Long live the Indigenous people, Long live Manipur

Dr. Rajkumari Sanjukta *

Sit-In and Rally to protest Killing of Student by Police firing and pro-ILPS on July 12 2015 :: Pix - Shanker Khangembam

I am skeptical about the effectiveness of the implemention of Inner Line Permit and the protection of the indigenous people. "ILP is an official travel document issued by the Government of India to allow inward travel of an Indian citizen into a protected/restricted area for a limited period. It is obligatory for Indian citizens from outside those states to obtain permit for entering into the protected state, either as Temporary of Regular permit for 15 days extended upto 6 months meant for the tourists".

How will this save the indigenous people? The present scenario in my dear Imaleibak is deplorable. There are different facet of this movement some call it "to save indigenous people" from falling into the sea of the illegal migrants and loss of identity, culture, heritage – which is highly applauded among learned and the diasporic Manipuris of our beloved motherland.

On the other hand the majority force behind the movement on the ground call it "Mayang Taanba" , issued open pressnote "no entry or exit of the non-Manpuri" until the struggle is settle, the masses are least sensitized about the core issues behind the movement. This creates fear or terror among the counterpart, and when we do this we call it "to save native people"- "Yelhoumee kanbagi khongjang" but if done from the other side we call it "Racism", irony. Oh my Mankind "Why are we so intolerant towards people who look different, be it in any parts of the globe".

ILP is not successful either in the states where it is implemented, then why replicate a failed regulation? I have spent more than a decade in some of this ILP implemented or protected areas, the ground reality is illegal land mafia is rampant among the native and the outsiders, land are purchased or dealt for the outsider in the name of a far farmer or villager for monitory benefit.

Control of immigration is a larger issue in this strategically located Northeast India with multiple and porous international borders, for which ILP is definitely not the answer (ILP specifically meant for the Indian citizen with valid identity).

Moreover, migrants do not enter the state and started owing lands belonging to the native people, or getting enrolled in the electoral list, dominate the market overnight etc. this is where the role of the state machinery comes, a system failure.

There are offices dealing with land registration, issue of domicile certificate, permanent residential certificate, EPIC registration or the new NCR – can't there be a check at these existing offices, the police deployed now to control the people's movement, be kept for monitoring any malpractices, rather than giving a notion at the entry gate to tourist "This is protected area, you need to go through another hurdle besides the pain of the terrain, turbulent costly flights which our own diaspora couldly hardly afford every year, undulating roads with potholes best fit for crocodiles".

We have so many flaws in our state machinery – corruption, tax defaulters, bill defaulters, overground, underground monopoly - eroding the state wealth and progress, the regular uncountable ethnic clashes, rampant Vyapam like model – Are all this done behind the scene? on the contrary, an open secret, No proof, off the record! Who will take the onus for this ? A single vote which was never done fairly, "Kwa gi paisa, Yu ki paisa, Nga gi paisa" had all exhausted, "my poor Praja"?

ILP movement – who is fighting whom? The "tear gas and the naori". ILP will be issued at the entry gate of the state, on road check gate, or at airport on arrival for air travellers. The creation of a power centre may lead to breeding corruptions, which is the most common outcome. Systems which are not people friendly or very complicated process for any thing (loan application, pension withdrawal, registration, visa applications and others) leads to empowerment of public relation officer to exploit the situation.

As such we are a poor and long neglected state with very less revenue and our main efforts should had been directed towards attracting people, showcasing the beautiful unexplored state. The compulsory Northeast LTC for the central government employee will never opt for my beloved Manipur out of the seven sisters. Manipur in the recent years had been very popular "Economic blockade, AFSPA, ILP movement, Insurgency, conflicts- and few determined struggles and efforts of individuals in the global arena". Convincing people to visit Manipur as an ideal tourist destination has become a herculean task.

Had it been a mass movement against the failed state machinery, an overwhelming support to AFSPA or had it been against corruption, or uniterrupted and quality education system, good roads, clean drinking water, for peace - far dreams. I am also among those mere spectator, a silent observer who never voice their opinion, but now I believe that the "Lamentable condition of the state is not only because of the violence or diktat of the bad people but also, because of the silence of the good or sane people". "Long live my beloved Manipur".