Matamgi Manipur

by S.K. Ngaihte; first published online on Zomi Human Rights Foundation ( http://www.zhrf.org ) About Tribal/Indigenous Peoples and Issue The world’s biological, cultural and linguistic diversity are imperiled. While the nature and extent of the threat to the Earth’s biological richness is much debated, there is no doubt what is happening to human’s cultural and linguistic diversity. Indigenous peoples account for most of the world’s cultural diversity. Their distinct ways of life vary considerably from one location to another. Of the estimated 6’000 cultures in the world, between 4,000 and 5,000 are in indigenous. Indigenous peoples speak approximately three-quarters of the world’s 6,000 languages. When looked at the global distribution of indigenous peoples, there is a marked correlation between areas `of high biological diversity and areas of high cultural diversity. This link is particularly significant in rainforest  areas,  such  as  those  foun...

This editorial was originally published by the Sangai Express on 27 Sep 2012 Physically, not a rap on the knuckle. But the intent of statement is unmistakable. Behave, this is what Governor Gurbachan Jagat meant when he called upon the politicians and the bureaucrats to see themselves as in ‘service’ and not as ‘ruling class’. And this is saying a lot, coming as it has from a person who is not more than the nominal head of the State. Not all may agree with the view that good governance is the key to conflict resolutions, if conflict is understood only within the prism of the armed movement, but take it to a larger canvass to encapsulate the daily existence of the people then the profundity of this observation will not be lost on anyone. The seeds of ‘conflict’ sown by the ‘ruling class’ mentality have impacted on all spheres of governance and seen in this context, Governor Gurbachan Jagat could not have made a more opportune statement than on the first day of the three day seminar ...

Taothingmang Luwangcha Either we keep waiting for a miracle or the adoption of a four-way solution is what lies ahead in the quest for a lasting solution in the strife-torn Manipur. When anything is possible but in an existential dilemma, nothing is also possible we can expect rooms for doubt in this approach. Though, fortunately, this method does not entertain any of the existing methods of being in the system and outside to find a day when bombs blasts will be just a nightmare and when police atrocities will be studied in history books. The method is sans any chance of spending the months and years with listless resignation to fate like it has always been. In a textbook case we have to take in these four ways: (1) abolish the existing political system, (2) abolish religion, (3) abolish the moronic thought processes of a people languishing inside the corner of jungle and finally (4) establish a new foundation on how we want to relate to each other, a new belief system, a new ...

by M C Arun  This article was originally published by the Imphal Free Press on 26 Aug 2012 History writings of the 20th century Manipur were full of contradictions, full of controversies and full of conflicting views. It was the first half of the century when the British colonial rule (princely state) gave birth to a new breed of ideas that contradict with the age-old feudal ideology. It was a time when the kings – once called Lainingthou – became powerless in their own State. The Maichous and Mainous of the then political system were replaced by new class of intellectuals who got higher education outside the State. Some of them were the native vanguards of the British colonial rule; some were influenced by Indian Freedom Struggle in a way or another. Still some of them were much more concerned with Manipur’s identity in a situation of powerlessness. They started looking for every possible way to find a difference from India and westernization.  In search of a new identit...

One IRABAT AND THE SOCIAL AND CULTURAL AWAKENING IN MANIPUR By Prof. Elangbam Nilakanta Singh This article is sourced from The Manipur Page ( http://themanipurpage.tripod.com/history/irabat.html ) Jananeta Irabat, was a renaissance man. He was a versatile personality: Social reformer poet, artiste, intellectual, sportsman and revolutionary - all rolled into one. But he was a much misunderstood personality neglected, abused and forshaken by the elites and the mainstream people of the freedom struggle in Manipur. The last three decades of the 20th Century has resurrected him and raised him rightly to the pedestal of Jana-Neta (Leader of the people). The people have increasingly discovered the sterling qualities of his head and heart, his vision and the spirit of dedication to his land and her people. Hemango Biswas, his one time artiste colleague called him Simanta Prahari (Sentinel of the Frontier), which means sentinel of the Eastern Frontier. He has now become almost a legend an...

This article was written by Paonam Thoibi for IBN Live   on July 24 2012 Many people have asked me to write. Among these many, most know that my job involves listening to stories shared by grieving and distressed people. I am a client service professional of Human to Humane, a transcultural centre for torture and trauma. Torture: According to Article 1 of the 'CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment', torture means any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a pub...

This article by Ceety Khongsai was originally published by the Sangai Express on 10 Aug 2012 Introduction: The North East India has the unique characteristic of being the thorny states since Indian independence in 1947 and till today, the liberation movements in this part of the region has become a headache to the national policymakers and law enforcement agencies.

A Brief History of Press Freedom in Manipur by Seram Neken This article was originally published by the Imphal Free Press on 15 Aug 2012 By being a good friend of the poor, the deprived, the downtrodden and the neglected, media has become the notorious enemy of the corrupt and the anti-socials. In trying to maintain its ideal features of fairness, authenticity and social responsibility, media has always been offended by many individuals and groups. Still people in the media tolerate the attacks on its freedom for social good. Its mission is rather to counter the evils in the society. Pen alone is the available weapon of the media.

This petition note was created by the Avaaz.org  in the second week of Aug 2012 The Government of India through its Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas had granted license to Jubiliant Oil and Gas Private Limited (JOGPL), based in Netherlands for exploration and drilling works in two oil blocks in Manipur located in the Jiribam (Imphal East), Tamenglong and Churachandpur districts of Manipur, without informing and taking the consent of all indigenous peoples of Manipur. The contracts were awarded under the eighth round of New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP) of the Government of India. Earlier, without informing the people of Manipur again, the Government had undertaken series of promotions globally in 2003 and 2009 to promote the oil blocks in Manipur along with others through road-shows in major cities worldwide, London, Houston, Calgary and Perth etc, inviting bids to Oil companies.

This editorial was published by the Sangai Express on 10 Aug 2012 If the Bronze medal winning effort from Mary Kom and the awesome performance dished out by L Devendro in the boxing ring has stirred the consciousness of the country to a place called Manipur, then it is also a question on the very idea of India as a Nation. A damning statement on how the North East States, perhaps barring Assam, have fallen off the map of India's consciousness. In all probability it was an error in Geography when Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachan referred to Mary Kom as someone from Assam but it is also reflective of the ‘chicken neck syndrome’, where the ‘ignorance’ hovers disturbingly close to a social and political conditioning promoted and protected systematically down the decades. A tragedy it would be, both to the idea of India as a Nation as well as to the spirit of the people of the North East region and Manipur in particular, if the Bronze that Mary won is to be equated with ‘recogniti...