Not many Manipuris (Meiteis) are likely to be convinced by Union home minister Rajnath Singh’s recent assertion that the word Manipur finds no mention in the 3 August 2015 Framework Naga Peace Accord signed by the NSCN(IM) leaders, Isak Swu and Th Muivah and Indian interlocutor RN Ravi, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The message is clear that the Meiteis need not worry about their state’s territorial integrity being in danger, and that it is the Congress which is instilling such fear for its own political gains. What is intriguing though is why is the Centre not making the contents of the “framework” public? Besides, what was the hurry in rushing through such an interim arrangement? The integration issue remains. The NSCN (IM) leadership has made it clear that it will never compromise on the issue.
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And the implication of the failure of Naga talks is obvious ~ it will throw Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Manipur into turmoil, Ever since Manipur’s accession to the Indian Union in 1949, the Centre has treated Manipur in a lackadaisical manner. Though smaller in size, Nagaland attained statehood in December 1963. Manipur had to wait until 1972. When in 1974 the Centre brokered a ceasefire with Naga rebel leaders, Manipur’s four hill districts were brought under its jurisdiction even without consulting the state. In July 1997 when the United Front government led by Prime Minister IK Gujral brokered a ceasefire with the NSCN(IM) leadership, its contents were not made public. When the NSCN(IM) claimed it also covered Manipur, the Meiteis protested. Again in 2001, when the Vajpayee government, following the Bangkok agreement with the NSCN(IM), extended the ceasefire to Manipur, Meiteis revolted. Eighteen protesters were killed in police firing. Incidentally, all this took place when Manipur was under a short spell of President’s Rule.
When Ulfa leaders surrendered in December 2009 they were warmly received and the Assam government even treated them with velvet gloves. But when Manipur’s oldest rebel group United National Liberation Front chairman RK Meghen was nabbed in Dhaka in 2011, the Centre blacked out his whereabouts. He was reportedly taken to Kolkata by train blindfolded, Two months later came the news that he was arrested in Bihar while trying to enter Nepal.
Today Meghen is serving his ten-year prison term in Guwahati jail. Now, with the Election Commission announcing that the ongoing nearly four-month-old economic blockade ~ imposed by the United Naga Council ~ will, in no way, affect next month’s assembly election, it is anybody’s guess what is in store for the people of Manipur.
