Imphal, April 24 2009: Greeting the people of Manipur ahead of the 15th foundation day of the proscribed KYKL, its chairman Achou Toijamba has called upon the people to look back to the history of the land so as to envision a future.

In a statement issued to the press today, the KYKL leader said that there is the growing anxiety that the identity of the people of Manipur may be lost forever and those who have genuinely concerned about this have even laid down their lives to protect the distinct identity of the land and the people.

At this juncture, the Government of India along with their stooges in Manipur have been eliminating the revolutionaries at will, said the statement and added that despite the agenda of India, the revolutionaries are committed to winning back the lost sovereignty, to make the people self reliant.

Asserting the ultimate goal will be achieved, Toijamba however said that those who have taken up the struggle are few in number while the enemy along with their stooges in Manipur are numerous, have sophisticated weapons, unlimited funds and eat and drink whatever they want.

In contrast the revolutionary cadres are few, they live in the jungles and mountains and eat whatever is available.

Though they have family members they are unable to meet them.

Stating that it has been a long time since the armed struggle was launched, the chairman said that in this period, India Government along with their chamchas in Manipur have eliminated many, tortured many and jailed many.

Despite the struggle is on unabated because there are people who love the land and the people and who want to protect and uphold the identity and culture and tradition handed down by the fore fathers and who love the very idea of being a free people who do not have to depend on others for anything.

All these are possible because of the unstinted support and help extended by the people.

By looking back to the past, the future can be envisioned clearly, advocated Toijamba and added that if the public and the revolutionaries walk hand in hand, it will not take long the reach the ultimate goal.

However it is important that the people do not continue to live on imported culture and ideas, said the statement.

However the fact also stands that in today's world exchange of ideas and culture do take place.

In such a situation then it becomes imperative that the good points that the people pick from others should be done so in such a manner that it merges with the prevailing thoughts and culture in the land, said Toijamba.

This is the trend in all advanced societies and by amalgamating different points all try to project their culture and tradition to the comity of Nations.

As such the revolutionaries after basing their ideologies on the foundation of the history of the land need to discuss with the people on how to take the movement forward. At the moment the public are yet to move and they are not afraid.

It is only India and their agents here who are trying to frighten the people.

The culture of the past wherein the people lived freely, where there was love and compassion for each other and respect for all, has disappeared today, said the chairman.

To save the people and the land and restore its past, it is imperative that the people and the revolutionaries go together.

It is time that sincere efforts are put in not to depend on others for livelihood, build character of the people on the basis of the culture of the land and to live as equals with the rest of the world, said the KYKL leader.

It is time to trace the history of the land and people.

It is the culture of the land which moulded the character of the people, said Toijamba and added that as such there is the growing trend of minutely studying the culture of a people.

It is strong and firm culture of a people which have been the identifying point of a group of people, said the chairman further.

Sharing his observation, the KYKL leader that the present generation including the armed cadres are slowly drifting away from past culture of the land.

For thousand of years, the people of Manipur on the values and cultures handed down by history, said Toijamba and added during those days, the land had its own economic policy, political system, trust between people.

Obligations with regard to family, leikais etc were all spelt out.

There was also respect for each other, said the statement and added that all these were derived from the culture of the land.

During those days, people lived in freedom, there was division of labour with each given the work most suited to him or her, begging was frowned upon.

Such a culture made the people sincere and honest.

Religious beliefs and practices were such that it promoted peace and tranquillity paving a promising future for the younger generation.

It was because of the strong foundation of the culture of the land and the people that Manipur gifted the unique Sagol Kangjei, Kang gam, Pung Jagoi and other dance forms to the world, said Toijamba.

Today scholars are in agreement that the Loyumba Shinglen, the charter of administration is even older than Magna Carta.

The economic policy of the fore fathers based on the culture and religious practices of the land co-existed along with other economic policies.

Despite these historical facts, the Government of India along with their stooges here have been spreading the canards that the people here do not know how to live independently, do not know the basics of trade and commerce.

Nothing can be further from the truth, asserted Toijamba.

Such a trend of thought can be the handiwork of only the Government of India, said the KYKL leader and stressed that Manipur had its own market economy.

No one should forget that the international community recognise the people of Manipur on the basis of the economic policies, religious practices, political system which were thought up by the forefathers and practised down the ages.

What the people should not forget that there has been an incident because of which there is a grave threat to the identity of the people, said the chairman.

Indians are Aryans while the Manipuris are Mongoloids and there was never any relationship with India in history of the land.

There was a big difference between the religious beliefs and practices followed by Indians and Manipuris.

However after Shantidas arrived at Manipur, the religious beliefs and practices of the people started undergoing changes.

At long last, the King who took up the message of Shantidas became such a characterless man that he forcibly took a pregnant and married woman as his wife, said Toijamba.

The Puya which contained everything precious to the people such as the political system, economic policy, Jagoi, Thang-Ta, script etc was consigned to the flames at the order of the king.

Places of worship, the Wangoi Lai Konung Laipham etc were razed to the ground, said the statement.

This led to a gradual loss in the character of the people as a whole and seeds of distrust and hatred were sowed.

Everyone started becoming self centred and the love for one's land and culture began to erode, said the KYKL leader.

In such a situation, it did not take the Burmese long to invade Manipur in 1819 which led to the seven years devastation.

This was the first time that Manipur lost her sovereignty.

However in 1826 the lost sovereignty was restored but Ningthi Tampak was lost to the Burmese.

However after this, the Kings of Manipur were lost in the reverie of Hinduism.

No efforts were taken up to revive the eroded culture of the land and gradually inched towards the system prevalent in India.

Then following the in fighting between the royal princes of the land, the British invaded Manipur in 1891 and subjugated the land and the people.

Then in 1947, Manipur regained her sovereignty.

However some Bengal educated people of Manipur and engineered the annexation of the land by India in 1949 .

Manipur lost her independence twice because no attempt was made to revive the prevailing culture prior to 1709.It is time for the public and the revolutionaries to point out each others' mistake and make a concerted effort to revive all that was alive before 1709, added Toijamba.

Comment