| Protection Of Indigenous Women's Traditional Markets | |||||||||
Amar Bazaar, Nupi Keithel * campaign meeting 16 - 17 November 2004 SANA KEITHEL, IMPHAL |
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Update information: On 24 November 2004, the state Government of Manipur demolished the old district Hospital to pave the way for construction of a multi-storeyed Market Complex at Khwairamband Nupi Keithel. Women of the three markets located there are to be shifted at the hospital premises temporarily for construction of the new market complex under financial assistance from the Union Urban Development Ministry.
History and background:  The "market woman" of Manipur is a living legend, an inimitable figure of Imphal City. She sits, typically, in Sana Keithel, the Golden Market, and the second largest women's market in Asia. One would say, today, looking at the slush and dilapidation, hardly golden! What is this force in Manipur, the "market women"? Could she have started two wars against the might of the British if she were merely a petty trader? Or as she is described today, a vendor? Obviously not. The Keithel of Manipur was not a vending place or a retail outlet. It was the centre of finance and commerce, rather like Bombay Stock Exchange and the Bankers' Federation rolled into one. This Market Women's Guild, like the Chambers of Commerce or like the great trading guilds of pre-industrial England, controlled prices, wages and stocks of goods. In the context of advisory and lobbying capacity with the administration also set revenue policy and maintained buffer stock for times of shortage. It also, inevitably, contributed to decisions of war and peace. It controlled all goods that went in, came out and passed through Manipur. No it was certainly not an association of shopkeepers and vendors! 
Each sagei or clan had its own specialisation: rice and rice products, textiles and cotton, ceramics, fresh produce and so on. It was organised. The wealth of the clans was managed in the Keithel, by the senior daughters-in-law, who, after years of apprenticeship and initiation were accorded the right and responsibility to represent their families by sitting in the Keithel, to deal on their behalf and to influence the economic policies of Manipur, in their favour. The vast networks of Keithel over the valley were integral components of this sophisticated commercial infrastructure. East outlying Keithel specialised in a particular group of products according to their sagei-leikai. So the Lamlong Keithel was the bourse of rice trade. Literally dozens of varieties of rice, perhaps hundreds were brought and sold there. And by bought and sold I mean traded, not retailed. So Wankhei and Maibam leikai were centres of textiles, cotton and silk. It is no wonder then, that the British, after being exposed to the ire of the "market woman" in 1904, for daring to encroach upon their preserve, and that too with disastrous effects, established "Maxwell's Bazaar". It was an integral component of the strategy to break the economic backbone of Manipur - the Market Women's Guild. This was the beginning of the engineered decline of the Keithel. With State patronage of their bourses eliminated, with new revenue laws and asset ownership patterns, with the control of finance and trade taken away by the British and their feudal representative, the Keithel withered. The "merger" with India has, of course struck a lethal blow. Colonialization of the Manipur economy, of its trade and finance, has left the Keithel powerless. The financial support to Indian traders by Indian banks and the policy of neglect of support to indigenous trade efforts have crippled it. The deliberate erosion of the indigenous production system s and the monopolisation of assets, finance and infrastructure, largely by Indian trading families, have starved it. Not content, or perhaps with a well-founded fear of its regenerative powers, the State is busy picking over the half-alive carcass. Repeated attempts have been made to take over the very precincts of the Keithel. Bills have been chopped off and encroached unto, plans have been chopped off and encroached unto, plans have been initiated to displace it, and it has been neglected in maintenance. The spirit, however, lives on strongly in the indomitable person of the "market woman". Even today, striped of her traditional, rightful power and role, she is struggling to survive. She has fearlessly, quietly and persistently refused to be displaced. Despite threats, cajolery, bribery and promises, she has forced concessions out of a tardy and corrupt government. The agitation to retain her physical space, the Keithel itself, has received far too little recognition. She has been in the forefront of agitations for the restoration of Human Rights. Beleaguered as she is, she still stands for the benevolent and provident spirit of Manipur, for the ethic of self-determination and self-sufficiency. In her capable hands the economy of Manipur prospered. She is not dead yet. If we revive and restore her, the people will surely prosper again. All over the North East the forces of globalization, privatization and liberalization backed by the Indian States hegemony over local economics and self-sufficiency are ousting the revenants and fragments of indigenous women's markets and production. Poverty is being created, intensified and deliberately entrenched. Will you help? 
Planned activities: Development planning must not weigh only immediate and short term benefits much less for the few but aim at equity, protection of human rights, long term and intergenerational impacts on economy, environment, subsistence and indigenous culture and traditions to assure sustainability. Clearly, the unified and consistent voice of these women is the strongest, most reliable monitor of these principles and aims. We seek the support and solidarity of all regional and international networks and organizations, in particular those of women, for the success of this struggle. You can 'Spend nights for solidarity': strengthen the market women's movement by mobilizing women to join the campaign for voices of women in the economy: pressure Governments of the North East region of India, the North Eastern Council, DONER and the Union government to protect and promote the traditional and indigenous women's markets including with proper and participative planning and sensitivity to tradition. demand by sending letters to the Chief Minister of Manipur, Proper protection from violence for the women who spend nights at the Keithel Proper maintenance of the women market in accordance of the demands of keithel women including drainage, garbage and waste disposal, water supply, power, sanitation and child care facilities spend nights for solidarity May be organized at the markets in your own home town, with photographs and brief write ups to be sent to the contact address below (so that we can share them at the keithel) and where possible, to join the women at the Keithel in Manipur itself. Small donations to support the struggle may be sent to the bank account of the Nupi Keithel Marup. Amounts up to 50 USD only from individual donors will be accepted. Bank information may be requested from the WLP programme, CORE. On behalf of the market women we seek support from all regional and international networks and organizations from the entire world requesting to organize groups of women to spend nights in solidarity with the women of the keithel and other traditional women's markets in north eastern India. Memorandum
The British occupied the Kangla as a cantonment from 1891 onwards. The conquered 'Kangla Fort' were publicly executed by the British. Since then, 'Kangla' has been under occupation by the Security forces/Assam Rifles. The gates of the historic Kangla fort was thrown open to the people of Manipur, with the DG of Assam Rifles formally handing over the symbolic key of the fort to Chief Minister, Manipur in front of the Prime Minister during an emotion charged public meeting inside Kangla on 27 November 2004. From Amar Bazaar (with two men escorts) Ms Gyennanda Gogoi, Dhemanji Assam Ms Monika Doley, Dhemanji Assam Mrs. Hirnya Doley, Dhemanji Assam Ms Pushapa Jaye, Dhemanji Assam Ms Rupawoti Jaye, Dhemanji Assam Ms Reepa Kuli, Dhemanji Assam Shri. Dipon Saikia, Dhemanji, Assam Shri. Shashi Dihingia, Dhemanji, Assam Ms Chandawati Padi, Dhemnaji Assam Miss Mina Kutam, Dhemanji Assam From Nupi Keithel Marup, Manipur Mrs Moirangthem Bidhu, President Mrs. A. Binodini, Vice President Mrs Laishram Ibempishak Devi, Convener Mrs Heisnam Radharani Devi, Joint Secy Mrs Pukhrambam. Ibemu, Secy 1470 members of the Keithel Marup For updates and other information, please contact Kumari Naorem - cpst@coremanipur.org Rita Boro - rboro@coremanipur.org CORE Centre for Organisation Research & Education Tel: +91 385 2444845, 2441319 --- +361 2228709, 2228730 Telefax: +91 361 2228730 This article was webcasted on Jan 14th 2005. |
