Inter-district boundary demarcation behind land dispute between Andro and Maring Sandang Senba, Khullakpa moots district re-demarcation

Phanjoubam Chingkheingnanba *

A view of Andro

Allowed to settle in the thirties of the 20th century by the then elders of Andro and a Kabui village, Maring Sandangsenba village, which is located just a few distances away from Andro, had lived and maintained a harmonious life with the village of Andro inhabited by the Meiteis.

The village of Andro, located some 25 kms east from capital Imphal, has been in existence even before the embracing of Hinduism during the mid decades of 18th century by the majority Meitei community who settle in just 8 % of the total territorial area of whole Manipur.

The remaining 92 % are hill areas and are occupied by tribes and have consistently been claiming that the majority Meiteis which are sandwiched in less than 8% of Manipur are encroaching on tribal land areas. The village of Andro, which is one of the oldest villages in Manipur, had earlier lived peacefully and maintained cordial relationship with all its neighbouring villages of different ethnic groups for ages.

However, as shocking as it is, a serious land-related dispute developed between the two villages within a period of few months last year. Allegedly, the Maring Sandangsenba village fell down some trees at the very vicinity of the godly abode of Andro's s sylvan deities referred to as 'Nongpok Ningthou" and goddesses "Panthoibi" of the indigenous religion of the Andro Meiteis.

Unfortunately, the inter-village dispute was blown out of proportion by the tribal communities particularly the Manipuri Nagas, through their social bodies, as they termed it as an encroachment on tribal lands, all the while forgetting the fact that foothills all across the Imphal valley (Plateau) are deeply associated with the Meiteis from religious, historical and cultural aspects.

Though the sacred religious sites of Andro, known as Chaphu Uppi and Chongpa Loukon, are located in the foothills, it officially comes under the Manipuri Naga-dominated Senapati district while the village of Andro are included within Imphal East district. Nonetheless, the deeply religious Meiteis of Andro who resisted Hinduism for centuries continues to observe their traditional religion and considers the site as a sacred with which it shares an undeniable relationship.

As a part of this religious observance of the Andro people, annual rites are performed at the sacred site which has been in existence hundreds of years before Sandangsenba village was established in the thirties of the last century, as per their account.

On the way to Andro

But, the Sandang Senba Marring Village Authority, through the media in September 2015, claimed that villagers of Andro had encroached upon their land areas. In this regard, KS Morung of the Village Authority told this journalist that their village has been there for more than 100 years old and the area of religious sites of the Andro people belongs to them.

He even claimed that the Andro people had never regarded the "disputed area" as a religious site and alleged it to be a plot to encroach on "minority" tribal land which occupies 92 % of the total geographical area of Manipur and also are settled in large numbers in valley area. The Meiteis, on the other hand, are not allowed to purchase land in the hill areas even though it is a part of not just their state but an ancestral domain of the former kingdom of Manipur.

Prior to the claims of Mr. Morung, vast number of Andro villagers had went to the religious site in the hillside on September 18 and planted red flags to demarcate a certain boundary for their sacred sites. Though the planting of the flags by the Andro was to protect the site from forceful felling of woods for business purposes and cultivation activities by the Maring Sandansengba Nagas and a neighbouring Meitei village, it was interpreted as a call of confrontation by the entire Maring tribe and other Manipuri Naga tribal bodies and gave a clear response whether the planting of the flags were to be taken as a sign for declaration of "battle" from the Andro Meiteis as the colour (red) of the flag was similar to that of blood. However, the Andro villagers who allowed the Marring Sandansengba to practice Jhum cultivation and all other forms of agricultural activities blamed not just the Andro but the entire Meitei community as a ploy to grab the so-called tribal lands.

Nevertheless, what prompted the villagers of Andro to resort to planting of red flags and destruction of certain agricultural plants was the violation and forceful encroachment on the most sacred site of Andro and the majority Meitei community who are not allowed to purchase an inch of land in the hill areas of Manipur which amounts to 92% of the total land areas of the state.

Uchon Meitei villagers who sided with Maring Sandansengba village

Uchon/Uchol, a small locality, is a part of Andro and is inhabited by Meiteis scheduled caste. According to Mr. Korung, there was a "gunfight" between Sandansengba village and Uchon villagers in 1960's over the issue of the sacred land area during which Andro villagers did not intervene. The matter was later resolved between the two villages: Sandansengba and Uchol Meitei through peaceful dialogues.

Meanwhile, the Chief (known as Khullakpa) of Andro, Ch Gandhar out rightly refuted the claims of the Sandansengba Maring over the rightful possession of their sacred land areas and astutely cited historical documents to prove Andro's rightful boundary, as per one of the oldest Manipuri script (Chakpa Khonthoklon Khunkhailon) written in archaic Meitei script as well as modern documents ordered by the Deputy Commissioner of Manipur North District in 1976 which recognises the territory of Andro within which are also included the so-called disputed area of Chaphu Uppi. Interestingly, the Sandansengba Village had reportedly claimed in daily paper Huyen Lanpao in a news report in 2014 that they begin their settlement in 1930, according to the Andro Khullakpa.

The Andro chief, referred respectfully as Ipa Khullakpa, said few years back they had caught some Meitei villagers of Uchon red-handed while they were pulling wooden logs to engage in commercial activities. Upon enquiry, it was discovered that the wooden logs were those chopped down from the vicinity of the sacred site, added Khullakpa Gandhar.

As a part to punish for their sacrilegious dealings, Uchon Meitei villages were fined Rs 15, 000 by Andro. Still, they were allowed to carry out agricultural activities by Andro though a grudge had engulfed among the Meitei villagers of Uchon. Accordingly, in due course of time, Uchon and Sandansengba reportedly reached upon some agreements and decided to take possession of some vast tracts of land in the vicinity of the sacred site to achieve financial gains.

A local woman vegetable seller of Andro informed that cultivation was allowed to Uchon by the Marring Sandansengba village though they had to pay taxes them. The authenticity of this claim could not be verified as Uchon villagers are now reluctant to be involved in the matter.

A woman selling the famous pottery made from Andro village

Friends and brothers turn foe overnight

Surprised over the evolving land-encroachment issue, women vendors of Andro Bazaar said prior to the land dispute, many Marring women villagers would come down to Andro to sell their agricultural products. Recalling some of the names of the women vendors from Marring Sandansengba such as Khambi, Devi @ Thoibi (names withheld), one Andro women tea vendor Ibemcha lamented following the dispute, the Marring women villagers could no longer come to the market though Andro still continues to extend their friendship although they cannot compromise as regards to the sacred site.

Meanwhile, women of the Maring "Nagas" of Sandansengba in their village told this journalist that the women are not allowed to be involved in the matter and that it was to be dealt by the men of Sandansengba.

Ibemcha and many of other woman vegetable sellers who are uneducated and does not even know whether the sacred site falls within Senapati district or Imphal East district remarked villagers of Maring Sandansengba maintained brotherly relationship with Andro and always participated in every traditional events including Cheiraoba (Meitei New Year), traditional feasts of Chakouba. Youths of Andro also informed they personally knew almost all of their counterparts of Marring Sandansengba and still wishes to have cordial relationship with them though the latter have not responded to their positive gesture.

Possible conspiracy

The feud rising out for the control of certain tracts of areas and sacred site of Andro and Marring Sandansengba resulted because of the conception of the existing inter-district boundaries. When district demarcation of Manipur was made, the sacred site of Andro people was included within Senapati district as it was in the foothills, while Andro was confined within Imphal East district.

The inclusion of such an extremely important sacred site of the Andro people and the whole of Meetei community made the Manipuri tribal to assume or were misled to believe it as a land encroachment by the majority Meetei population who are confined in less than 8% of total land area of Manipur.

Unfortunately, prevailing antagonistic attitude towards the Meitei community and the demand for balkanisation of Manipur by Manipuri Nagas led by the Tangkhul-dominated NSCN (IM) which is propounding integration of Naga-inhabited areas with the Nagaland state and many of their civilian bodies have continuously distorted and politicize the dispute within two neighbouring villages, on ethnic lines, for reasons unbeknownst but advantageous for them.

In this regard, Khullakpa of Andro, mooted that re-demarcation of inter-district boundaries is an eminent necessity as many of the sacred sites of the Meiteis community all across the Imphal valley falls within the hill districts where tribal militants reigned supreme including at the areas of Nongmaijing hills, the Langol areas and Koubru areas.