INSCRIPTION ON THE STONE AT TRIBAL MYRTARS MEMORIAL PARK | LAMKA

INSCRIPTION ON THE STONE:

“MAY OUR LAST WALK BE YOUR FIRST STEP”

AT NO POINT IN HISTORY HAVE THE ANCESTRAL TERRITORIES OF THE INDIGENOUS ZO (CHIN-KUKI-ZOMI/MIZO) AND NAGA ETHNIC TRIBES OF PRESENT-DAY MANIPUR BEEN A PART OF THE ERSTWHILE MANIPURI KINGDOM. RATHER, THE ZO AND NAGA TRIBES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SOVEREIGN, AUTONOMOUS AND SELF-GOVERNING UNTIL THE BRITISH IMPERIALISTS AMALGAMATED THE VALLEY KINGDOM WITH THE SURROUNDING ZO AND NAGA TERRITORIES FOR PURELY ADMINISTRATIVE CONVENIENCE AND WITHOUT ANY HISTORICAL JUSTIFICATION. UNDER BRITISH INDIA, WHILE THE MANIPURI MONARCH CONTINUED TO RULE OVER HIS SUBJECTS IN THE VALLEY, THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ADMINISTERING THE TRIBES IN THE SURROUNDING HILLS, AS MAY BE NECESSARY, RESTED WITH THE BRITISH POLITICAL AGENT.

IN 1949,

THE THEN REIGNING MONARCH OF MANIPUR MERGED HIS VALLEY KINGDOM WITH THE INDIAN UNION; HOWEVER, THE SURROUNDING HILLS UNDER ZO AND NAGA TERRITORIES HAVE NOT BEEN A PARTY TO ANY MERGER AGREEMENT WITH ANY SOVEREIGN POLITY TO THIS DAY. NEVERTHELESS, THE PARTITIONED ZO AND NAGA TRIBESMEN THAT CONSTITUTED THE RE-CHRISTENED HILL AREAS OF MANIPUR STATE ENTERED A NEW CHAPTER IN THEIR POLITICAL HISTORY THAT SAW REPEATED INTRUSIONS BY THE STATE ON TRIBAL LAND RIGHTS COUPLED WITH AN APATHETIC ATTITUDE BY CONSECUTIVE GOVERNMENTS TOWARDS TRIBAL INTERESTS.

WHAT ENSUED WAS THE SYSTEMATIC EXPLOITATION OF THE ZO AND NAGA ETHNIC TRIBES OF PRESENT-DAY MANIPUR, ACCENTUATED BY THE VALLEY-DOMINATED MANIPUR GOVERNMENT'S BLATANT ATTEMPTS TO INFRINGE ON THE EXISTING CONSTITUTIONAL SAFEGUARDS PROVIDED TO THE TRIBAL PEOPLE. WITH THE STATE NEVER HESITANT TO OVERRIDE THE RIGHTS GUARANTEED TO THE TRIBES OF PRESENTDAY MANIPUR UNDER ARTICLE 371 C OF THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION, THE INDIGENOUS TRIBES CONTINUE TO BE VICTIMS OF SUCCESSIVE STATE GOVERNMENTS’ INTRINSIC POLICY OF CULTURAL AND SOCIAL SUBJUGATION, POLITICAL MARGINALIZATION AND DEVELOPMENTAL EXCLUSION IN THEIR OWN ANCESTRAL TERRITORIES.

THE PASSING OF THE THREE ANTI-TRIBAL BILLS BY MANIPUR LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY ON THE 31ST OF AUGUST, 2015 – THE PROTECTION OF MANIPUR PEOPLE BILL, 2015, THE MANIPUR LAND REVENUE & LAND REFORMS (SEVENTH AMENDMENT) BILL, 2015 AND THE MANIPUR SHOPS & ESTABLISHMENTS (SECOND AMENDMENT) BILL, 2015 – ADDED FUEL TO THE ALREADY SIMMERING DISCONTENT AMONG THE INDIGENOUS TRIBES OF THE HILL AREAS, RE-IGNITING THEIR FEARS AGAINST THE DISCRIMINATORY POLICIES OF THE MANIPUR GOVERNMENT.

THE TRIBAL MARTYRS MEMORIAL UNVEILED TODAY IS IN HONOUR OF THE NINE INNOCENT TRIBAL LIVES THAT WERE LOST AT THE HANDS OF THE MANIPUR GOVERNMENT THAT FATEFUL AUTUMN OF 2015.

“MAY OUR LAST WALK BE YOUR FIRST STEP”

THANGZALIAN PHAIPI | ROBERT V ZAMMINTHANG | K. PAUSUANLIAN | H. PAULIANMANG |KHAIJAMANG TOUTHANG K. LAMKHENTHANG | KHAMSIANMUAN |HENLALSON GANGTE | ENKHANKHUP SUANTE

from Zogam.com