By M.Devanand Sharma
Imphal (Manipur), Aug 13: The Coordinating Committee (CorCom), a conglomerate of Manipur-based militant outfits has announced that it would boycott the ensuing India’s Independence Day (August 15) celebration in Manipur.
Calling general strike all over the Manipur state from 1 am till 6.30 pm of August 15 with the exemption of essential services like medical, electricity, water supply, fire service, media and religious observances, informed a statement issued by the CorCom Publicity Committee.
The unabated ethnic cauldron and animosity witnessed today in Manipur is a direct fallout of the alleged oppressive policy of India after the annexation of Manipur in clear violation of the prevalent international laws, it said.
The illegal ‘Manipur Merger Agreement, 1949’ has wiped out the sovereign historicity of Manipur that led to the imposition of the ‘15th August celebration’ among the ethnic groups of Manipur, it alleged.
Now, the time has come for all the ethnic groups inhabiting Manipur since time immemorial to stand up as a “Manipur People” to resist this alleged colonial regime and pave the way for scientific political development of the oppressed people towards exercising their inalienable right to self- determination, the CorCom asserted.
The present ethnic impasse resulted due to India’s use of hate games and hate crimes as a part of ‘Proxy War’ of the counter-insurgency operation.
All the struggling and oppressed indigenous people of Manipur should now realize the Indian policy of killing two birds with one stone and the impossibility of restoration of the lost sovereignty of Manipur within the framework of the Constitution of India under the guise of any peace-talk, it said.
A big question arises now and today on the failure to contain the 3 months’ old crisis in Manipur on the part of India – the largest democracy and the 4th military power in the world.
The people of Manipur should now understand that the huge deployment of Indian forces is not the solution to the present crisis but a ploy for Indian military built-up in this fragile region, it said.
Manipur (Kangleipak) existed as an Asiatic sovereign power for more than 2000 years except for the short Burmese skirmishes during 1819-1926 and the British Protectorate during 1891-1947.
The then Queen Victoria showed utmost regard for the sovereignty of Manipur as Manipur was not annexed to the then British India.
Manipur has been the oldest Nation in the entire Southeast Asia that had a written Constitution – the Loi Yumba Shin yen of 11th century under King Loi Yumba, it pointed out.
Manipur entered the first international treaty – Anglo Manipur Friendship Treaty – stamped on 14 September 1762 between Jai Singh, the King of Manipur represented by Haridas Gosain, and the British Empire through the British East India Company represented by Mr. Harry Verhelst, Chief of Chittagong Factory.
The continuity of the sovereign State of Manipur has been clearly mentioned in DGE Hall’s ‘A History of Southeast Asia, 1955’ and John F. Cady’s ‘Southeast Asia, 1964’.
Despite the bitter Burmese aggression on Manipur, Henry Yule’s Map of Burma in the 18th Century vibrantly safeguarded the boundary of Manipur.
The Treaty of Yanda Boo, February 24, 1826, concluded between the Burmese and the British recognized the independence of Manipur with Gambhir Singh as the King.
After the lapse of the British Paramountcy on 14 August 1947, Manipur regained her sovereignty and became a republic with the functioning of its first Parliament, the “National Assembly ” on 18 October 1948 represented by all sections of the Manipur People.
The address of the Manipur King Bodha Chandra as the Constitutional Head in the Manipur Parliament noted the area of Manipur as 8650 square miles, it said.
The political status of Manipur declined abruptly with the alleged Indian annexation of Manipur on 15 October 1949 by which sovereign Manipur was reduced to just a Chief Commissioner’s province.
From Part C State in 1950, Manipur was crafted into a Union Territory in 1956.
Not only did the Indian rule promulgate the notorious AFSPA, 1958 and several other draconian laws in the whole of Manipur, it continued to play a divisive policy amongst the several ethnic groups intermittently which now resulted in wanton ethnic clashes, it alleged.
