Manipur

Manipur
Map of India with Manipur highlighted.
Capital
• Coordinates		 Imphal
• 23.80° N 25.68° E
Largest city Imphal
Population (2001)
• Density		 2,388,634 ( 22nd)
• 107/km²
Area
• Districts		 22,327 km² ( 23rd)
• 9
Time zone IST ( UTC +5:30)
Establishment
• Governor
• Chief Minister
• Legislature (seats)		 1972- 01-21
• Shivinder Singh Sidhu ( list)
• Okram Ibobi Singh ( list)
• Unicameral (60)
Official language(s) Manipuri
Website manipur.nic.in
Abbreviation (ISO) IN-MN
Image:Manipurseal.png

Seal of Manipur

Manipur (মনিপুর) is a state in northeastern India making its capital in the city of Imphal. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland in the north, Mizoram in the south and Assam in the west; it also borders the country of Myanmar to the east.

The Meiteis from the valley region is one of the ethnic group in Manipur. Their language is Meitei (also known Meiteilon or Manipuri) which is also the lingua franca in the state. It was recognized as a national Indian language in 1992.

Manipur is considered a sensitive border state. Foreigners entering Manipur (including foreign citizens born in Manipur) must possess a Restricted Area Permit which can be obtained from the Foreigners’ Regional Registration Office in the "metros" (Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata) or certain other state government offices. Permits are valid for only 10 days, and visitors must travel only on tours arranged by authorised travel agents, in groups of four. Furthermore, they may come to Imphal only by air and will not be permitted to travel outside the capital.

Other facts

  • The game polo originated in Manipur. British soldiers and planters took it back to England, modified the rules and made it popular around the world.
  • Rosa macrocarpa, the beautiful species of rose, was discovered by Sir George Watt in Manipur in 1888.
  • Lord Irwin described Manipur as the "Switzerland of India".
  • Sarit Sarak and Thang ta, relatively unknown and unique Martial Art, originates from Manipur.
  • Manipur is famous for its classical and folk dances, including the graceful and soft Ras Lila, the acrobatic Pung cholom among others and the dance during the festival of god Laiharaoba known as maibi dance
  • Kaibul Lamjao National Park in Loktak lake is the natural habitat of the rare and endangered Brow antlered Deer (Cervus eldi eldi). Locally known as Sangai, it is one of three species of Elds deer in the world confined to South east Asia.
  • The Siroi Lily (Lilium Macklinae Sealy) is a beautiful lily found only in the upper reaches of the Siroi Hills in Manipur's Ukhrul District.
  • The Indian National Army (INA), led by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, planted the Tricolour at Moirang, Manipur which is the second town liberated by the INA, the first place being Andaman and Nicobar islands.
  • Manipur has 3 representatives in the Indian Union: 2 in the Lok Sabha (Lower House) and 1 in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House).

History

Manipur and Assam became involved in the disputes between Thailand and Burma, and Manipur took advantage of a Burmese invasion of Thailand to raid deep into its western frontier. This triggered the Burmese invasion of Manipur and Assam, which sucked in the British, ruling neighbouring Bengal. The British, to safeguard their position against the Burmese, intervened, defeated Burma and took over Assam, and brought Manipur under British paramountcy in 1891.

During the Second World War, Manipur was the scene of many fierce battles between the Japanese and Allied forces. The Japanese swept over East Asia and came up to Manipur. They were beaten back before they could enter Imphal and this proved to be one of the turning points of the War.

There are two cemeteries maintained by the British War Graves Commission in Manipur, which are the final resting places of several Indian and allied soldiers who died here.

In 1947, with British Parliament's repeal of British Paramountcy, in preparation for Indian independence, Manipur became an independent kingdom once again.

The King, Maharaja Budhachandra, began a process of democratisation of the state, enacting the Manipur Constitution Act, 1947, which established a democratic form of government with the Maharaja as the Executive Head and an elected legislature.

In 1949, the King Budhachandra was summoned to Shillong, capital of the Indian province of Assam and was forced to sign an agreement for merging the kingdom into India. the King had already signed the Instrument of Accession with the Indian Dominion in 1947.

Once Manipur became part of the Indian Union, India dissolved the State's Constitution Assembly in October, 1949, and made it into a part C state. Lateron it was further degraded to the status of the union territory from 1956 onwards.

In 1972, Manipur was elevated to the status of an state (or province).

People of Manipur

According to the 1991 census report, the total population of Manipur was 1,826,000 (18.26 lakhs) but in the 2000 census, it is expected to reach over 2.2 million (22 lakhs). The people of Manipur are grouped into three main ethnic communities - Meiteis those inhabiting the valley and 29 major tribes in the hills dividing into two main ethno-denominations, namely Nagas and Kuki-Chins. Under the Meiteis, Bamon and Meitei Pangans are also included. All speak Meiteilon or otherwise known as Manipuri to the outsiders. In addition to Meiteis, the valley is also inhabited by Nepalis, Bengalis, Marwaris and other Indian communities. At present several people from the hill have also migrated and settled in the valley. The Naga group consists of Zeliangrong (composed of three related tribes, namely, Rongmei or Kabui, and Liangmei and Zemei or Kacha Nagas), Tangkhul, Mao, Maram, Maring and Tarao. The Chin-Kuki group consists of Gangte, Hmar, Paite, Thadou, Vaiphei, Zou, Aimol, Chiru, Koireng, Kom, Anal, Chothe, Lamgang, Koirao, Thangal, Moyon and Monsang. In recent times, several Chin-Kuki communities have identified themselves as Nagas e.g. Anal, Kom, Thangal, etc. depending on socio-economic and geo-political advantages to the tribes. The term Chin is used for the people in the neighboring Chin state of Myanmar whereas Chins are called Kukis in the Indian side. Other groups like Paite, Zou, Gangte, and Vaiphei identify themselves as Zomi and have distanced themselves from the name, Kuki. Thadous remain the major Kuki population in this Chin-Kuki group while Hmar identify closer to the Mizo or Lushei group. The legend of all tribes including Meiteis claim that they originated somewhere in the north from a cave. The difference came only in later parts of the history after Meiteis were converted to Vaishnavism and the hill inhabitants became Christians.

Problems Facing Manipur

One of the biggest problems facing Manipuri society today is drug addiction. The effects of being geographically close to the Golden Triangle are being felt now. Hundreds of youth in their prime have been laid unproductive because of the drug scourge. They have become a burden to the society. Related to this evil is the spread of AIDS. Sharing of syringes among addicts is the most common reason for the spread of this disease. Now Manipur has one of the highest per capita HIV positive patients in India.

However the biggest problem which Manipur faces today is the armed insurgency. Years of neglect by the Government of India have not helped either. Due to the Mongoloid features of the natives, their unique culture, language and customs, Indians in other states find it quite difficult to believe that Manipuris are also Indians. Many Manipuris who studied outside the state have had a hard time explaining that Manipur was inside India and not somewhere near Thailand. Manipuris as other North East Indians face racism in mainland India where mainland Indians often call them derogatory names. Also the situation in Manipur is also not the right one for education and jobs. Having been under Indian rule for about 50 years now, Manipur poltics and beuracracy has also come to mirror the Indian way with the result that most state officials and ministers are very corrupt and take bribes for employment and education seats. It's not an uncommon thing for many people in Manipur to give huge sums of money to officials or ask favors to have their sons or daughters get selecetd for the medical or engineering exams. The people who do not have money to bribe or have contacts in high places often turn to insurgency. Another reason why they turn to insurgency is also because of the gross human rights violations meted out by the Indian para military forces against the people of Manipur. Indian para military forces, even the lowest ranks, have the power to shoot anyone at sight and this is often misused and so deaths of even small children, like 12 or 13 year old boys at the hands of the Indian army is not uncommon. Rape of local women by the Indian army is also common. International media hardly covers these human rights violations because they do not get to know, except for a very few. Maybe if RAP (the Restricted Area Permit) which the Indian govt. requires all foreigners to get for visiting MAnipur is lifted or extended for a longer time (from its mere 10 days), maybe more international media and International Human righst people will come to know of the situation first hand. For the hundreds of unemployed youth, joining a separatist group is sometimes the only option open to them. Today there are more than 10 separatist groups in Manipur.

List of Separatist groups in Manipur (from GlobalSecurity.org)

  • HPC Hmar People's Convention (Also known as HRF - Hmar Revolutionary Front)
  • KNF Kuki National Front
  • NSCN (I-M) National Socialist Council of Nagalim (I-M)
  • PREPAK People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak
  • UNLF United National Liberation Front
  • CKRF Chin Kuki Revolutionary Front
  • HPC(D) Hmar People's Convention (Democratic)
  • INF Islamic National Front
  • IPRA Indigenous People's Revolutionary Alliance
  • IRF Islamic Revolutionary Front
  • KCP Kangleipak Communist Party
  • KDF Kuki Defence Force
  • KIA Kuki Independent Army
  • KIF Kuki International Force
  • KKK Kangleipak Kanba Kanglup
  • KLF Kuki Liberation Front
  • KLO Kangleipak Liberation Organisation
  • KNA Kuki National Army
  • KNF(P) Kuki National Front (?)
  • KNV Kuki National Volunteers
  • KRF Kuki Revolutionary Front
  • KRPC Kom Rem People's Convention
  • KSF Kuki Security Force
  • KYKL(O) Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (Oken)
  • KYKL(T) Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (Toijamba)
  • MLTA Manipur Liberation Tiger Army
  • MPLF Manipur People's Liberation Front (Unified platform of UNLF, PLA and PREPAK)
  • PRA People's Republican Army
  • PULF People's United Liberation Front
  • RPF Revolutionary People's Front
  • UKLF United Kuki Liberation Front
  • ZRA Zomi Revolutionary Army
  • ZRV Zomi Revolutionary Volunteers

Payments of monthly dues to these groups have become routine. Insurgents claim that the money collected is being used to fight for freedom. In fact this extortion carried out in the name of Manipuri pride is so widespread that it has become a fact of life that the insurgents are running a parallel government. All politicians are involved in some way or the other, either through their own contacts with insurgent groups, or as supplicants paying their way out of trouble. Recently, the Chief Minister, Ikrom Ibobi Singh, was exposed as one of the people who had paid hush or protection money to two militant groups. The expose, made by the national magazine, Outlook, came through the unearthing of two receipts from insurgent groups acknowledging payments.

One issue which is likely to become a headache in the future is that of border disputes. There have been some minor border disputes with Myanmar (formerly Burma). Manipur is also involved in a border dispute with Nagaland.

Some steps have been taken by the Central government to appease the Manipuris. The long-standing demand to include the Manipuri language in the 8th schedule was finally granted (by the 71st amendment of the Constitution in 1992). Today Manipur has its own TV station.

November 20, 2004 was a landmark date in the history of Manipur when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh fulfilled a long-standing demand of the Manipuri people. He officially handed over the historic Kangla Fort to Manipur state government, which soon issued an ordinance taking over the administration and control. It had been headquarters of the paramilitary force, the Assam Rifles since 1915. It was finally opened to the general public after 113 years, 7 months, and 24 days.

The PM also upgraded the Manipur University into a Central University and laid the foundation stone for a 97.9 km long Jiribam - Imphal new broad gauge rail line project. The line ends at Tupul, 25 km away from Imphal.