Imphal, November 29, 2024 (DIPR): The Government of Manipur strongly disapproves of the comments of Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma on the internal matters of Manipur in an interview carried in the Hindustan Times under the caption ‘Biren Singh a liability for party, state, people’.
One may recall that the Mizoram CM had recently give a controversial speech in the US by calling for formation of a Christian nation by carving out areas from Bangladesh, Myanmar and India. In his words, ‘I want us to have the conviction and confidence that one day, though the strength of God, who made us a nation, we will rise together under one leadership to achieve our destiny of nationhood’.
Lalduhoma’s political career is also otherwise not bereft of controversies. He had joined politics after leaving the Indian Police Service. In 1986, he earned the dubious distinction of becoming the first ever MP in the country to be discharged under anti-defection law. Thirty-four years later in 2020, he also became the first MLA in the country to be disqualified on charge of breaching the same law.
In his interview, the Mizoram CM reveals his democratic credentials by espousing imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur while opposing boundary fencing of the Indo-Myanmar international border. He also calls for reunification of the Zo people. He also talks about possibility of armed militias in Manipur pointing their guns at Delhi and need for disarming, and sincere negotiations with hill leaders. He further questions the use of border fencing saying smuggling of guns, weapons and drugs could not be stopped along Indo-Bangladesh border despite existence of border fence.
The Mizoram Government has been steadfast in opposing the efforts of the Indian Government to fence its open borders with neighbouring Myanmar for the purpose of curbing illegal immigration, trafficking of arms and drugs, internal security and defence. Myanmar is the origin of most of the illegal immigration and drugs problems that Manipur has been facing.
The ongoing crisis in Manipur is a creation of illegal immigrants from Myanmar, whose economy, after illegally settling in the State, driven by cultivation of illicit poppy, had taken a severe hit under Chief Minister N. Biren Singh’s War on Drugs. It is not on account of any anti-tribal policy of the State Government, as has been falsely portrayed by the Mizoram CM through fabricated narratives and history. Mizoram Chief Minister must note that Manipur has a recorded history and a rich culture going back thousands of years unlike Mizoram which was carved out of the State of Assam only a few decades ago. The then Princely State of Manipur, with an area of 8620 square miles and a population of 5.12 lakh had formally merged with the Union of India in October 1949. (Source: White Paper on Indian States by the Ministry of States; Published: 1950)
In the period between 1969 till present, there has been an increase in number of villages in the districts of Kangpokpi, Tengnoupal, Chandel, Churachandpur and Pherzawl by 893, from 731 to 1624. In the remaining hill districts of Tamenglong, Noney, Senapati, Ukhrul and Kamjong, which are Naga-dominated, the increase during the same period is a figure of merely 49, up from 527 to 576, a mere 9% increase. The Mizoram CM is apparently unable to fathom the reasons behind this abnormal 122% increase in mushrooming of villages, many of which are in forest areas, in the first group of hill districts, which are Kuki dominated, or which has a sizeable Kuki population.
Lalduhoma may like to recollect that the Mizoram Government, in view of similar concerns of pressure on land, livelihoods and resources, had instructed Myanmar nationals not to purchase land and run business without prior permission from State Government. In addition, the foreigners should also not enrol for Aadhaar, voter list or obtain driving license, amongst others. The Mizoram CM is engaging in double standard when he criticises the decision of the Manipur Government to tackle the issue of illegal immigration similarly in Manipur as ‘anti-tribal’. The dignitary should understand that people in Manipur are also as human as those in Mizoram and feel the mounting pressure of illegal immigrants on land, livelihoods and resources equally.
The State of Mizoram has fixed a cut-off date in 1950 for defining Indigenous Persons and Non-Indigenous Persons for the purpose of implementing the Inner Line Permit system. The Manipur Government had likewise set out cut-off date in 1951 for similar purpose in the Manipur People Bill. Yet, in the book ‘the Indigenous Zomi’ co-authored by S. Khamzalian Ngaihte and K. Vungzamawi, the authors refer to the ‘Manipur Peoples Bill’ where the bill sets out 1951 as base year to qualify as ‘Manipur People’. The authors voice concern as follows: ‘if the act is to be implemented almost eighty percent of the tribal population in the hill areas will be excluded from’ qualification as ‘Manipur People’ and ‘will be treated as ‘Non-Manipur persons’ … ‘with disastrous consequences’. The Mizoram CM may like to dwell on these lines and ponder over the scale of illegal immigration that has happened since 1951 as voiced by these authors from within the so-called Kuki-Zo community, instead of talking about discrimination against tribals by the Manipur Government. Incidentally, Manipur Government has fixed a cut-off date of 31st December, 1961 for the said purpose subsequently.
During the period from 2017 till date, the Manipur Government launched War on Drugs and seized or destroyed drugs worth Rs. 60,000 crores in the international market. This includes 304 kg of heroin powder, 3,775 kg of brown sugar, 1,804 kg of opium, 1,976 kg of WY tablets and 422 kg of SP tablets, ice crystal and pseudoephedrine. 16,787 acres of poppy cultivation were destroyed. There was a decline of 60% of acreage under illicit poppy cultivation between 2021 and 2023 as per satellite imagery. On account of efforts of State Government and assistance of Central government agencies, the transit of drugs within the State of Manipur has come down to almost nil currently. On the other hand, Mizoram has now emerged as the favoured route for international transit of illegal arms, ammunition and drugs between India and Myanmar. The Mizoram CM may like to focus on the looming threat on Mizo society from the drugs trade instead of passing unwarranted comments on legally justified acts of the Government of Manipur to combat drugs trafficking by labelling these acts as ‘anti-tribal’.
The Biren Singh Government has been making continuous efforts towards restoration of peace and normalcy. The Government has been providing food, clothing and shelter to over 60,000 persons staying in relief camps across the State. Combing operations to recover arms and ammunition looted from police armouries continue to be undertaken with success. Law-breakers have been brought to book and impartial investigations are underway in thousands of cases, closely supervised by SITs constituted by Centre. Sensitive cases have been handed over to NIA and CBI. A Commission of Inquiry headed by a retired Supreme Court Judge is enquiring into the origins of the ethnic conflict.
Several efforts towards peace, including meeting of legislators convened have resulted in major developments with the Thadou community, the largest tribe in Manipur, and the Hmar tribe, expressing willingness to end the crisis, with the Meiteis and the Liangmai tribes reciprocating wholeheartedly.
India must be wary of the greater agenda of carving a Kuki-Chin Christian nation out of contiguous areas of Myanmar, India and Bangladesh, played out over decades of meticulous planning, through illegal immigration, land grabbing, displacement of original indigenous peoples, formation of Kuki-Chin dominated districts, establishment of Autonomous District Councils, upgradation of such Councils to Scheduled Areas, amalgamation of Kuki-Chin areas and finally Nationhood. One must be wary of any attempt to push illegal Kuki-Chin immigrants from Mizoram to Manipur for land grabbing and creation of Greater Mizoram as part of this process.
The Government of Manipur will not allow fragmentation of North East India at the behest of foreign vested interests, or such secessionist interests as openly espoused by the Mizoram CM. Any individual, group or organization working with such intent shall be met with the strong hands of the law. The Mizoram CM can display better statesmanship by being a good neighbour rather than stoke fire of hatred and division.
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