An Annual Magazine of
the Manipur Students’ Association Delhi
MSAD 2011
Editorial Board:
Malem Ningthouja
Praem Hidam
Nongmaithem Manishwar
Beerjurekha Samom
Khumukcham Chinglen Luwang
E-mail: msad.manipur AT gmail.com
FOREWORD FROM THE EDITORIAL BOARD
MAHEIROI, the annual magazine of the Manipur Students’ Association Delhi, is the result of collective efforts of many people. This volume is another addition to a number of other documents in the archives of MSAD, most of which are related to crucial issues of political and civil rights. We hope this volume would keep alive the literary tradition of MSAD which had witnessed the publication of the first three editions of MAHEIROI in 2000, 2001 and 2002.
The publication of this volume is not as easy as one may expect. We had to face series of tedious formalities, overstretched coordination and many inconvenient adjustments. Fund raising was another big challenge while coping with many other important activities which actually were overlapping with the publication work.
Here is a brief revisit of how the idea of rejuvenating MAHEIROI came to be realised. Section II, Article 7, Clause (i), of MSAD Constitution, says, it is the “responsibility of the Academic and Magazine Secretary to constitute an Academic Committee, which apart from other activities is supposed to publish an annual magazine”. Accordingly the Academic & Magazine Secretary (2010-2011 Term) had issued a press release on 17 February 2011, inviting students to submit articles, poems, short stories on or before 31 March 2011.
One of the preconditions to carry forward the initiative was the appointment of an editorial board and a coordinator that would spearhead the process. However, the matter was temporarily kept on hold for a period of about 5 months. However, on 11 August 2011, the matter was again taken up. New notification was circulated requesting for submission of essays, short stories and poems on or before 30 August 2011.
A press release was also issued asking students to join the editorial board as per the regulations laid out in the release. Any student may apply for the membership of the board either on the recommendation of Executive Committee or on voluntary basis.
A JBM was called on 22 August 2011 to decide on the themes and contents of MAHEIROI 2011. Finally, MSAD announced the constitution of an Editorial Board on 8 October 2011. Since then, Chinglen Khumukcham as the coordinator began collection of essays and poems and short stories from the students as well as other writers. Regarding the contents of MAHEIROI, MSAD had decided to collect contributions from a wide range of fields.
Some of the initial ideas that came out were related broadly to the following: MSAD and its Activities, Statistical Information About Manipur, Poems and Lyrics, Fiction (Short Stories), Issues of Development and Human Rights, People’s Movement in Manipur, Questions of Territoriality, Women’s Politics & Action, Manipuri Students in Delhi, Issues of Discrimination, Community, Diversity and Unity in Manipur, Film Industry in Manipur, Letters to Editors and Responses, and Pictures or Photographs on MSAD and Manipur.
The themes were later unanimously agreed upon. The idea behind choosing of wide ranges of topics was to encourage plurality of thoughts and writings, experiences and opinions, and to retain the legacy of MAHEIROI. Whatever literary works that the Editorial Board received through the Coordinator were thoroughly studied, edited, crossed checked and sent back to the contributors for their final response. Except in the case of an article on Film Industry in Manipur that the author did not reply to the comment of the editorial board, all were approved finally for publication.
The current volume of MAHEIROI also incorporates essays of the winners of the Essay Writing Competitions held on 26 July 2009 and 3 September 2011. There is however a clarification particularly about these essays. These essays may not fulfil the minimum standard of what we generally expect from the point of view of academic publication. In fact, these essays were written on the spot on the occasions of academic programmes organised by MSAD.
The purpose was to encourage writing and thinking habits among the students from Manipur, so that they could exercise their intellectual skill and capacity to react to the contemporary experiences in Manipur of which they are part not to deny. We however feel impressed with the kind of response in terms of participation and enthusiasm among the students. We are proud of the courage and the interest of these young and talented students who shared their views on the topics given to them. Except few corrections of grammatical mistakes, date, name of places, and deletion of repetition, we have strictly maintained minimum intervention in order to retain their original views.
Also in this volume are reports of various activities of MSAD, list of volunteers, list of meritorious awards and other prizes, list of donations and contributions, and other information provided to us by the Executive Committee. We had requested the EC to authenticate the reports and also to strictly follow appropriate criteria so that there is neither misrepresentation nor underrepresentation of “facts”. The Editorial Board is not however responsible for any omission or inclusion in respect of what is published in this volume. Moreover, the literary works carry the views and opinion of the concerned author and not necessarily those of the editorial board.
We are fully indebted to MSAD for inviting some of us to be in the Editorial Board and giving us the opportunity to participate in the production of MAHEIROI and contribute to MSAD in general and the large number of students in Delhi in particular.
Apunbana Yaifare Long Live MSAD
CONTENTS
Section I: MSAD ACTIVITIES
MSAD Activities Executive Term 2010-11
List of the Awardees
List of the Contribution to MSAD
Office Bearers and Volunteers 2010-2011
Section II: ARTICLES
Statistical Information of Manipur in Brief, Chinglenkhomba, Malem and Manishwar
Brief Profile of Indigenous Communities of Manipur, Khumukcham Chinglen Luwang
Violence as AFSPA 1958 and People’s Movement Against It, Malem Ningthouja
So Called ‘Development’, Chongtham Gunamani
Arts as the Politics of Authenticity and Cultural Appropriation, Usham Rojio
Folk Music of the Ethnic Minorities of Manipur, Laishram Birendrakumar Singh
A Visit to My Native Place “Abode on Earth,” Camela Rakhangmi
Women’s Question and Their Role in Political Struggle in Manipur, Shreema Ningombam
Wildlife Conservation in Manipur, Forest Department, Govt. of Manipur
Section III: SHORT STORY, POETRY & LYRICS
Chanurembi, Malem Ningthouja
Thum Packet, Devananda Moirangthem,
‘Conflicts’….where is the serenity?, Chan Paona Elangbam,
Spring Song, Soibam Haripriya
Change !!, Akoijam Premchand
Loktak Project, Tapta
Qutub Minar, Imphal Talkies
Section IV: SELECTED DOCUMENTS OF MSAD
Constitution of MSAD
A Total Culmination
MSAD Memorandum
Be Aware of the Colonial Wolf!
Nupi Lan
Death of Lucy Kashung
Against Sexual Harassment
On the Killing of Labourers in Manipur
On Recruitment of SPOs in Manipur
Doping Conspiracy is an Insult
A Call for Unity
Condemn Gurgaon Crime
Stop India’s War in the Northeast
Appeal for the Relief of Shirui Residents
Resolution of the Collective …
MSAD Statement for the Nagas in NC Hills
Protest State Terrorism in Manipur
Question to the Editorial Board and Response
Section V: AWARD WINNER ESSAYS
Manipur in Your Vision, Mr Yumkhaibam Sabir
Manipur in Your Vision, Mr. S. Asker
Manipur in Your Vision, Mr. Hemchandra Nameirakpam
Strike in Manipur, Miss. Chabungbam Babina
Strike in Manipur, Mr. Hanglem Rojit Singh
Strike in Manipur, Mr. Rajesh Ngangbam
Sharmila, Miss Nongmaithem Abita
Sharmila, Mr. Akoijam Premchand Singh
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