-By Apashon Tombing-
The unprecedented joint meeting of all apex tribal bodies on 13 May 2016 in Lamka has injected a heavy dose of optimism towards finding amicable and just solution to the ongoing tribal movement. Even as I applaud and welcome such initiative, I am still left with much to ponder. In other words I am full of scepticism.
Scepticism, in and of itself, is NOT a bad thing especially if it is supported by solid and undeniable facts. It then allow one to dig deeper into any given issue and to read between the lines. Such "positive scepticism", if excercised well enough, allow one to see things in perspective which in turn is the opposite of judging and believing at it's face value. So there goes my defence before I tore into the ever-present Kuki Innpi Manipur in the context of the ongoing tribal movement.
While I accepted that Kuki Innpi Manipur is a much respected body of the Kukis and a big player in the ongoing tribal movement, I doubted it's sincerity and loyalty. Everytime the Innpi tries to play a role in the movement, things go awry. There have been many examples of blunders committed by Kuki Innpi Manipur ever since protests erupted in Lamka, Central Lamka to be precise, to become the tribal movement as we know it today. I will not go into all details but one specific example stuck with me.
Between 19-22 November 2015, a three day consultative cum cultural programme on 'peaceful co-existence among indigenous people of Manipur' was held at GM Hall in Imphal.
Speaking at the event on 22 November, Mr Thangkhosei Haokip,, President of Kuki Innpi Manipur said, and I quote, "all issues pertaining to Manipur and its people should be resolved within the State and no room should be given for external forces to interfere in the internal affairs of Manipur".
He continued, "the proposal to resolve the internal issues of Manipur at Delhi needs a serious rethinking".
Clearly Mr Thangkhosei Haokip, and by extension the Kuki Innpi Manipur had always considered our most trusted organisations such as the Manipur Tribals Forum Delhi as "external forces" that has no place in the internal issues of Manipur. This is a stupid logic and if Kuki Innpi Manipur attended the joint meeting of 13 May 2016 in Lamka with that logic, I don't trust it's participation one bit. Given a chance Kuki Innpi Manipur would over rule and belittle the one organisation that have had made significant impact in the political corridors of New Delhi. No amount of Kuki Innpi Manipur's efforts will match what the Manipur Tribals Forum Delhi has already achieved in New Delhi. Had Kuki Innpi Manipur had even a tiny speck of maturity, it would have appreciated what the Manipur Tribals Forum Delhi has done. But no, they are not capable of such thoughts. And hence my doubt.
And there is more. The same Mr Haokip also said that "the unfortunate incidents that took place at Moreh and Churachandpur in the course and after the ILPS movement were really tragic. There was a strong suspicion that the some external hand was involved in the two incidents".
Really? Some "external hands" caused the tribal movement in Lamka? Can an organisation with such a strange logic be trusted to lead the tribal movement?
No, Kuki Innpi Manipur. Stop meddling in the internal affairs of tribals.
~ Apashon Tombing
The unprecedented joint meeting of all apex tribal bodies on 13 May 2016 in Lamka has injected a heavy dose of optimism towards finding amicable and just solution to the ongoing tribal movement. Even as I applaud and welcome such initiative, I am still left with much to ponder. In other words I am full of scepticism.
Scepticism, in and of itself, is NOT a bad thing especially if it is supported by solid and undeniable facts. It then allow one to dig deeper into any given issue and to read between the lines. Such "positive scepticism", if excercised well enough, allow one to see things in perspective which in turn is the opposite of judging and believing at it's face value. So there goes my defence before I tore into the ever-present Kuki Innpi Manipur in the context of the ongoing tribal movement.
While I accepted that Kuki Innpi Manipur is a much respected body of the Kukis and a big player in the ongoing tribal movement, I doubted it's sincerity and loyalty. Everytime the Innpi tries to play a role in the movement, things go awry. There have been many examples of blunders committed by Kuki Innpi Manipur ever since protests erupted in Lamka, Central Lamka to be precise, to become the tribal movement as we know it today. I will not go into all details but one specific example stuck with me.
Between 19-22 November 2015, a three day consultative cum cultural programme on 'peaceful co-existence among indigenous people of Manipur' was held at GM Hall in Imphal.
Speaking at the event on 22 November, Mr Thangkhosei Haokip,, President of Kuki Innpi Manipur said, and I quote, "all issues pertaining to Manipur and its people should be resolved within the State and no room should be given for external forces to interfere in the internal affairs of Manipur".
He continued, "the proposal to resolve the internal issues of Manipur at Delhi needs a serious rethinking".
Clearly Mr Thangkhosei Haokip, and by extension the Kuki Innpi Manipur had always considered our most trusted organisations such as the Manipur Tribals Forum Delhi as "external forces" that has no place in the internal issues of Manipur. This is a stupid logic and if Kuki Innpi Manipur attended the joint meeting of 13 May 2016 in Lamka with that logic, I don't trust it's participation one bit. Given a chance Kuki Innpi Manipur would over rule and belittle the one organisation that have had made significant impact in the political corridors of New Delhi. No amount of Kuki Innpi Manipur's efforts will match what the Manipur Tribals Forum Delhi has already achieved in New Delhi. Had Kuki Innpi Manipur had even a tiny speck of maturity, it would have appreciated what the Manipur Tribals Forum Delhi has done. But no, they are not capable of such thoughts. And hence my doubt.
And there is more. The same Mr Haokip also said that "the unfortunate incidents that took place at Moreh and Churachandpur in the course and after the ILPS movement were really tragic. There was a strong suspicion that the some external hand was involved in the two incidents".
Really? Some "external hands" caused the tribal movement in Lamka? Can an organisation with such a strange logic be trusted to lead the tribal movement?
No, Kuki Innpi Manipur. Stop meddling in the internal affairs of tribals.
~ Apashon Tombing
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