of Meiteis since the approach and dealing of the issue is not based on brotherly term but always presenting the grouch directly to Delhi totally ignoring the Naga’s rights that naturally leads to parallelism. The approach is singular and not plural. The world is pluralistic in approach in the realm of national identity.
Such move by valley people to curb Nagas movement will further divide the road and lengthen the shadow of mistrust and suspicion questioning each other’s motives, belittling of what other is doing and, worst of all, refusing to deal in fairness. The only hope is if the attitude changes at that moment. But will it? I hope not. The valley people are naturally secularistic thinking lot where hill people are religious thinking lot and the two never meet. Defining the resources of Manipur, valley is almost empty — no minerals except deficit paddy products and supplemented by outside products whereas hill areas are virgin and abounded with minerals.
Nagas should not rely on the past mistake but rather forget it and look forward for an answer by taking into account the interests of the people. Division Vs Unity, separation vs integration (integrity) are global movements we witnessed in the past and are still witnessing even today. No Delhi or any other Governments can or should try to impose feigned remedies that will only add fuel to the seed of hatred among the people. We can and must pursue progress (solution without confrontation) through the spirit of cooperation.
If we are to build bridges to solve the problem that confronts us today, we must first recognise and respect each other’s interest so that we can share responsibility towards reaching our goals.
Let us reason and act together. Blaming Delhi and accusing Nagas will not lead to peaceful solution. A play in a theatre depicted as, “you can physically win my body but you cannot conquer my heart.”
India physically conquered Nagaland but the heart of Nagas remain as before.
Source: http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/Others/Articles.htm
For the past years and today Manipur with various Communities and Meitei as the Commanding one, has been swaying forward and backward creating periodical uncertain situation that concerns the future of Meiteis and others. Leaders and enlightened lots have been reminding us of stark realities. We are in danger of ignorance. What worries us all is whether the warning in media, such as, violence, bloodshed, uprising of June 18, 2001, etc. will have any effect. I hope it does. Other tough wordings like: Secession, promoting enmity, tension, hatred, etc., among the communities appeared in the media with full force that distinctly directed towards the Nagas integration. More to it were insulting words such as, “Nagas can freely leave Manipur and join your Nagaland without taking an inch of Manipur land.” All sound authoritative.
All the above quoted words (associated with emotions and sentiments or motives) carry the ultimate intended reality that purely translated and interpreted the meaning as: (1) manipur belongs to Meiteis, (2) What the Meiteis think, want and play the others must follow, (3) Meiteis will have final say in all that happen in Manipur, (4) Meiteis being the majority have the sole authority over all others. If this presentation (an argument against Meiteis) is wrong and not palatable then all the forceful and threatening words quoted above are bogus and empty sounding. But I take it otherwise. They are real. This is my sincere observation and not allegation.
Taking all this into consideration one has to ponder and digest minutely to avert confrontation and undesirable consequences in times to come. As we all know the outcome of emotional banging against one another. Here we are the last ones to receive (attain) world civilisation. We know the global happenings.
On the other hand the new administration in Nagaland (due in this March) will bother with the issue of integration - that is how long it will take to find its foot to end Indo-Naga problem. It is the collective issue to all Nagas irrespective of areas and directly strikes the neighbouring States and thus becomes one of the bitterest pills to swallow. We are all in it and none can escapes from it by pointing accusing finger one another. Nagas living in Imphal valley with well established properties do not matter much. For some permanent and for some secondary. The choice is left to one’s best wishes and Nagas as a whole will not force or dictate (so far I know as had happened in the past everywhere in the world). Nagas can do without them. As such valley people claiming this and that in that connection bears has nothing to do with integration. Moreover, Nagas need not quarrel with Meiteis. We need friendship and love.
Passing and adopting resolutions in assembly or council or any organisations for integrity and against integration will have no effect nor will it solve this issue. For, there exist two distinct facts. One, Meiteis will depart from the demand of integrations. Two, the psyche of Meiteis is dipped in the fear of becoming smaller entity if the hill areas have to be scrapped out from the present State of Manipur, leading integrated Nagas to a better life than the present one. This is the true picture of Manipur today. So if we do not make haste in dealing with sanctity of mind the emotional attitude it is likely leading to catastrophe.
The situation in all fronts is in turmoil. Decades of mistrust and suspicion between majority and minority are seeded deep. Knowing the economics-insensitive and ignorance of hill people, Imphal valley has been usurping all wealth bestowed by Delhi. Such selfish trend will continue and thus the spirit of cohesiveness and coexistence fails to work for good and Manipur’s stature will remain unchanged. Nagas cannot change the mindset of Meiteis since the approach and dealing of the issue is not based on brotherly term but always presenting the grouch directly to Delhi totally ignoring the Naga’s rights that naturally leads to parallelism. The approach is singular and not plural. The world is pluralistic in approach in the realm of national identity.
Such move by valley people to curb Nagas movement will further divide the road and lengthen the shadow of mistrust and suspicion questioning each other’s motives, belittling of what other is doing and, worst of all, refusing to deal in fairness. The only hope is if the attitude changes at that moment. But will it? I hope not. The valley people are naturally secularistic thinking lot where hill people are religious thinking lot and the two never meet. Defining the resources of Manipur, valley is almost empty — no minerals except deficit paddy products and supplemented by outside products whereas hill areas are virgin and abounded with minerals.
Nagas should not rely on the past mistake but rather forget it and look forward for an answer by taking into account the interests of the people. Division Vs Unity, separation vs integration (integrity) are global movements we witnessed in the past and are still witnessing even today. No Delhi or any other Governments can or should try to impose feigned remedies that will only add fuel to the seed of hatred among the people. We can and must pursue progress (solution without confrontation) through the spirit of cooperation.
If we are to build bridges to solve the problem that confronts us today, we must first recognise and respect each other’s interest so that we can share responsibility towards reaching our goals.
Let us reason and act together. Blaming Delhi and accusing Nagas will not lead to peaceful solution. A play in a theatre depicted as, “you can physically win my body but you cannot conquer my heart.”
India physically conquered Nagaland but the heart of Nagas remain as before.
Source: http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/Others/Articles.htm
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