The CorCom general strike begins from 1:00 am till 6:30 pm of August 15. Essential services like medical, electricity, water supply, fire service, media and religious observances are exempted from the purview of the strike.
TFM Desk
Coordination Committee (CorCom), a conglomerate of proscribed armed groups in Manipur, Alliance for Socialist Unity (ASUK), another groups comprising of banned groups and armed outfits like Socialists Revolutionary Party (SOREPA) have separately announced a general strike, shutdown and boycott of India’s Independence Day celebration in the state. Like previous years, CorCom has maintained that Manipur is not a part of India’s independence narrative and calls for a general strike on August 15, 2023.
The general strike from 1:00 am till 6:30 pm of August 15. Essential services like medical, electricity, water supply, fire service, media and religious observances are exempted from the purview of the strike.
According to a statement issued by the banned armed groups, Manipur’s historical and sovereign identity has been marginalized within the “framework of India’s colonial rule”. While terming the ongoing ethic violence as “engineered”, the committee said it reflected India’s “divisive policies”.
CorCom’s statement laid emphasis on Manipur’s historical significance as a legal entity even before British colonial rule for over two thousand years and added that Manipur existed as an Asiatic Sovereign Power for centuries, with a “written constitution” and the political entity having signed “international treaties” with other powers.
With India’s annexation of Manipur in 1949, Manipur’s sovereign historicity was made to disappear said CorCom. The committee said that Manipur Merger Agreement, 1949 led to the imposition of India’s Independence Day celebrations in the state. CorCom said it was now time for the ethnic communities in Manipur to unite as “Manipur People” and seek their inalienable right to self-determination.
CorCom also pointed out that Manipur is facing the present ethnic crisis as a result of India’s divisive policies and “its use of hate-based tactics as part of counter-insurgency operations”. The committee appealed to the people of Manipur to note the strategies and understand the impossibility of restoring Manipur’s lost sovereignty within the framework of “India’s colonial constitution”.
ASUK boycotts
On similar lines, Alliance for Socialist Unity (ASUK), a group comprising of proscribed armed groups KYKL and KCP also announced a total shutdown on August 15.
In a statement, ASUK said that Indian Independence Day is slated to be observed in other parts of India and Manipur in a grand manner but the day is in no way related to Manipur. While asserting that Manipur’s Independence Day falls on August 14, ASUK asked why the day is being observed by few groups in a private manner while August 15 is observed with the support of the state government.
While announcing the total shutdown on August 15, ASUK also referred to the current ethnic unrest and pointed out that the people never ever imagined that the Kuki-Zo community armed with sophisticated weapons would launched a series of attacks on the Meitei community who did not even have single barrelled guns by killings, arsons, and burning down of houses. Even the retaliatory attacks by the Meetei community also surprised all, said ASUK. “The current ethnic violence has shattered our hearts and minds for we always dreamt of a united and unified struggle but all the supressed nationalities of the WESEA region”.
“The episodes of ethnic violence is one way to demoralise the armed revolutionary groups. It is a ploy of the colonial administration and there is no doubt about it. It is a ploy to destroy the ethnic solidarity and collective living of two communities by employing “Chanakya niti” that encourages destruction of the enemy’s family, infighting, and killings”, alleged ASUK.
“Kuki-Zo armed militants attacking Meitei is akin to a younger brother hacking his elder at the behest of an outsider without realising that both would be injured in this type of fight.”, said ASUK and hence the retaliation. “Those who are trapped by the enemy include the Kuki-Zo narco-terrorist aided and abetted by some from colonial occupiers from outside the state and some even from the Meitei community”.
Stating that the unfolding of the ethnic violence has taught a valuable lesson, ASUK argued that “the stark reality can be seen by all. This violence has also shown us how much strength we have for forging unity. This episode also has shown as that the women can take charge without any fear”, said ASUK and likened the contribution of the women to Third Nuplan.
“There is a necessity of a defensive war so long as our younger brothers realise the futility of their efforts and till they realise who are the real people hell bent on diving us”, said ASUK. “This episode has also taught us that the Meetei people did not have a long vision or strategic culture to defend ourselves unlike the war in 1891. Our forefathers then had a clear strategic culture but with Manipur’s annexation to India, theres cultures have been long forgotten”, stated ASUK.
ASUK has announced the total shutdown from 6 am August 15 till 6 pm evening of that same day.
Conspiracy to root out unified struggle, says SOREPA
Socialist Revolutionary Party (SOREPA), Kangleipak, another armed group has also called for the boycott of India’s Independence.
In a statement, SOREPA said in an effort to root out the “freedom struggle” of a country, it has become imperative for the colonial expansionists to break the unified strength of the people.
Referring to the current violence in Manipur, SOREPA alleged that there has been a consistent effort to hammer a wedge between different communities of Kangleipkak.
SOREPA also mentioned that the creation of the present Kangleipak and an independent nation in the past was contributed by not one single ethnic group but many. Mangang, Luwang,Khuman,Angom, Moirang, Kha-nganba, Sarang Leishangthem, Aimol, Anal, Chiru, Chothe, Hmar, Kharam, Khoibu, Koirao, Kom, Lamkang, Liangmai, Mao, Maram, Maring, Monsang, Moyon, Poumai, Purum,
Kabui, Tangkhul(Luhuppa), Tarao, Thadou, Thangal, Nongpok Haram and Nongchup Haram etc, all lived together as one, said SOREPA. “It is time for the people to understand that how the people of Manipur regained its collective character after the seven years devastation by the Burmese. We appeal to all not to be swayed by the path charted by India.
SOREPA also termed the current spate of violence that began from May 3 as “a Proxy War jointly launched by colonial occupying force and foreign mercenaries. Please do not fall prey to faked and fabricated history for the people who were once given shelter by Meitei kings”.
“The future generation of Khongjai people should note that due to an armed confrontation with the Burmese/Myanmarese, they has been forced to flee their land in that country. And amongst those who fled Burma, are rich drug-lords are teaming up with Indian security forces for their own interests by creating drug-cartels. These people are the ones who had misguided the innocent Khongsai people of Manipur”, alleged SOREPA.
SOREPA requested the innocent Khongsai who had been given shelter and refuge in 18/19the century by the Meitei Kings not to follow the vested interests from within their own community.
SOREPA’s general strike will begin from 4 am and end at 5 pm on August 15.
Integrity of Manipur should not be challenged on ethnic lines: KCP
Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), a proscribed armed groups on the occasion of its 19th Raising Day of its armed wing, Miyamgi Fingang Lanmi (Red Army) has stated that the integrity of Manipur should not be challenged on ethnic lines.
In a statement, KCP said that the party leaders and its Miyamgi Fingang Lanmi paid rich tributes to all those who have laid down their lives in the course of the revolutionary movement.
The proscribed group conveyed its solidarity to all the people who have been driven out of their homes due to the ethnic violence, which has displaced over 60,000 people.
Dwelling on the ethnic violence, the KCP has alleged that illegal immigrant Kuki “narco-terrorists” have been fighting a proxy war against the Meiteis for the past three months on the objective of creating “Zalengam”.
KCP People’s War Group (Marxist Centre) announces emergency
Proscribed KCP People;s War Group (Marxist Centre) has imposed an emergency on August 15 from 6 am to 6 pm.
In a statement, the armed outfit said that Kangleipak, even before the birth of India was never a colony of British India. Manipur was a protected province under the Birtish crown.
Dwelling on the current issue, the outfit said prolonged colonial tactics of divide and rule policy has trapped non-indigenous people making them fight the real indigenous people in a secret alliance with the forces of colonialism.