The Armed Political Movement Of Manipur Nagas Till The Signing Of Framework Agreement
- Part 3 -

Aheibam Koireng Singh / Sukhdeba Sharma Hanjabam / Homen Thangjam *

Demands

The demand for the Nagas during NNC was only the sovereignty of the Naga Hills. This was the only and core demand. However, with the formation of NSCN and later NSCN (IM), the demands multiplied with fluctuating priority and intensity. The Manipuri Naga of NSCN-IM has constructed the Naga territory with no foundation and merely on painting/drawing/cartography. Many of them are not even aware that there are other communities in these areas. This was the root cause of ethnic conflict in Manipur.

Even after NSCN-IM have entered into political dialogue with the GoI, leadership of the outfit maintains that their demand includes sovereignty, integration of Naga inhabited areas and creation of a Cultural Council. This is in contrast to the documents that are circulated by the NSCN-IM for public consumption or official information.

The situation has reached such a level that it is more about bargaining than a process for honourable settlement. For instance, according to NNC, the demands of NSCN-IM were 31 in number ('NSCN 31-Point Competencies Proposal 2005', NNC). NNC observed that "Muivah and Isak deviated from the Naga national stand ever since 1980, they had submitted a 31-Point Competencies Proposal to the GoI in 2001, demanding autonomy within the Indian Union and integration of some contiguous Naga areas into one administrative entity. This is simply a modified form of Suisa's proposal and not different from that of 16-Point Agreement of 1960 signed between the GoI and the so-called Naga People's Convention (NPC)".

On the other hand, NSCN-K reported that the claims of NSCN-IM were 33 in total. Besides the leaked negotiation file of GOI and NSCN-IM presents a different picture covering 26 points. In this, the focus was on prioritising entitlements to the Tangkhuls of Manipur. In addition, Imphal Times, a Imphal based Newspaper and also a face book page of Naga by Blood reveals that there are 50 points for discussion and 18 points for the Naga New Government(See Imphal Times Archives ).

However, the GoI has ruled out sovereignty and integration of contiguous Naga areas to hammer out a solution to the more than 60-year-old Indo-Naga political problem. It has reportedly offered greater autonomy to Nagas living in states outside Nagaland, an arrangement that has been opposed by non-Naga organisations in Manipur. In the statement of PM Manmohan Singh,
"Whatever is possible will be possible even after 100 years but whatever is not possible will not be possible even after 100 years,"

This has been communicated by Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, after meeting PM on April 2012. This has initiated the silent demand of the Manipuri Nagas of NSCN-IM to the GoI to settle their case as they are quite aware that the GOI has now succeeded in separating Manipur and Nagaland for giving separate solutions. NSCN-IM with the help of RN Ravi is lobbying with the Government of Manipur to create a space for honourable exit as the Manipuri Nagas has and will have no place in Nagaland.

This was revealed during interactions with public intellectuals of Manipur and RN Ravi at the Prime Minister Office, New Delhi and also in Manipur. The public intellectual were invited by the RN Ravi to comment on the development of Manipuri Nagas and also to find a way out to honourably resolve the issue. Similar concern for the Manipuri Nagas was also shared to the leaders of AMUCO, UCM, and Committee of Civil Society Kangleipak (CCSK) which were invited by RN Ravi to share their concern on the framework agreement or Naga peace accord.

Intervention by Elected Representatives

The elected representatives in Manipur particularly the cohorts of NSCN-IM have so far not created an enemy in Manipur politics. They are able to play the game of politics with the tune of the situation. For instance, when the Manipur State was in transition from Monarchy to Democracy, the tribal particularly Naga representatives (elected and nominated) participated in the Manipur's nation building by involving in different capacities including Constitution Making, and later on as Cabinet Ministers, Speakers and Advisors, etc.

Table No 3: First Government of Manipur

SL No	Name	Position	Community
1	M.K Priyobrata Singh	Chief Minister	Meitei
2	Dr. N. Leiren Singh	Minister	Meitei
3	A. Ibungotomcha Singh	Minister	Meitei
4	A. Gourabidhu Singh	Minister	Meitei
5	Md. Alimuddin	Minister	Meitei Pangal
6	R. Khathing	Minister	Naga
7	Teba Killong	Minister	Khulmi
8	T.C. Tiangkham	Speaker	Kuki-Chin
9	T. Bokul	Deputy Speaker	Meitei

Note: All of them except the Chief Minister were popularly elected MLAs

Even when the State was degraded to the status of a Part C State, the tribals particularly Nagas were elected to the Parliament as Manipur people representative. The Nagas have represented as member of Lok Sabha (Outer) continuously from 1952 till 1967 and out of the 19 representatives elected so far; nine of them belong to the Nagas. What is interesting is that the first three (1952-57-62) representatives are from Ukhrul district, Manipur and belong to Tangkhul Naga. Besides, there were no instances that the Nagas have not contested in any election of Manipur.

Table No 4: Lok Sabha (Outer) Representatives from Manipur (1952-2014)

Sl No	Year	Name	Community
1	1952-	Rishang Keishing	Naga
2	1957-	Rungsung Suisa	Naga
3	1962-	Rishang Keishing	Naga
4	1967-	Paokai Haokip	Kuki-Chin
5	1971-	Paokai Haokip	Kuki-Chin
6	1977-	Yangmaso Shaiza	Naga
7	1980-	N. Gouzagin	Kuki-Chin
8	1984-	Meijinlung Kamson	Naga
9	1989-	Meijinlung Kamson	Naga
10	1991-	Meijinlung Kamson	Naga
11	1996-	Meijinlung Kamson	Naga
12	1998-	Kim Gangte	Kuki-Chin
13	1999-	Holkhomang Haokip	Kuki-Chin
14	2004-	Mani Charenamei	Naga
15	2009-	Thangso Baite	Kuki-Chin
16	2014-	Thangso Baite	Kuki-Chin

Source: Compiled by Authors from Lok Sabha website

However, after NSCN-IM gained power in the hill areas of Manipur, they started dictating their mandates to the elected representatives (sic. Nagas) and they supported the movement openly by submitting memorandums to the GoI. But as their hold weakened, we find the withdrawal of elected Naga leaders from the movement. This is enough to indicate that their force is insignificant. It is at this stage that the Muivah in consultation with NPF leader Rio attempted to expand their political parties in Manipur under the banner of NPF by amending the constitution of NPF which was limited to Nagaland. However, they could not make much influence. For instance, NPF candidates were defeated even in the home constituency of Th. Muivah. This is in addition to the resolution taken by the Nagaland Legislative Assembly.

For instance, the 9th Session of the 12th Nagaland Legislative Assembly unanimously resolved and reiterated the earlier resolutions of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly dated December 12, 1964, August 28, 1970, September 16, 1994 and December 18, 2003, demanding integration of all contiguous Naga inhabited areas under one administrative umbrella, and to urge the GoI to fulfil the same. The Manipur Legislative Assembly also had taken resolution to safeguard the territorial Integrity of Manipur. The latest resolution taken by the Manipur Legislative Assembly was on 31st August, 2015. Similar resolutions were also taken earlier. The 2002 resolution is reproduced to indicate the content and intention of the resolutions.

"Whereas, the present Territorial boundaries of the erstwhile princely state of Manipur is continued to be maintained without being challenged by any authority even after the merger of the State of Manipur with the Union of India under the Merger Agreement dated 21st September, 1949 and even after the State of Manipur became a Part C State under the Union of India with effect from 23rd January, 1959. Such territorial boundaries of the State of Manipur continued to be protected under the provisions of the Territorial Council Act, 1950, Union Territories Act, 1963 and under the provisions of North Eastern Areas (Re-organization) Act, 1971, in which Manipur attained Statehood in 1972.

And Whereas, the Manipur Legislative Assembly in its Resolutions passed on 24th March 1995, 14th March 1997, 17th July 1998, 17th December 1998 and 22nd March 2001 resolved unanimously to protect the Territorial Integrity of Manipur that existed at the time of merger of the State of Manipur with the Union of India, while urging upon the Union of India to take all necessary actions for protecting the Territorial Integrity of Manipur.

This House, therefore, in its sitting specially held on this 12th day of June, 2002, while unanimously reiterating the earlier resolutions to maintain the Territorial Integrity of the State of Manipur, resolves to urge upon the GoI to make suitable amendments of Article 3 of the Constitution of India or to insert appropriate provisions in the constitution of India for protecting the Territorial Integrity of the State of Manipur and pending the aforesaid amendments and incorporation, the GoI be urged upon to assure the People of Manipur on the floor of the Parliament that the Territorial Integrity of Manipur will not be disturbed at any cost."

The resolution taken by the Nagaland Legislative Assembly was taken as a continuation of the 9th point agreement signed between GoI and NNC, where the territorial aspiration or contiguous Naga inhabited areas was in relation to Assam only. However, with the formation of NSCN-IM, the resolution was misinterpreted under the influence of Th Muivah so as to include the territorial aspiration on Manipur. This becomes inevitable as the NSCN-IM led Manipuri Nagas is well aware of the fact that they are considered outsider and therefore could never create a space for themselves in Nagaland.

(To be continued)

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* Aheibam Koireng Singh / Sukhdeba Sharma Hanjabam / Homen Thangjam wrote this article for e-pao.net
The writer can be contacted at akoireng(at)gmail(DOT)com
This article was posted on November 08, 2016.

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