{"id":7844,"date":"1999-11-29T20:00:00","date_gmt":"1999-11-30T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"tag:feeds.feedburner.com:\/\/40b600573302309dd017c3a93efd0862"},"modified":"1999-11-29T20:00:00","modified_gmt":"1999-11-30T00:00:00","slug":"spirit-of-plebiscite-vs-spirit-of-manipur","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/1999\/11\/29\/spirit-of-plebiscite-vs-spirit-of-manipur\/","title":{"rendered":"Spirit of Plebiscite v\/s Spirit of Manipur"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>  <script type=\"text\/javascript\">var addthis_product='wpp-252';<\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"http:\/\/s7.addthis.com\/js\/250\/addthis_widget.js#pubid=kanglaonline\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>By RS Jassal<br \/> 1.\tIn this conflict ridden situation, the announcement by Shri RK Meghen @ Sanayaima UNLF Chief to hold a plebiscite to end Indo `\u201c Manipur confrontation has been construed by various individuals and organizations in divergent ways. Mostly civil society orgs  (CSOs) are taking it  as a means to ascertain whether merger was legal or illegal, people be given liberty for self determination , full sovereignty  &#038; so on has echoed out of it.  Day by day, media is puffing it up whatever big or small meetings are taking place with no analysis.  No doubt, at certain occasions and under differing situations or difficult circumstances, communities or even nations were forced to  take recourse to plebiscite on matters like  applicability of one law for people of those particular communities or nations though such cases have been  very far and few to count . That is valid only if 100 or so percent participation of the people is there.  Here in Manipur `it`\u2122 assumes special importance because of multi- ethnicals. Without touching constitutionality or sentimentality of a good number of people, I wish to offer my views being a citizen of Manipur.<\/p>\n<p>2.\t Meghen has not spelt out terms of reference to be contested by people in private since it has to affect all the people mainly &#8212; Meities, Nagas, Kukis, Hmars, Pangals and non `\u201c Manipuri`\u2122s (now Manipuri`\u2122s). One  wonders if all adults &#038; above out of  the 22.5 million will participate in the plebiscite even if Govt of India wish to give a trial . Will there be  some significant outcome in the wake of demand of NSCN (IM) `\u201c UNC for Nagalim, and UNLF pledge to ensure integrity of Manipur.  The political demands and social agenda of various UG groups differ, contradict and imbalance the scales to match with solution thus leaving no room for single point agenda for the  plebiscite to  achieve.<\/p>\n<p>3.\t Compare to the differences caused with shift of stand  each major UG group  has undergone from start of  revolution to current period from secession to reconciliation but with conditions   India became independent on 15th Aug, 1947.  There was no political demand as on that day.  Naga Hills was an out district of Assam &#038; out of  NEFA admin box.  Manipur was single district administration unit  even up to 1960`\u2122s and there was only one IGP for entire Assam.  So roughly speaking, it was treated as part of Assam (erstwhile greater Assam) for national policies &#038; social percepts.   In 1964 open skirmishes ended with 6 Sep signing of SoO in Nagaland after expansion of Naga Hills to Nagaland by clubbing adjacent  areas up to permissible extends.  UNLF (1964)  started its basic operations of mobilizing awareness against apprehensions of Manipur breaking into three parts like  Naga areas going to Nagaland as per then action plan of UNIC under Rishang`\u2122s leadership.   Manipur however retained   its supreme,  serene &#038;  pristine form as self with dissolution of UNIC in 1972, UNIC mergering with Congress &#038; Manipur gaining statehood status i.e., nine years later than Nagaland.<\/p>\n<p>4.\tAfter six decades of up &#038; down wading through muddy waters  of insurgency, Naga UGs have been persuaded to agree to appreciate the typical constitutional position &#038; obligation of India towards its people &#038; has made them almost agree to not to break Manipur.  Fat economic packages are under way. UNLF Chief may also have the idea that plebiscite is to  regularize the merger to  assuage the hurt feelings of a section of  hard thinking people so  that confrontation may be called off honourably and with dignity. IT MAY NOT BE FOR SECESSION,  who knows, but the way discussions are going on &#038; political pundits who are acknowledged nationalists also titling in their thinking to  plebiscite, it is feared  current discussion in the valley  may go astray. It may prompt Nagas- Kukis &#8211;  Zous Hmars &#8211;  and  Sadar Hills occupants (where  Gorkhas  are also in countable numbers) may isolate themselves from plebiscite . As early as  recommendation of State Re Organization Commission during the Premiership of late Jawaharlal Nehru, Manipur was threatened to be stripped of hill areas &#038; valley was to be left as a district of Assam, which   was out rightly turned down by him  &#038; Manipur remained  as it is today. So Manipur tided over that unsuspected  threat and moved on &#038; on .<\/p>\n<p>5.\tGoing a bit century back, in  1891 uprising of Manipur Kingdom against British Power  &#038; devastation of Kangla Fort, dismembering of Manipuri armed strength, the  recommendation was made to the Queen at London  by the British Viceroy, Delhi after a Military Court of Inquiry,  that Manipur to be merged  into British  Indian State. It  is on record. Her  Excellency  Queen refused to do so. It was ordered Manipur  &#8211; be kept as a native kingdom &#038; King from right lineage be  selected &#038; taken to Mayo College, Ajmer for education &#038; princely upbringing. Young boy of 5 years age Churachand was identified. Manipur territories thus remained intact and tutor of young prince Mr. Johnstone  also moved to Manipur as Political Officer  latter when same Churachand  took over as Maharaja. Coronation was held with appropriate gun salute.  Manipur retained its  status  as it is today when there was nobody to take care  other than the Regent. Manipur had faced similar situation of forced hibernation during 1825 `\u201c 1832 known as Seven Years of Devastation caused by Awa men of Burma( recall Chahi Taret Khuntakpa period)  but Manipur emerged phoenix like out of Yandaboo treaty ending conflict with Ava permanently.<\/p>\n<p>6.\tNegotiation table is also lying without activity because what UNLF wants PREPAK, RPF and KCP may not agree to. It is suspected .  It is therefore suggested Civil Society Organisations, Frontal organizations,  influential intellectuals be organized into pressure groups to contact important UG leaders and suggest solid measures to uphold the spirit  of Manipur so that  its body culture is not disturbed .  I humbly ask, is Spirit of Plebiscite conducive to  the  body culture of Manipur ? What is expected out of it by   UNLF from  plebiscite without participation from Hills. And  Hills firing repeated salvos of various sorts for changing directions can not be under scored.   If plebiscite is intended for secession (ism), one wonders how public meetings are being allowed to hold discussions  on plebiscite in light of constitutional amendment No 16 of 1963 under sub head right to secession  which clearly says ` even discussion of secessionism will invite no protection to freedom of speech`\u009d. which is guaranteed to all  Indians under Fundamental Right in the Preamble of Constitution.However  it can be a negotiation instrument for UNLF chief\/ as &#038; when his team sits with Govt. of India on the  table to discuss.<\/p>\n<p>7. \tFor final and close to acceptable solution `\u201c three(Tarun Gogoi, Ibobi &#038; Rio)  political hat scorer including two in line up need to sit together with Hon`\u2122ble HM Shri. P. Chidambaram, at Guwahati with Rajkhowa (ULFA) , Muivah (NSCN IM) and Meghen (UNLF) as special invitees and chart out key map  for peaceful solution. Other are all wasteful efforts.<\/p>\n<p> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~r\/Kanglaonline\/~4\/IWNlZfe7nHc\" height=\"1\" width=\"1\"\/><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"syndicated-attribution\">Read more \/ Original news source: <a href=\"http:\/\/feedproxy.google.com\/~r\/Kanglaonline\/~3\/IWNlZfe7nHc\/\">http:\/\/feedproxy.google.com\/~r\/Kanglaonline\/~3\/IWNlZfe7nHc\/<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By RS Jassal 1. In this conflict ridden situation, the announcement by Shri RK Meghen @ Sanayaima UNLF Chief to hold a plebiscite to end Indo `\u201c Manipur confrontation has&#8230; <a href=\"http:\/\/kanglaonline.com\/2011\/05\/spirit-of-plebiscite-vs-spirit-of-manipur\/\">Read more <span>&#187;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,4],"tags":[330,41],"class_list":["post-7844","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-kanglaonline","category-news","tag-kanglaonline-2","tag-top-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7844","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7844"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7844\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7844"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7844"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7844"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}