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09/17/2006: "Nagas persecuted in Myanmar Nagaland Post"

Nagas persecuted in Myanmar Nagaland Post
DIMAPUR, SEPT 16 (NPN): Nagas in Lahe district of Sagain Division in Upper Myanmar are being persecuted by the Myanmarese Army for their faith -Christianity-and forced to declare themselves as Buddhists under the barrel of the gun.
Giving details of the persecution, mission secretary of Khiamniungan Baptist Churches Association (KBCA), S Noksa Chiu disclosed that on July 14, 2006, the Myanmarese Junta under the command of one captain Zuthot of 52 Battalion, threatened that the villagers of Ship (Shiplo Nokong) village would be chased out of the village if they resisted in renouncing Christianity.
"As a result the poor believers were forced to put their thumb impressions and disown Christ and declare themselves as Buddhists and their village to be Buddhist village," the KBCA mission secretary said. In another incident on August 29, 2006, Chiu said captain Zuthot arrested pastor Phai of Chio (Solow Nokong) Baptist Church and demanded ransom including three mithuns and Rs. 40,000 (Indian currency) as payment for his release.
The flimsy excuse for the pastor's arrest was that the Church did not take permission from the army for repairing one of the Church's doors. The junta also accused the Church and its pastor of making too much noise while repairing the door. The Church had to finally cough up Rs. 10,000 besides giving away two mithuns in lieu of the pastor Phai's life. The army also threatened to burn down the church building if the villagers continued with church activities.
Pastor Phai was also physically assaulted that caused bleeding on the mouth and nose, the release stated. Again on September 3, the Junta under the same command of captain Zuthot threatened to shoot the village elders or Hemphu Noking (Ponyu Nokong) village with his service pistolon the charge that they did not extend power connection to the army camp from the generator owned by the Church. The captain also charged the villagers for not going to pick him up while he was on his way to the village. Noksa said the Church had not been approached for generator connection nor had captain Zuthot given any advance information to the village about his planned visit.
KBCA mission secretary urged Christians in general to pray for pastor Phai so that "he may remain faithful, and bold enough to stand trials and persecution." The prayer points also include prayer for those churches undergoing persecution and sufferings, human rights violation by the Myanmarese Juntas in the Christian-inhabited areas of Myanmar and for the Gospel of Christ to reach Myanmar, a predominantly Buddhist country, in due course of time.
India, Myanmar sign truce on security Sangai Express
New Delhi, Sep 16 : Seeking to give more substance to their bilateral ties, India and Myanmar today evolved a mechanism to assist each other on security- related issues including activities of "undesirable ele- ments", arms smuggling and drug trafficking.
"A mechanism has been reached to assist each other in these areas," Union Home Secretary VK Duggal said at the end of the four-day Home Secretary level talks between the two countries when the two sides signed the minutes of the meeting.
While the Indian delegation was led by Duggal, Myanmar team was headed by Deputy Home Minister Brig Gen Phone Swe.
Duggal said the discussions centred around secu- rity-related issues which comprised activities of undesirable elements against interest of each other and arms smuggling.
Border management issues, including mainte- nance of pillars, fencing and rationalisation of free movement regime between the two countries were also discussed in detail, he said.
The Home Secretary said it had been decided to pursue the measures deci-ded at the meeting in a "time-bound manner".
Responding to questions after signing of the minutes, Swe told media persons that the two countries decided to work toge- ther in mutual interest and gave an assurance that the cooperation agreed bet-ween the two sides "will be followed up and implemented".
On New Delhi's demand for crackdown on Indian insurgent groups operating from Myanmar, the statement said the discussions "centred around security-related issues which com- prised activities of undesirable elements against the interest of each other and arms smuggling".
The sources said the Indian side took up the issue of insurgent groups like United Nationalist Liberation Front and People's Liberation Army operating from across the border.
During their visit to India, the Myanmar delega- tion called on Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil who emphasised the need to further strengthen coopera- tion between the two sides on various issues of mutual concern including those related to security, drug traf- ficking and border management. Duggal said Patil has invited the Home Minister of Myanmar to visit India.
The Home Secretary said Swe made a request for providing training for civil servants and police officers in Myanmar.
A joint press statement issued at the end of the talks said the discussions took place in an atmosphere of "utmost cordiality reflecting excellent bilateral relations".
Duggal said the talks have "further deepened the understanding between the two countries on security, drug trafficking and effective border management".
To a question on source of arms coming to India from Myanmar, Swe said since his country shared its borders with so many countries, he could not pin point the source. Responding to the query, Duggal said it had been agreed to deal with the issue by plugging the border. On how to curb drug trafficking, he said it could be done by better border management and surveillance. PTI
Seminar on Myanmar From Sobhapati Samom Assam Tribune
IMPHAL,Sept 16 – Hectic preparations is on here at the Manipur University to host the first ever Asian seminar on Land and People of Myanmar at its Canchipur varsity complex under the aegis of Centre for Myanmar Studies from December 6 to 7.
A research associate of the Centre told this correspondent that the main objective of organizing the seminar is to make aware and study the socio-political situation of present Myanmar among the academics of the Indian sub-continent as well as others across the globe.
The Centre for Myanmar Studies which had been conducting a Burmese language course since last year is presently engaged with a month-long talk programme on Myanmar since July 30 last.
The Centre which is funded by the University Grants Commission will also be arranging a delegates trip to Myanmar’s Tamu town on the concluding day of the seminar.
Dimapur undaunted by terror. Police step up vigil The Morung Express
DIMAPUR, SEPT 16 (MExN): The presence of IRB jawans on the streets of Dimapur has for a change brought relief for many ordinary people who thronged market places for their weekend shopping. The market in the commercial hub as such started the day on a positive note despite the recent chain of ‘bomb events’. For the business establishment, faced with the looming threat of extortions and deadlines, the patrolling of policemen across the town on Saturday was also a welcome development. However, the uncertainty over the law and order situation also had an immediate psychological effect with most shops closing their shutters earlier than usual.
Earlier in the day, two scooter borne persons created a scare at the busy MP Road, near Bata junction this afternoon after one of the riders fled the scene, when IRB personnel, frisking vehicles, asked them to stop for a routine check. On interrogation, it was learnt that the person who fled the scene was reportedly an addict. With Thursday’s attack on a popular business establishment still fresh in the minds of the people; IRB personnel have intensified their frisking and are taking no chances with any suspicious behavior.
An additional company of the IRB has been deployed for intensive frisking purposes, a senior Police official said. Entry and exit points of Dimapur are also being manned more vigilantly, he said. On the identity of those who perpetrated the recent crude bomb explosions, Police said they had received information that the culprits were employing the tactic of entering Dimapur, causing the incidents, and then hightailing out of the town.
Bodies decry quit notice By Our Staff Reporter Sangai express
IMPHAL, Sep 16: Taking serious note of report pertaining to the Hmar National Assembly (HNA) threatening to serve ‘quit notice’ against Meiteis living in Churachandpur district, the United Committee Manipur (UCM) and Meetei Youth Organisation, churachand-pur have reacted sharply to the attitude/agenda of the armed outfit and called for deeper introspection.
A statement issued by UCM’s information and pu-blic relation secretary BM Yaima Shah prevailed upon the Hmar group to give up such myopic vision as the need of the hour entails unified movement to eradicate problems afflicting the Ma-nipuri society.
Under no circumstance would targeting a particular community bring about favourable change in the trouble torn State or benefit any particular section of the multi-ethnic community, said the UCM while appealing to the HNA to strive for strengthening age-old bro-therly ties.
It also reminded all concerned at Meitei community had been a part and parcel of Churachandpur since ages and there is no room for creating further division in land or people. Staunchly opposing any further move to disturb rarely found tranquillity in the State, UCM reminded the HNA leaders to give up destructive agenda as past incidents had provided enough lesson that creating intra-community chasm had only resulted in chaos and despair to the commoners.
Referring to the outbreak of Kuki-Naga clash as a consequence of ‘quit notice’ served to the Kukis that had rendered several families homeless and rumour-enticed Meitei- Meitei Pangal feud, BM Shah contended that no particular community had benefited from the fallout other than displacing people from their homes and throwing their life into delirium.
With the entire State reeling under pressure from the NSCN-IM’s divisive outlook, the HNA toeing on similar line is the last thing people of Manipur could be expecting, opined the Committee. While it is an accepted norm that any group be it armed or unarmed have every right to place their grievances before the Central or State Government targeting a particular community to highlight and press for their demand is not only illogical but highly disgraceful, maintained the UCM. UCM also asserted that any organisation deviating from the principle of shielding the common people from any adversity is anti-people entity whose existence in the society need to be introspected by all concerned. meanwhile, the Meetei Youth Organisation, chu-rachandpur informed of an emergency public meeting held at the district headquarters’ Mandop Leikai today wherein the gathering took grim note of the HNA preparing to expel Meiteis from the district.
the meeting attended by representatives of Meitei-based clubs, organisations/associations termed the proposed ‘quit notice’ in case its demands to the State Government are not conceded within 45 days as morally and physically threatening the community.
Asserting that HNA’s attitude should be condemned by all irrespective of their religious or community affiliation, the Youth body questioned whether the HNA had been mulling to train their guns at innocent civilians. The meeting also evoked posers like if the Meiteis vacate their homes before the quit notice deadline will the HNA achieve its goals if so the Meiteis would not hesitate to leave at once, conveyed the body.
Besides urging the HNA to retrospect their agenda, the Organisation also demanded that the State Government discuss and bring about an amicable solution to enable the working class Meiteis live a secured and respectable life in the district. Exhorting all concerned to strive for socio-economic prosperity of the people and to protect the multi-ethnic identity of the State, Meetei Youth Organisation also cautioned that any undesired consequences resulting from the proposed expulsion diktat should be to the responsibility of the State Govern- ment and the HNA.
This Gandhian’s goal is Naga uplift The Morung Express
GUWAHATI, Sept 16 (Agencies): Indians may now be re-discovering Mahatma Gandhi and his ideology, albeit as ‘Gandhigiri’ popularised by Bollywood, but one person has spent his entire life trying to promote the great leader’s philosophy in a remote part of the country. For several years, Natwarbhai Thakkar, Nagaland’s most famous Gandhian and recipient of several national awards, has been working to bridge the gap between Nagas and rest of the country.
A Gujarati from Dahanu Road in Maharashtra, Thakkar is known for his developmental and humanitarian works on Gandhian lines in the state. In fact, Thakkar is one of the few non-Nagas to have been accepted by the Nagas into their community. His wife Lentina, who is the first Naga gram sevika trained in the Sarania Ashram in Guwahati, has helped keep up his moral.
To promote all-round development of the people of Nagaland, this humble septuagenarian established the Nagaland Gandhi Ashram in 1955 in the remote Ao Naga village in Makokchung district, when he was 23. “I was motivated by the atmosphere of idealism the country was charged with under the leadership of Gandhiji during the freedom movement. I found my guide in Acharya Kakasaheb Kalelkar, a Gandhian stalwart, who encouraged me to work for integration of people in the frontier regions with the rest of the country.”
Expansion of army bases worries ULFA The Morung Express
GUWAHATI, SEPT 16 (AGENCIES): The banned United Liberation Front of Asom is peeved at the Indian Army’s plan to expand two of its permanent bases in insurgency-affected Assam giving ample indication that the militant group continues to consider the Army a ‘colonial force’ notwithstanding the peace initiative to facilitate peace talks with the outfit.
The ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah who is suspected to be in Bangladesh, in a statement e-mailed to the media stated that the expansion of army bases at Misa in Nagaon district and Changsari in Kamrup district was not in tune with New Delhi’s decision to suspend army operation against the ULFA.
The ULFA leader said that expansion of the army base would lead to displacement of large number of ‘our people’ from their land and it would pave way for more militarisation of the state.
The ULFA statement came a day after New Delhi decided to accord another extension of suspension of army operation against the militant group till September 20 giving the group more time to send in the letter of commitment to sit for direct talks with the government. It was the third extension of the suspension of army operation accorded after ULFA negotiators Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami and Rebati Phukon made the request. The ULFA commander, however stated that, ‘Despite extending the olive branch, colonialist India has planned to displace hundreds of our people to create space for another military installation.
‘The expansion of army bases will lead to eviction of people, destruction of tea gardens and will cause harm to the eco system.’ The ULFA leader further alleged that the government would set up a nuclear research center on the land that had been acquired for expansion of army bases to process and enrich uranium found in the state of Meghalaya.
Security sources pointed out that the hard posture of the ULFA against expansion of army bases would not augur well for the ongoing peace initiative as it was going against the efforts to build mutual trust and confidence to find a peaceful solution to the insurgency problem.
India, Myanmar to work on security issues Nagaland Post
New Delhi, Sept 16 (PTI): Seeking to give more substance to their bilateral ties, India and Myanmar today evolved a mechanism to assist each other on security-related issues including activities of "undesirable elements", arms smuggling and drug trafficking.
"A mechanism has been reached to assist each other in these areas," Union Home Secretary V K Duggal said at the end of the four-day Home Secretary level talks between the two countries when the two sides signed the minutes of the meeting. While the Indian delegation was led by Duggal, Myanmar team was headed by Deputy Home Minister Brig Gen Phone Swe.
Duggal said the discussions centred around security- related issues which comprised activities of undesirable elements against interest of each other and arms smuggling. Border management issues, including maintenance of pillars, fencing and rationalisation of free movement regime between the two countries were also discussed in detail, he said. The Home Secretary said it had been decided to pursue the measures decided at the meeting in a "time-bound manner".
Responding to questions after signing of the minutes, Swe told mediapersons that the two countries decided to work together in mutual interest and gave an assurance that the cooperation agreed between the two sides "will be followed up and implemented". On New Delhi's demand for crackdown on Indian insurgent groups operating from Myanmar, the statement said the discussions "centred around security-related issues which comprised activities of undesirable elements against the interest of each other and arms smuggling".
The sources said the Indian side took up the issue of insurgent groups like United Nationalist Liberation Front and People's Liberation Army operating from across the border. During their visit to India, the Myanmar delegation called on Union Home Minster Shivraj Patil who emphasised the need to further strengthen cooperation between the two sides on various issues of mutual concern including those related to security, drug trafficking and border managment.
Duggal said Patil has invited the Home Minister of Myanmar to visit India. The Home Secretary said Swe made a request for providing training for civil servants and police officers in Myanmar.
A joint press statement issued at the end of the talks said the discussions took place in an atmosphere of "utmost cordiality reflecting excellent bilateral relations". Duggal said the talks have "further deepened the understanding between the two countries on security, drug trafficking and effective border management". To a question on source of arms coming to India from Mynmar, Swe said since his country shared its borders with so many countries, he could not pin point the source. Responding to the query, Duggal said it had been agreed to deal with the issue by plugging the border. On how to curb drug trafficking, he said it could be done by better border management and surveillance.
A Dictionary of Problems in Manipur By: H. Ranbir Singh, IAS(Retd.) Kangla on line
Protection of consumers and their welfare: This was the theme of a Regional Seminar held at the Kanan Devi Memorial College of Education, Pangei on the 12th July, 2006. After the Key Note Address by Prof. R.P. Singh (Retd.) of Manipur University who has been studying the subject for some years in collaboration with the Commerce Department of the University, I had to give the Inaugural address as the Chief Guest. This was to be followed by twelve Papers to be presented by specialists. In my Address I approached the problem from the point of view of the wise trader who would protect the rights of consumers in his own interest. The wise trader would offer goods of acceptable quality at reasonable prices which may involve a lower margin of profit per unit. This would however attract regular customers, and more and more of them in the course of time, bringing in a larger and larger turnover with a larger and larger amount of total profit. The trader may act in a sense of service to the community. There is God in every human being. If the trader serves the community in a spirit of service to God, he would be benefited spiritually also. This would be the beginning of Karma Yoga in Bhakti and knowledge.

2. The break down of the Civil Society The problem now in the Manipur Valley in particular, is the breakdown of the Civil Society. Every one in his profession can serve God in the service of humanity. This spirit will be a great step forward in restoring the civil society in Manipur. We may recollect Thomas Hobbe’s theory on the formation of the State. There was first ‘Man in the state of nature’, each (or each group) against all, and all against each. Then the ‘Social Contract’, surrendering the right to the legitimate use of force to the ‘State’ and State alone, except in the case of ‘self-defence only. x x x But here in Manipur now, there are so many groups using force for extortion of money from other people and even from the Government Departments, making it difficult for these Departments to utilize funds properly, in time, and in safety. If the money allotted is properly used in time, more money will come to enable us to make Manipur a prosperous state, enabling us to give employment to a larger and larger number of people, including those who join underground groups for want of employment. The underground groups should come together and negotiate with the Government to restore the Civil Society. Religionism and Splinter-ethnic nationalism, which look back to the past and not to the common Future, is a thorn in the flesh, which make it difficult for good people to work together, in cooperation, for co-development and co-prosperity. Let us not look back. Let us, in the North-East, the Indo-Mongoloid (to start with), look forward towards a common prosperous future. American pragmatism and American futurism is a good example for building such a common future, based on human values, rather than sectarian interests.

3. Democracy and Development The emphasis of the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh on economic development and his expertise in the field is yielding results in the improvement of relations with Bangladesh and Myanmar, and even with China. One great thing in India is that governments are changed in the Centre and the States in a general election. The supremacy of the Supreme Court and the Election Commission in their own respective spheres is a great thing in India. If Manipur is left alone, there is all the possibility of Manipur being ruled by a Military Junta like in Burma. Could we have such high quality institutions like the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), the Central Agricultural University with Projects under its guidance, and the now Central Manipur University which started as a Centre of Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, if we were left alone to fend for ourselves?
I am only raising questions that arise in my mind for wiser people to consider the pros and cons and arrive at a consensus.

4. The Inner Line Permit System There is a genuine fear in the minds of the people of Manipur that the native population may be overwhelmed by immigrant labour and other immigrants from other parts of India, just like Tripura where on partition of the country, Bengalis came and overwhelmed the native population and took over the state; it is now a Bengali state and the natives have gone underground. It is, therefore, absolutely necessary to reintroduce “the Inner Line Permit System” for the protection of the right of the native Manipuris to have Manipur as their homeland; and allowing the non-natives to vote for elections in their home-states by postal ballot. This may involve an amendment to the Constitution. If the Constitution can be amended for protection of high dignitaries in the matter of “office of profit”, it should also be amended for the protection of a small community from losing their homeland. This may involve some special arrangements in the Census to differentiate immigrants from the natives and in the electoral rolls.
But all facilities should be provided for quick movement of goods and people into Manipur and from Manipur without any delays and hindrances as required by modern trade and industries, and tourism.

5. Impossible Rate of Growth of Population One surprising thing which is not receiving proper attention is the question, how there could be an 80 to 100 per cent increase in population in some hill districts. This may be a case of illegal immigrants from the neighbouring country, or some problem in the proper conduct of the census where the census people (generally school teachers and other low grade Government employees, employed for the purpose) did not make an issue of it for fear of entanglement in disputes in the present atmosphere of lawlessness and violence. The Election Commission is only a hand and a tool. The heart and the brain, “the heart” in particular at the highest level of the government of India should come into operation in solving the problem. This is not a routine matter, but a great threat to the balance of population.
There was a report in earlier elections in Kuki village where the hill chiefs cast the votes of as many people as they wanted. But the election people did not make an issue of it for fear of entanglement in disputes which may involve threats to their lives.

6. The Problem of Text-books Some teachers who were posted for a long time in different places in Ukhrul reported that people in distant places in the Ukhrul District (Sub-division at that time) did not understand each other’s dialects. The official Tangkhul language is the Meitei-phone as spoken by the Tangkhuls of Ukhrul town, written in the Roman script, and taught in schools all over the district. There is also a Tangkhul myth that the Elder Brother inherited the Tangkhul Hills and the younger brother went down the Valley (and thus became one of the founding fathers of the Valley people). Because of our historical contact with the British, India is an Anglo-phone country using English in education in many subjects, and using English words in our common parlance in our own vernaculars, and using English terms even in writing in the Indian languages wherever there is a need for it (with perhaps a new coinage in the language as the equivalent). There are Franco-phone countries where French is used like that. The vernaculars and languages in the hills in Manipur are likewise Meitei-phone; because of the geographical proximity and daily contact, while the vernaculars in Nagaland are Assom-phone; and Nagamese, the linqua-franca of Nagaland, is Assamese as spoken by the Naga Communities of Nagaland, written in the Roman script. What a heavy burden it will be on the young child in the hills of Manipur to teach Naga-Assamese in addition to other subjects like English, Mathematics, etc. while he or she speaks a Meiteiphone dialect at home ! There is also the problem of finding additional teachers who can teach Nagamese.

7. Appearance and Reality Because of the reservation of seats for the Scheduled Tribes most of the top bureaucrats in Manipur in most of the Departments of the Government are Hill people. The Meiteis of the Valley cannot avail of the quota for the OBCs (Other Backward Classes) because they cannot compete with the OBCs of the more advanced states. It is only the larger number of Ministers in the government that gives an impression of Meitei supremacy. But the top bureaucrats from the Hills do not go back to their original homes in the Hills on retirement and stimulate development in their places of birth, but settle down in high rise buildings in the valley. But they are welcome. Meiteis themselves are seven tribes with immigrant Brahmins from the west, and immigrants from the east (Myanmar and beyond); by the way, one Bengali Professor of Anthropology whom I happened to meet at a Cultural Exhibition in the Calcutta University approached me and suggested that Meitheis are “Mee-Thai”, Thai people (does it have anything to do with something like “Poireiton Khunthokpa”, the immigration of ‘Poirei-ton’, I do not know). The prevention of endogamy within each tribe has brought about a fusion of the seven tribes into one Meitei society. There are four Tangkhul and one Khasi wives in Meitei families in my immediate neighbourhood. I would like to suggest the same process among the hill tribes, intermarriage between Nagas and Kukis. One problem is that Meitei girls fight shy of marrying highly eligible tribal husbands because of their ingrained conservative food habits. We have yet to see how Meithei Christian girls respond. But marriage is a highly personal thing about which there can be no planning.

8. MEITEI MAYEKMeiteis have their own headaches. It is good to teach Meitei mayek, the old Meitei script to Meitei students only (the hill students have no need for it) at some stage (say, at classes III and IV) to enable the young people to read the old Puyas (scriptures, history, myths and lore etc.) on their own. But many of them have been reproduced in the current Bengali script with notes and commentaries. In the beginning there was no printing press. With the advent of the British rule, a government press was set up. Where is the question of meitei mayek at that time ? It was the more educated ‘Surma Valley’ (Cachar and Sylhet) Bengalis, and the less educated Manipuris from the same area, who began writing Primers in Manipuri in the Bengali script and teaching us to read and write Manipuri in the Bengali script. And then in the absence of modern books in Manipuri in the different subjects, we had to read Bengali as our vernacular from classes-I and II onwards. I had to read Bengali as my vernacular upto class III. Then from class IV onwards we started reading Manipuri as vernacular. But the books were all translations from modern Bengali textbooks. It was only much later that Chaoba, Kamal and others who read Bengali, and were inspired by the great Bengali literature of the Indian Renaissance (Bankim, Sharat, Tagore and a host of others), created the modern Manipuri literature of our own Renaissance in Manipuri literature. They of course had wider reading in English also. Manipuri literature was gradually recognized for the Matriculation and Intermediate (Plus Two) examinations only, by the Calcutta University, but not for the B.A. examination. I had therefore to take “Alternative English” for my vernacular at the B.A. examination. That, by the way was no problem for me for I loved English literature and had wide reading in English poetry and English essays. I started reading Palgrave’s “Golden Treasury” right from Class VIII on my own.

It took about ten to fifteen years of agitation for recognition of Manipuri as a Pass Course subject at the B.A. level by the Calcutta University which was the only university in Assam and Bengal. But when the recognition came there were no M.As. in Manipuri to teach Manipuri at the College level (Intermediate and B.A.). I was the first ever lecturer in Manipuri at the college level in the D.M. College which was the only college at that time. I wrote an Introduction to “Khangatha Sheireng” (Select Poems) published by the Manipuri Sahitya Parishad for the Intermediate class, which was like a thesis on Poetry. That was a great help to the students. When more colleges came up we had to recruit Second Class M.A.s in non-science subjects for teaching Manipuri at the college level, as second class M.A’s in English were hardly available even for teaching English. But during the period of about half a century Manipuri literature had a phenomenal growth in the fields (I) of studies in ancient Manipuri literature, prose works, historical treatises, chronicles, etc.,

(II) and modern Manipuri literature in the fields of poetry, drama, novels, short stories, literary criticism, linguistics, and Indology, inspired and stimulated in the beginning by the great literary renaissance in Bengal, with, of course, the necessary native Manipuri adaptations. (III) Many play houses also came up with stages for the modern plays, and scripts were prepared for regular shows, mainly inspired by Bengali plays but with necessary adaptations for the local needs and problems. (IV) Then the famous Shumaang Leelas of Manipur began to be based on new written scripts. Thus the native talent of the Manipuris found expression in a phenomenal growth in literature. (V) Mention also should be made of the great epic poem “The Khamba-Thoibi Sheireng” with 35,000 lines or more, of Mahakavi Angahal, the Homer of Manipur.

I happened to write the “Glimpses of Manipuri Language, Literature and Culture” on the request of my student in Manipuri Literature, the late Professor Nandalal Sharma who was teaching Manipuri in Manipur College, with his help in the portion concerning early Manipuri literature; and it was published by the Manipuri Sahitya Parishad in 1970. This was submitted to the Government of India by the Manipuri Shaitya Parishad as the Annexure to their memorandum for the inclusion of Manipuri in the VIIIth Schedule to the Constitution. The recognition came. The labour was not in vain.
And then we have to note the vast growth of Manipuri literature from 1970 to 2006 A.D. !
We now come back to the subject of Manipuri Script, with which we started the discussion : We are proud that we have a script of our own and we certainly should know it to be able to read our Puyas (old scriptures).
The question now is : (i) If all these volumes are burnt up for being printed in the Bengali script, what would remain to be read in the Meitei script, except the old Puyas in manuscript in a few hands ? But these are not for the general readers, or young learners, but for a few specialists.
(ii) Another question is, if all the books are to be reprinted, how many lakhs and crores of rupees would be required ? Who will finance these ?
(iii) The great English and American literature, as also the French and German literatures, not to mention others, are printed in the Roman script. What is the harm in that ?
(iv) If we print Manipuri in the Meitei script, the hill people will be printing Manipuri books, if at all, in the Roman script, with all the problems of spelling. And those Hill people who have been reading Manipuri books and dailies and periodicals will cease to do so; and thus introducing a great divide between the Hills and Valley people at a time when we need closer links.
(v) I am not preaching. I am only raising questions which arise in my mind and other people like myself. And we only want some wiser people to find the answers and come to a consensus. We should not be fanatics; we should have the habit of discussion and coming to a consensus. This is the great lesson we have to learn from the British people.

9. Literature in the languages in our Hills I would now take up another question : What are we doing to learn the literature in the languages in our Hills, written in the Roman script ? Should we not make some attempt to get them translated into Meitei-Manipuri in collaboration with the writers and scholars in these languages; if not all the books, select pieces at least from these books. I think that will be a great help in the promotion of mutual understanding. Awards also should be given for good literature in the Hills.

10. The Unity of Modern Manipur : the Founding Fathers
Maharajkumar Priyabrata Singh (the Prince Charming of the legends), Major Khathing, Athikho Daiho, Dr. Kampu, and later on, Teba Kilong; along with Oja S. Krishnamohan Singh, the Gandhian, M.A. with a degree in law, who was the personal adviser of M.K. P.B. during the time of drafting the Manipur Constitution Act (though he was not a man of electoral politics); these may be regarded as the Founding Fathers of a united Modern Manipur. Their statues should be installed in some central place, to inspire us in the work of building a united and progressive Modern Manipur. We should not betray them.

11. The Stillwell Road If the law and order situation as a result of insurgency continues like what it is at present, the dream of our Indo-South Asian Highway through Manipur will vanish. Assam is pleading for the Stillwell road through Ledo. If this gets through, Manipur will remain in the backyard as undeveloped as it is now; and the number of unemployed youth and older people will grow. Social turmoil will increase as a result, from bad to worse and worse. It is now time for the underground groups to come together and start negotiation with the Government and come to an agreement. Restoration of the “Inner-line Permit System” is the one crucial thing. The rail connection from Jiribam to Tupul and onwards to Moreh is another point of crucial importance; and there should be no delay in this. The Tipaimukh Project may be a great geological threat potential; and all possible case should be taken in its implementation to avoid any adverse consequences. The ole Tongjai Mari Road, straight to Jiribam, if properly developed, will help reduce prices and cost of living in Manipur, and this is a very important objective in governance.
Ailing system Nagaland Post Editorial
So far the expected response from ULFA on holding political negotiations with New Delhi appears to have hit a kind of road block which needs to be removed in order to set the ball rolling towards a negotiated settlement. Various agreements with different groups including those ongoing negotiations prove that there can be no time frame. However, these do not divert from the core issue of bringing about an end to mindless violence that has plagued the region since the late fifties particularly after the Nagas began resisting the constitutional rule of the Government of India over all the areas that the British colonial government left behind. The panacea for peace in the north east as being expounded by several politicians and eminent personalities of the region appear to concur on the need to address the issue through negotiations but taking care that the seal of any agreement should be made after consultation with various groups. There were those who held the view that development of the backward areas of the region need to be given due importance as it was believed to be one of the major factors that had contributed to the rise of militancy. The problems in the north eastern states is because the same dim approach which the colonial rulers used was pursued by New Delhi till it veered round the fact, that it could not solve the problem militarily; for example, the Naga movement, which instead grew stronger because of the atrocities beginning in the late fifties. The plea for launching rapid development also has had its negative consequences when states which were given generous doses of central funds showed total lack of accountability. This brought in corruption which soon spread like a virus adding to the social problems which then acted as contributory factor towards swelling the rank of militant groups. Insurgency has distorted the social, economic and political profile of the region as a result of the insensitiveness of the mandarins in South Block. For one demographic concern as well as unemployment were some of the core factors that led to rise of militancy in Assam. The root causes for insurgency may be economic backwardness along with political alienation due to the insensitivity of the national mainstream to their plight . According to many experts of insurgency, the spread of various militant groups has been described as an organised attempt to exploit a people who were faced with deteriorating social and economic conditions. The economic backwardness of much of the north east is said to be due to the unexploited natural resources and inadequate infrastructural development. Also the cycle of corruption and improper development has created the politician-contractor-insurgent nexus in the region. This has poisoned the system and created loss of confidence of people, and thereby opened the gates of hostility. Criminilisation of politics and politicisation of criminals goes by another name in the region but this unholy nexus is not peculiar to the region widespread throughout the country. With the problem still continuing to remain unresolved in many states, the tide of unemployment situation has lent an edge towards militant tendency by creating numerous insurgent outfits in all the states of northeast India.
Talks with NDFB Assam Tribune Editorial
More than 15 months have passed since the day militant outfit National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) signed a formal cease-fire agreement with the Government of India, but formal talks between the Government and the NDFB is yet to start and both sides are blaming each other for the delay. The term of the cease-fire agreement, which was initially signed for one year, was over on May 30 and it was extended for a period of six months and that too will expire on November 30 and one hopes that the formal talks will start before the expiry of the term of the agreement for a political solution to the problem. The NDFB is blaming the Government for the delay in starting of the formal talks, while, on the other hand, the Government is claiming that the delay on the part of the NDFB in submitting its charter of demands delayed the whole process. The signing of the cease-fire agreement has brought down the level of violence in the Bodo dominated areas of the State, but that alone will not help in solving the problem and formal talks must start at the earliest for finding a solution to the Bodo political problem. The NDFB leaders admitted that though they prepared a charter of demands after series of talks with different Bodo mass organizations, but final touches to it could not be given by the central committee of the outfit because of some communication gap among the leaders. The NDFB should submit the charter of demands as soon as possible to set the ball rolling for talks if it is really interested in a political solution to the problem.

With the NDFB still insisting that liberation of Boroland would be its main demand, it remains to be seen whether the Government of India can persuade the outfit to accept more powers within the State of Asom for a political solution to the problem. The Government of India created the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) within the provisions of the amended Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India only couple of years back after the signing of the peace pact with the Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) and now it will be difficult for the Government to dissolve the Council to find a solution to the demands of the NDFB. The NDFB will have to be persuaded to accept more powers within the BTC, which may prove to be a tough task. The BTC authorities should also be included in the process of talks with the NDFB as the Council has a democratically elected body and the Government cannot overlook it while seeking a solution to the problems of the NDFB. Of course, the NDFB leadership held informal talks with the BTC authorities but in the formal talks also, active participation of the BTC authorities should be ensured. The Government should also make it clear what it can offer to the NDFB at the beginning of the formal talks.

Meanwhile, talks with other militant groups are also not progressing satisfactorily and the United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) has already announced its decision to suspend the process of talks with the Government terming the same as “useless exercise”. The UPDS has been demanding a separate state for Karbi people and the Government has already made it clear that further division of the State was out of question. The same is the fate of the talks with the Dima Halam Daogah (DHD), which is fighting for a separate state for the Dimasa people as the outfit has time and again expressed its displeasure over the progress of the talks. The Government should immediately come up with alternative proposals specifying what it can offer to these outfits in lieu of their demand for creation of separate states. The BLT was fighting for a separate state of Bodoland but the outfit could be persuaded to accept creation of a territorial council within the state of Asom and there is no reason as to why the UPDS and DHD cannot be persuaded to accept solution of their problems within the geographical boundary of Asom.