Making Nupi Lan observance meaningful
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: December 12 2011 -

Nupilal memorial complex Imphal at Night in 2008

Women of Manipur have always played a very important role in the various aspect of the society, especially in its economic sphere. They have also always come to the forefront in various issues which have serious implications for the society.

We find many instances in recorded history of women of Manipur coming out to fight injustices of various, regardless of the consequences.

Though these movements came about spontaneously out of a sheer sense of survival, since the women faced the direct brunt of the injustices, these movements inevitably raised larger questions about the exploitative and oppressive nature of the political system then in place.

Two such resistance movements led by and launched by stand out, which are now referred to as Nupi Lans.

The first of these occurred in the year 1904, when the then political agent Lt Col H St P Maxwell ordered the revival of the Lalup and tried to force the male inhabitants of Imphal town to rebuild the bunglow of the Assistant political agent which was burnt down as a fall out of palace intrigues.

Thousands of women assembled at the compound of the Political Agent demanding the rescinding of the order. Beyond the political machinations with a eye to the throne, what is significant about the First Nupi Lan is the opposition to the re-imposition of an inherently exploitative Lalup system which is nothing but an euphemism for forced labour.

In the year 1939 excessive rain badly affected the paddy production in the state leading to its scarcity, the situation was aggravated by the fact that rice was being exported outside the state.

Though the State Durbar passed a resolution to ban further export of rice on September 13 in view of the shortage, the rice export resumed shortly by the order of the Maharaja.

Angered by this insensitive decision, women in their thousands stormed the State Durbar and cornered the President of the State Durbar T A Sharpe. They further took him to the telegraph office to get the Maharaja, (who was not in Manipur) to rescind his order. A contingent of the Assam Rifles was sent in to rescue the State Durbar President who bayonet charged the agitating women which left several of them severely injured.

The incident which happened on December 12 is observed every year as the 'Nupi Lan Day' in remembrance of those heroic women of Manipur who fought against an unjust, insensitive economic policy.

Over the years women of Manipur have continued to organize themselves and take up issue which affected the well being of the society at large.

In recent times, women took up the issue of rampant alcoholism in the state in the 1980s which led to the state being declared a prohibited state.

Later, it was the women again which took up the fight against the violation of human rights by the security forces under the shield of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958. And Irom Sharmila has carried on this struggle to superhuman level by continuing her fast eleven years on.

While we celebrate the courage and dedication of the women of the state for their immense contributions in the fight against injustice and various ills afflicting our society and reap the benefit of these struggles, we should also do to our outmost to improve their lot in every possible way.

For, inspite of their visibility and participation in larger issues of the society, they themselves are still subjected to various forms of exploitation and oppression. There is the need to empower them in the true sense and not just expect them to lead the fight if and when a situation or an issue arises.

Facilities and opportunities should be provided for their education and all round personality development and incentives to become economically independent.

There is also a need for for their greater participation in decision making, which is far too inadequate at present.

Only when the society and the state makes all these possible, will the celebration of Nupi Lan have real meaning.