Expanding the Identity Naga Nation and Threat to Integrity of Neighbouring Indian States
- Part 2 -

H Bhuban Singh *

Flag of Nagalim

Birth of insurgency in Manipur

20. When Manipuri youths learnt the news of grant of Statehood to Nagaland and ignoring Manipur and realised that obstinacy, insurgency and secessionism pays dividends, they started Peoples' Liberation Army (PLA), United National Liberation Front (UNLF) etc in early 1960s. These outfits and many others like KYKL (Kangleipak Yawol Kanba Lup), KCP (Kanglei Canba Party), KNA (Kuki National Army) etc numbering now nearing two dozens came into existence. The births of Meitei insurgents are Government of India's gift to Manipur, for the brazen mistake of gratifying the naughty and ignoring the faithful Manipuris. As you will find as you read on, GoI is continuing with this programme of appeasement of Nagas of Nagaland.

21. On the advice of American Baptist Church, the leaders of Naga Hills District demanded a railhead for the yet-to-be formed State of Nagaland. So, the plains area of Bokajan District of Assam was ceded to the State of Nagaland in order to include Dimapur Manipur Road junction. In the bargain, an aerodrome for air traffic known as Kohima aerodrome got established, not at Kohima, but at Dimapur plains area.

Statehood for Manipur

22. Over here, it may be pertinent to mention that Manipur managed to become a full-fledged State of India on 21 January 1972, almost nine years after Nagaland, consequent to mob violence in a public meeting addressed by the Late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at the Imphal Polo Ground. Incidentally, the first Chief Minister of the full-fledged State of Manipur was Md. Alimuddin. The line-up of the then Manipur State Cabinet of 20-3-72 was:-
* Md. Alimuddin, Chief Minister
* Yangmaso Shaiza, Finance Minister
* Shri Y Yaima Singh, Education Minister
* Ngurdinglen, Development Minister
* Kh. Chaoba Singh, PWD Minister

23. A Muslim Chief Minister of Manipur, when there was only one Muslim for every four hundred Manipuris or 0.25% of population displayed the broad-mindedness of Meitei Hindus. Amazingly Meiteis shared two Minister's berth equal to tribal population of Manipur.

Naga Peace Talks

24. Now, going back to Nagaland's history after Statehood, the Church instigated for more 'lebensraun'. They wanted the land areas of Manipur, where 'the so-called Manipuri Nagas are residing. So, using the camouflaged words "Peace Talks", they trapped GoI to initiate peace. At that point of time in April 1965, I was a Major in Zakhama commanding 19 Field Company, then an independent and self-accounting field unit of Bombay Engineering Group before Engineer Regiments were formed. So, I could see the happenings from the grandstand of the gallery

25. The Peace Mission, which soon ended as Quarrel Mission, consisted of Sarva Neta Jai Prakash Narayan, Shri Bimol Chandra Chaliha, former Chief Minister of Assam and Rev Peter Scott, representing Nagaland. While the talks did not progress as desired, on account of unacceptable demands put forth by Rev Peter Scott, it was found out that he was spying also. Hence, Rev Peter Scott was expelled from India as 'persona non grata' (unwanted person). Indeed, Government of India should have refused to accept Rev Peter Scott, a man from Church (religion) as representative of the State of Nagaland.

Three mighty events

26. Recently three mighty events happened in Manipur because of Nagaland Government and politicians and Naga civic bodies on one hand and GOM on the other hand. The first one was the front page headline news of Imphal Free Press dated Saturday, May 14 2011 which said "Tripartite talks on UNC (United Naga Council) demands." The details of the news said that UNC is the Naga Apex body and the talks would be held on May 30 at Senapati. The Govt of Manipur team consisting of H'ble Ministers N Biren, DD Thaisii, TN Haokip and Chief Secretary DS Poonia went to meet the powerful UNC. Nothing significant came out of the talks, except for waste of time, on blah, blah by leaders of UNC.

27. My question over this issue is "Is the United Naga Council (UNC) so powerful that the Council could summon H'ble Chief Minister of Manipur or GoM's Ministerial team backed up by Chief Secretary etc at their chosen place, chosen time and chosen date? Why is GoM surrendering to UNC? From my point of view UNC should descend from their lofty heights and come down to Imphal and seek for an appointment from our Chief Minister and hold dialogue. Yesterday (30 June 2011), I was watching and listening to DDK Imphal 7:00 pm evening news, there I saw Shri DS Poonia, completely bored but listening to the blah-blah of UNC representatives.

28. The second mighty event was the proposed visit of Nagaland Chief Minister, Shri Neiphiu Rio despite GoM's firm decision to prevent forcible entry into Senapati District of Manipur. GoM had dispatched IRB, MR, and Civil Police to prevent Shri Rio. However, I do believe that a telephone call from Shri P Chidambaram must had compelled the Manipur Chief Minister to cool down his heels and suffer in silence. The triumphant Rio opened a branch office of his regional party DAN (Democratic Association of Nagas) at Senapati, implying that Senapati District is now part of Nagaland.

29. The third mighty event was tea-shop public response in depressed mood, which was made loud and clear by Shri Radhabinod Koijam, ex-Chief Minister of Manipur, that we, Manipuris would never tolerate territorial expansion of Nagaland into Manipur.

30. Yesterday, 30 June 2011, I was watching and listening to DDK Imphal news bulletin at 7:00 pm and I saw the failed tripartite talks between UNC (United Naga Council) on the one hand and GoM (Government of Manipur) representatives on the other hand, and GoI representatives on third hand again at Senapati.

31. The line-up of both the teams of GoI and GoM indicated the seriousness of the talks. The team of GoI was led by Shri UK Bansal, Secretary (Internal Security) MHA; Shri AK Mishra, Jt Director (Intelligence Bureau); Shri Sambhu Singh, Jt Secretary, North East and Colonel SK Narayan, Director-II, Ministry of Defence.

32. GoM was represented by Chief Secretary Shri DS Poonia; Principal Secretary Shri LP Gonmei; Shri BK Kishpota, Commisssioner (Home); Shri Sajjad Hussain, Commissioner, Planning; Shri Sumant Singh, Secy to CM; Shri Devesh Deval, Jt Secy (Home); Shri Pradeep Kumar Jha; DC Senapatiand Shri Nishit Kr Ujwal, SP Senapati.

33. UNC was represented its Chairman Shri Sword Vasum, Member Secretary of UNC Shri L Adani, Mani Charanamei {ex-MP who was NSCM(IM)'s candidate and won election by guns of IM}, Shri K S Paul and others. The Talks failed, perhaps on the demand for splitting the geographical integrity of Manipur.

34. NSCN(IM)'s dream project is to carve out Nagalim (lim means land), reminiscent of 'lebensraun' or living space of Adolf Hitler's Germany, which ended in disaster for the German nation. The logo of Government of the People's Republic of Nagalim is 'Nagaland for Christ' shown at the side. NSCN(IM)'s ultimate aim is to do an East Timor to India. In any case, since a Government of People's Republic of Nagaland (GPRN) within the Republic of India, cannot exist side by side, the sanctuary provided to NSCN(IM) at Hebron Camp must be wound up immediately. NSCN(IM) are quislings and must be expelled from India. Is GOI listening please?

35. If the dictum that where the Nagas dominate, that area should be merged into Nagalim/Nagaland, is internationally accepted as holy truism, then for example, if the County of Plymouth is Indian dominated by settlement of Indians like Lord Paul of Marylebone, presently Deputy Speaker of House of Lords and Lord Meghnad Desai contesting for post of Speaker (refer the Hindu, June 15 2011) or Mr (probably Lord) VS Naipaul (author or 'An area of Darkness') and other Indians then, can India claim the County of Plymouth as the new twenty ninth State of India? Absolutely weird.

36. About three years ago, an able and brave and well educated Doctor of books, Dr Thingam Kishan, SDO, Ukhrul, was killed in presence of DC Ukhrul, who has now joined his parent cadre in Bihar. The ex-DC of Ukhrul perhaps knew about the proposed killing but is now avoiding investigation by the Sessions Court of Manipur. For the dreaded NSCN(IM) "laws are for law books only; in the jungles and in the hills, the law is what the cadres of NSCN(IM) dictate and do". The Government of Manipur and the Ministry of Home of GOI must ban NSCN(IM) and root them out.

37. H'ble Home Minister P Chidambram an intellectual giant may condescend to read Military History, which was and still is, a subject taught in IMA, Dehradun, and OTS, Chennai. Also, I humbly advise him to read counter-insurgency campaigns like the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in the then French Indo-China fought in 1954, the suppression of Malaya Peninsula insurgents in 1946-47 by Major General Templar, later on CIGS (Chief of Imperial General Staff), UK, the revolt of Mau Mau terrorists in Kenya, about the same year, and the defeat of the mighty American Army supported by aircrafts of the USA's 7th Fleet of the Pacific Ocean, mid-1990s. The American Army was led by General Westmoreland and he used napalm bombs, which spread burning jelly sticking to the skin

The whole world saw the unique photograph of a young girl absolutely naked, crying and running to cool her skin. After years of search, she was located at the USA. General Westmoreland ultimately became Chief of the American Army, since there was no strategic blunder and tactical mistakes and deficiency of bravery by American forces.

38. At this juncture, please permit me to offer some accounts of factual things which were linguistically happening in the entire Himalayan ranges starting from Ladakh to Arunachal, upto the ancient Kingdom of Manipur. For example, Tenga Valley in Kameng District of Arunachal State has a valley of the River Tenga. And Tenga was derived from 'Thi' meaning 'plenty' and 'nga' meaning 'fish'. So, Thi-Nga became 'Tenga'. In Manipuri language, 'nga' means 'fish'. There is linguistic similarity. Bomdila is derived from 'bom' meaning 'bamboo', 'thi' meaning 'plenty' and 'la' meaning 'pass'. So, 'Bom-thi-la' became Bomdila which means a mountain pass, growing plenty of bamboo.

39. In 1962, I was a Major in Research and Development Establishment, Pune and went to Leh/Ladakh area for testing prototype equipment. There, I stayed in the Officers Mess of Brigadier TN Raina (later Chief Of Army Staff, Indian Army) at Darbuk. I went upto Chushul Lake, whose waters are shared half-half with India and China. Over there, I picked up some Ladakhi language, which I found was very similar to Manipuri language.

40. It is a fact that the ancient Kingdom of Manipur had a written history, known as Cheitharol Kumbaba (Royal Chronicles) right from 33 AD and Puyas or Puranaswhich were animistic religious books, written in Manipuri script. We believed in worshipping sylvan deity. Having a script and also having a written history do signify the extent of Meitei civilisation.

41. I must frankly and also proudly admit and proclaim that Meitei Kshetriyas (including Rajkumars) were all tribals before the advent of Hinduism. Meitei Kings, then known as Meidingus, used to inter-marry with tribal ladies and vice versa. Please permit me to tell you something about the history of Manipur.

42. Meidingu (meaning King) Charairongba ruled Manipur from 1697 to 1708 for eleven years only. It is probable that Charairongba was dethroned in a Palace intrigue. The Queen of Charairongba was Ningthilchaibi from a village near Maram. The Queen had a son, whose name was Pamheiba. On account of fear of killing the infant Pamheiba, Queen Ningthilchaibi arranged to bring up the infant Prince at her ancestral Maram village till time was ripe to crown her son.

43. The Queen conspired with a Kom tribal named Akom Kom who was a powerful courtier in the Palace, on two conditions that if the conspiracy succeeded, firstly, Akom Kom's daughter must marry the new Meidingu or son of Ningthelchaibi and secondly, he must be made a minister. The conspiracy succeeded and Pamheiba became Meidingu in 1708.

44. Around 1715 or near about, Shanti Das Gosain a Hindu Bengali Brahmin from Sylhet, then a part of Bengal Subah (province) of Moghul Empire came to Manipur and converted Meidingu Pamheiba into Hinduism and crowned him as Maharaja Garib Niwaj Singh and burnt the Puyas (animistic religious books) of Meiteis which the Maharaja and Shanti Das Gosain could collect.

45. Over here, I wanted to tell that Maharaja Garib Niwaj Singh conquered Burma upto Mandalay and over there he put a cut-mark by his sword on the door of the main Pagoda at Mandalay. The cut mark existed till late nineteen hundreds, but it does not exist now, since the Pagoda had been destroyed due to construction of four lane highway in Mandalay.

46. There is now a wind of revival of the old animistic religion, which is followed by about 5% of Meiteis. Also, Christianity has spread into Manipuri society perhaps to about 0.5% of Meitei population. Since India is an independent and free country, no one has any objection to the spread of Christianity or Buddhism etc or revival of Meitei animistic religion.

47. During the Meidingu and Maharaja periods, all tribal Chiefs were to come to Kangla Fort, Imphal, on the full moon night of the month of Kartik (month of Mera by Meitei calendar) and present a gift maybe a Tankhul spear or a Kabui sword or anything like a big pumpkin or a big potato etc. according to the Chief's resources. This tradition continued during the British period also when Manipur was ruled by Maharaja Churachand Singh, KCSI, CBE.

48. Now, because of the fear of hurting the sentiments of tribal being called as Hao (hill tribes), considered derogatory, "Mera Hao Chongba" has now been dubbed as "Mera Hou Chongba" since tribal Chiefs and Manipuri Kings danced and shouted "Hou! Hou! Hou! …… " etc. What stupid timidity on telling a historical truth! I have no shame in admitting that my ancestors were Haos (tribal as my surname Hoabam indicates). Haobams are descendents of Akom Kom.

49. During those of Meidingu period, the Kings of Manipur and perhaps the Meiteis also used to eat beef. So, at Kangla Fort, there is still a big, flat stone known as "Shan (cow), Hatpham (slaughter)".

50. During Lai-Haraoba functions, (the worship of sylvan deity) the presence of a real Tangkhul and a real Kabui was the normal practice, even during the reign of the last King of Manipur, Maharaja Bodhchandra Singh. Of course, after Manipur got merged into India on 15th October 1949, this practice stopped.

51. Here, I wish to mention that, I was and am still an experimenter of curious things. So, using an alarm clock, I got up at around 2:00 am on the Purnima (full moon) night of Mera (Kartik), some years ago (2005). To my utter surprise, the bright full moon shone so nicely without any speck of cloud in the sky that on this particular night as legend says that 'one can thread a needle' was found to be almost true. Anyone check it.

52. It is believed that Tangkhuls and Meiteis were brothers staying in the hills, when Imphal valley was a big lake. Loktak lake, one of the big lakes in India emptied itself when Imphal river screwed an outlet through nine rows of hills into Ningthee (Chindwin) turrel (river). During the reign of Maharaja Gambhir Singh Ningthi turrel was the boundary between Burma and Manipur.

53. Kabaw valley, an area of about 8000 sq. kms. up to Ningthee turrel to Meitei's and Chindwin river to Burmese belonged to Manipur by right of conquest by Maharaja Gambhir Singh followed by the settlement of Manipuries but it was gifted away to Burma in 1953, when India's first Prime Minister Pandit Nehru and Burmese Prime Minister U Nu visited Imphal. At that time, the Chief Commissioner of Manipur was Shri Rameshwar Prasad Bhargava, ICS and I wonder if Pandit Nehru consulted the CC of Manipur. Anyway, for the public of Manipur, it was a shocking news

To be continued....