IMPHAL, Feb 24: In a message on the eve of the 34th foundation day of the Revolutionary People`s Front (RPF), the outfit`s President, Irengbam Chaoren has in a signed statement reiterated that Manipur can be developed as a progressive, egalitarian country only when it regains its right to self determination. It said “The foremost duty of each and every one of us is to abolish the Indian colonial rule and win back the lost sovereignty to establish self rule of our own people.”
“ Manipur can embark on the path of peace and progress and become a healthy nation only when Manipur is independent and free from all kinds of subordination. It is a firm belief of RPF that Manipur can be developed as a progressive, egalitarian country only when it regains its right to self determination. For all these reasons, it is the foremost duty of each and every one of us to abolish the Indian colonial rule and win back the lost sovereignty to establish self rule of our own people.” the rebel leader said.
The statement further added that to defeat the colonial forces, there is no pragmatic option other than armed liberation movement. “Only when the armed movement is raised to the desired momentum, the people can effectively counter the nefarious policies and programs of imperialist India and embark on the path of freedom” and pointed out that the present generation of revolutionaries need to sacrifice more and win the confidence of the people. It alleged that the Civic Action Programme (CAP) is a mere strategy intended to pull away and keep off the people from the revolutionary movement.
“ Through this tactics, the Indian military has been providing some momentary benefits to a handful of people and some of these beneficiaries have developed a mentality of subservience and an attitude to sycophancy. These sycophants have also imbibed a mindset of abhorrence towards the revolutionary movement.” it added.
Claiming that the Indian military has been providing `some momentary benefits to a handful of people`, it added that some of these beneficiaries have developed a mentality of subservience and an attitude to sycophancy.
It further alleged that `different intoxicating drugs have been sent in to the state through a number of covert strategies, leading the underdeveloped society for generations to come. “ In the meantime, imperialist India, by employing a number of covert strategies, has been sending in different intoxicating drugs which can ruin our underdeveloped society for generations to come. On account of this drug warfare, many of our youth are living a wretched life, bereft of any meaning or purpose. In spite of this grave situation, even if one knows collaborators of the disastrous conspiracy, one cannot disclose the facts to our public and punish the culprits because they were performing their duty only at the capacity of a colonised people.” it added.
It further accused the Government of being interested in fanning internecine conflicts and confrontation amongst the indigenous peoples, rather than focusing on issues related with development and welfare of the people. Pointing out the recent public outcry when IG AR (South) made attempts to present some youngsters who were lured with the false promise of providing jobs as UG cadres in one of their routine surrender dramas, the statement said that the the Indian military have been consistently conspiring to lower and corrupt the moral values and conviction of our youth.
“Rather than focusing on issues related with development and welfare of the people, the colonial regime is more interested in fanning internecine conflicts and confrontation amongst the indigenous peoples. This sinister disposition of the colonial regime was manifested unmistakeably when it recruited a large number of youth in police, security establishments and VDF in the name of providing employment. It is an undeniable fact imperialist India has been continually churning out one conspiracy after another, all aimed at creating complete chaos and anarchy in Manipur.” It further charged.
It said, “Some of our youngsters, thus won over by the evil conspiracy of the Indian military, have been masquerading as revolutionaries and committing all kinds of criminal and anti-social activities transforming themselves as enemies of the mass. This is another covert but no so secret strategy of the Indian military designed to project the revolutionaries in bad light.”
However “there were cases when some revolutionaries who came out valiantly with full conviction to win back the lost sovereignty and save the threatened nation ruined themselves because of certain wrong steps made at unguarded moments.” It said.
The statement went on to add, ” The recent attempt of the Indian military to glorify themselves by claiming to have achieved a major success after deceiving some pseudo revolutionaries who are content to live a life of bondage in exchange for some short term, insignificant benefits was only a manifestation of the Indian military’s base, unethical tradition.
Over and above, there has been no let up in the schemes designed to create divisions and conflicts among indigenous people of Manipur and destroy the age old boundary of Manipur so that all the people of Manipur can be kept under perpetual colonial rule.”
The statement further pointed out that are so many countries in the world which are peaceful and progressive, and where different communities co-exist in complete harmony. “If we look back to our history we will certainly realise that the present situation of distrust and animosity amongst the indigenous communities was created within the short period after annexation of Manipur by India. Before this, all the indigenous communities of Manipur were living together in harmony for centuries,” it said.
The statement further said, “Here, we would like to appeal to all our people of all communities to introspect whether we would have faced the present grim situation had Manipur evolved into a full fledged modern state in the form of an independent country. There are so many countries in the world which are peaceful and progressive, and where different communities co-exist in complete harmony. Or is it a case of our indigenous communities not knowing how to live together?”
Saying that group is demanding alternative arrangement and another is seeking a separate state on the ground that the puppet Government of Manipur is communal, the statement called such demands as communal. “The Protection of ethnic identity, mode and scale of representation in governance, scale of accessibility to resources and mode of land ownership which are fundamental causes of different conflicts, are at present, determined by the colonial Indian law and system. It would be manifestation of immaturity and lack of political wisdom if we must confront each other because we are not satisfied with the colonial system.
Adding that outsiders have been invading Manipur incessantly by not only immigrating into Manipur but also by marrying into the community, the statement added, “our language, tradition, culture, religious practices, dance and music and social discipline are being distorted and diluted, thereby posing a serious threat to our identity. At the same time, the level of corruption has reached an alarming level and this has robbed work culture off the vast majority of our people besides degrading the moral values of our socio-cultural system.
Championing its cause for complete independence of Manipur the statement further said, “all of us are at present bound by the archaic Indian law and system. It would be futile to work for a new, vibrant socio-politico-economic system as long as Manipur remains a colony of India. It is here the question of winning freedom for all our indigenous communities becomes paramount. Starting from today when we are waging a legitimate war of liberation, we need to have a socio-politico-economic vision of our own which must be acceptable to all indigenous communities. If we can envision a collective, common future, the present wars of liberation being waged separately by different groups would certainly come together. By that time, it would not be much difficult to defeat imperialist India.”
It called upon the people to reflect on the miserable condition of Manipur today under its present political dispensation “Manipur at present is full of misery. Because of flawed education system, our people are not in a position to generate any healthy idea which can promote our value system. Rather than creating a productive base of our own, more and more people have given themselves to glitz and pleasure-seeking. In tandem with the shrinking avenue for employment, the pool of unemployed people has been expanding alarmingly. While many of your youngsters have been scratching for livelihood, many others have been seeking solace in intoxicating drugs. Many of our youngsters have ceased to stop exercising their faculty of reasoning and they have incapacitated themselves to judge what is wrong and what is right. Everyday there are news and reports of the most dreaded and abhorring incidents as if there is neither social order nor any social guardian.”
It also expressed reservations about seeking solutions within the existing system, “At this juncture, like in the past when some influential leaders, nobles and bureaucrats shouted and lobbied for integration of Manipur with India in the dream of a developed and prosperous Manipur, some people have started shouting for identification of Meiteis as tribes. It is advisable to ponder on the proposal in the interest of future generations for the same proposal entails obliterating our real identity for the sake of getting some benefits from the Government of India.”
Reflecting on the UN General Assembly resolution on December 14, 1969 known as “Declaration of granting of independence to the colonial countries and people” which openly endorsed all liberation struggles, the statement appealed to all indegenous communities to shoulder historic responsibilities towards freedom.