United Gorkha Committee Manipur formed to meet new drafting committee on ILP Bills

9:32 AM

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United Gorkha Committee Manipur

KANGPOKPI, Jun 27: The Gorkhas of Manipur today formed a new organization to be the apex body of the Gorkha community in the State to address the grievances and issues related to the Gorkhas and represent the Gorkha community in sharing views and opinions with the new drafting committee on Inner Line Permit System [ILPS].

The newly formed Gorkha organization christened United Gorkha Committee, Manipur was formed during a meeting today at Rose English High School, Kanglatongbi.

Various Gorkha civil bodies including Gorkha women leaders, social workers, politicians, bureaucrats, intellectuals, well-wishers, etc attended the meeting.

The joint meeting of the Gorkhas unanimously resolved to form a coordinating committee to address the grievances and issues of Gorkha community in the State and to follow up the current burning issue of the State.

Rally for Inner Line Permit (ILP) by women activists of IMA Market at BT

While it resolved to name the committee as “United Gorkha Committee Manipur” which was reportedly constituted by various Gorkha civil bodies leaders, it also nominated some prominent Gorkha leaders and subsequently elected the office bearers of the newly formed committee.
Hari Prasad Nepal, Bhumi Prasad Vikas and Shiva Kumar Basnet were elected as president, vice president and general secretary respectively while LB Adhikari, Karan Rai, Dillip Bhurtel and Rajen Rai were elected as the joint secretaries.

Another seven persons were nominated as members in the meeting and it was also resolved to nominate members and advisory boards from other places of Gorkha inhabited areas.

Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Hari Prasad Nepal said that the Gorkhas in Manipur have various civil bodies but there is no organization to represent the entire Gorkha community as a whole on any issue so far in the State.

Therefore, UGCM is formed as the apex body of the Gorkhas of Manipur to tackle any issue of the Gorkha community, he added.

Nepal further said that UGCM will also represent the Gorkha community of Manipur in sharing views and opinions with the new drafting committee on ILPS and other current issues of the State while adding that it [UGCM] will address the grievances of the Gorkhas and work for the welfare of the community in the State.

Via thesangaiexpress

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MANIPUR GORKHA LEADERS ATTENDED PEOPLE'S CONSULTATION FOR BRINGING PEACE IN MANIPUR

10:12 PM

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Manipuri Gorkhas

Manipur 22nd June 2016 Manipur Gorkha Leaders including Hari Prasad Nepal (President Sadar Hills Gorkha Association, Gaon Bura Irang part 1), Shiva Kumar Basnet (Pradhan Kanglatombi Gram Panchayat), Vikas Basnet (Autonomous District Council Member), Lok Adhikari (General Secretary - All Manipur Gorkha Students' Union), Devi Prasad Thapa and Kasinath Thapa attended the People's Consultation for Bringing peace in Manipur.

The consultation program was organised by Concerned Citizens of Manipur on 22nd June at Siroy Conference Hall, Imphal Hotel, Manipur.

The Leaders said "We have share all our grievances faced during the ILPs movement, our settlement, coming of Gorkhas in Manipur, populations. The Chief Advisor of JCILP Women wings, Smt. L. Nganbi and Khaidem Mani Sr.Advocate Manipur were also there. They accepted our community as an indigenous community."

MANIPUR GORKHA LEADERS ATTENDED PEOPLE'S CONSULTATION FOR BRINGING PEACE IN MANIPUR

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Public petition urges Tribal JAC and JCILPS to end ILP impasse

10:46 AM

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Manipuri Gorkhas

IMPHAL, June 21: Over 500 people have come together to promote talks between the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System - JCILPS and the JAC Against Anti-Tribal Bills, Churachand-pur, JACAATB to end the ongoing impasse and restore communal harmony between the different communities of the State.

Significantly the campaigners are drawn from different communities of the State and the petitions are submitted online on Change.org.

Copies of the online petition have also been submitted to the JCILPS and JACAATB.
A memorandum each was also submitted to the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary requesting them to mediate between the two parties.

One of the signatories said, “We the signatories believe that dialogue is the only means to sort out the differences so that peace is restored.”

The petitioners produced ad verbatim the quotes from the JCILPS and JACAATB.
The Chief-Convenor of JACAATB H Mangchinkhup said : “There has been no initiative from the Manipur Government for any dialogue for the last 6 months. We are open to any dialogue with JCILPS.”

The Co-Convenor of JCILPS Md Kheiruddin Shah Moijingmayum said : “So far there has not been any initiative from Government of Manipur. Of course, want to go for a dialogue with JACAATB.”
One of the campaigners of the petition, Devakishor Soraisam is quoted as saying, “I was very worried about the present turmoil in Manipur, the growing distrust between the communities and the possibility of communal violence. I saw dialogue between the communities as the only way to ease this turmoil and bring about an amicable solution. I also saw that many people shared this same opinion, but our individual voices were not getting heard. Looking at this, I pitched this idea of a petition to my friends and jointly started this petition.”

Another campaigner, Ringo Pebam said, “We are not activists, we are not Civil Society Organisations, we are not influenced by the State or non-State actors, we are just common men like you and him and her, who see what we all see, and feel the urgent need for a dialogue between the spearheading committees of the hills and the valley for an amicable solution.”

Diana Elangbam, who signed the petition’s webpage in Change.org commented, “I am a daughter whose mother belongs to a tribal community and a father who belongs to the Meitei community and to my knowledge all I can say is that there has been a huge communication gap among the various communities of Manipur which can be solved through peaceful talks and this would be a great start.”
Another petitioner, Kenny Sialloa, said, “We have been living together for centuries. No force should allow us to live apart from each other.”

The petitioners are pinning their hopes on the two sides talking things over for peace.


Via Manipur Chronicle

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Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015 most harmful for Gorkha inhabitants

6:24 PM

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Politics

Writes: Binu Sundas

Fortunately for the Gorkha population residing in Manipur for years, the return of the Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015, recently, by the President of India, is a huge relief. This Bill along with the other two Bills, namely Manipur Land Reforms and Land Revenue (7th Amendment) Bill, 2015 and the Manipur Shops and Establishment (2nd Amendment) Bill, 2015 would have had a very adverse impact on the life world of the Gorkha, to the extent that eviction from the state could have become a norm. Of the Bills, the most harmful for the Gorkha inhabitants would be the Manipur Protection of Peoples Bill, 2015. The Bill, if passed and enacted as law, can declare any individual as non Manipuri if (s)he is not enumerated in all three registers 1. The National Register of Citizens, 1951, 2. The Census Report of 1951 and 3. The Village Directory of 1951. Therefore, what the Bill is trying to do is to make it difficult for the migrants to prove their provenance in Manipur. If enacted, this Bill can create another Bhutan-like situation for the Gorkha populace in Manipur.

Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015

The crisis can be viewed from the migration and economic resources mobilisation paradigm. Nepalis migrated to different parts of India prior to its independence. In the course of their movement, Gorkha also entered the fertile land the North East and Manipur.  The Gorkha have fought wars both for the British as well as  against them in the North East .  Some scholars push back the history of the Gorkhas in Manipur to the beginning of the 16th Century
(http://www.veergorkha.com/2011/12/gorkha-history-of-northeast-india.html). The main cause for migration is mostly related with the economic reasons but socio-political, cultural, environmental and geographical factors have also resulted in migration.

There can be host of reasons which motivates an individual to migrate but it also provides a platform to forge new forms of social and cultural relations and identity among the indigenous population as well as the immigrants arriving in the receiving society because migration often brings sudden and unanticipated contact of two or more very unfamiliar cultural systems, the consequence of which can be felt at both the intra group and inter group level. It can result into an enhanced collective consciousness and solidarity among those who migrate, based on kinship, community and ethnicity as well as by class. Symbols of ethnicity like religion, language, indicates to the migrants their origin. Such markers of ethnicity establishes the who ‘we’ and ‘they’ are and further helps to protect themselves from the hostilities and antagonism of the receiving society, even if these migrants are not aware of sharing these markers prior to migration. The migrants further develop their own and separate institutions and organisation for cohesion and solidarity amongst them in response to the discriminatory practices and treatment they perceive and experience at the hands of the receiving community (Richmond, 1988). Therefore migration is crucial for the inter-ethnic relations in a multi-ethnic society of the developing and modernising world as the protection of the space and the economic opportunities that exist within it are central objectives of a local population, while the expansion of opportunities are to the migrants (Weiner, 1978). This may results in conflict between the recipient and the migrating communities. Therefore the struggle to monopolise the resource is the cause for the conflict between these two groups. ‘Economic exchange brings people into contact; it does not bring them into agreement. Historically it has often produced a deeper awareness of the differences between peoples and stimulated mutual fears’ (Huntington 1996; 218).

What is happening in Manipur and the introduction of this Bill can be examined from this paradigm. When the region was underdeveloped and large holding of land was unutilised the natives of these places did not have any issue with the Gorkha population coming into the area as they were industrious and with their assiduousness contributed towards the development of the area. They started farming and cattle rearing and even fought wars for the Manipuri king and importantly established institutions which would safeguard their identity. The resources in the region was sustainable for the population and therefore there was no perceived threat from the ‘others’ to the receiving community ad assimilation took place. However, post independence with the development among human resources and the growth in population, competition for resources became severe and a perceptible fear gradually started taking roots among some of the Manipuris that the migrants would appropriate all their resources. Symbolic as well as concrete efforts were made to diminish the legitimacy of the Gorkha community as being part of the Manipuri society which reflected the antagonistic relations between the two groups. A letter to the editor in Sangai Express puts this fear in perspective

“The estimated migrant population in Manipur is around 7 lakhs which constitutes a-fourth of the population. If this trend is not stopped the indigenous/native population of Manipur would be reduced to a minority in another 2 or 3 decades like in the case of Sikkim and Tripura. But one thing, those who came before 1951 have no problem; they become Manipuris.

Would any society or state in India or any country in the world ever accept it? This is the grim reality in Manipur today and people are fighting for their survival.”

(http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/no-malice-no-bias-only-truth/)

Further Sapamcha Jadumani, president of Federation of Regional Indigenous Societies, some years ago said,

“According to the 2001 census the population of Manipur was 22,93,896. Out of this, 7,51,822 was the strength of the majority Meitei population, the tribal population was 6,70782, Mayang (outsider) population was over 7 lakh. This means there are more outsiders than tribals. There is only a difference of 40,000 between Meiteis and outsiders. Thus, there is a danger of indigenous Manipuri population being wiped out along with their culture, history and language. In 1946, there were just 64 Nepali homes, now they account for 3 lakh,”

(http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/manipur-demand-to-ban–outsiders–grows/943232/)

Historical accounts suggests that the government as well as the people of Manipur have acknowledged the contribution of the Gorkha people by naming streets after  Gorkhalis and giving land holding pattas to them and asking them to settle in the hills when the land in the valley became scarce, but now the situation has changed due to the competition for insufficient resources. What is required now?

Firstly as the Bill mandates that people should be able to prove their identity of being part of the state before or in 1951, which looks like a daunting task as many would not have it and since they are proclaiming that in 1946 there were only 64 Nepali household there is bound to be a lot of opposition even if people produce the requisite documents. For this the Gorkha population have to do as much research and keep all the records intact as re-examination of the bill by legal and constitutional expert is suggested. Further the people must also get their own legal and constitutional help.

It is time for the Gorkha institutions and organisation to liaison with everybody and form a strong opposition to this Bill. They have to meet important political leaders of the state and the centre, civil society members, NGOs and academicians. Gorkha Foundation has raised the issue of protection of Gorkha in the North East when it met the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Mr. Kiran Rijiju and in an informal meeting with Shri R P Sharma, Member of Parliament. This is not enough and larger delegations must be sent to leaders to pressurise the policy makers. Keeping in the light, the problems faced by the Gorkha population in India, it needs to be highlighted that the 1950 Friendship Treaty between India and Nepal also needs to be re-examined and accordingly ratified.

Most important of all , the entire Gorkha population of India should unite and fight against any action against the Gorkha population anywhere in India and coordinated, planned protest all over India should be organised to pressurise the government. We have for a very long time lived a life of a second class citizen, depending on the benevolence of others, it is time that we assert ourselves.

Binu Sundas  (Ph.D, JNU)
New Delhi http://binusundas.blogspot.in/
Via DT

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Gorkha Students felicitated in Manipur by AMGSU

12:13 AM

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Manipuri Gorkhas

Kangpokpi Manipur , Jun.19 2016: Based on the anonymous quote, “Climb high climb far your goal the sky your aim the star”, MLA Nemcha Kipgen motivated Gorkha students to strive beyond the best they can be during the state level felicitation of meritorious Gorkha student at Kangpokpi. The state level felicitation program was organized by All Manipur Gorkha Students’ Union (AMGSU) at District Council Hall, Kangpokpi to felicitate the meritorious Gorkha students who had successfully passed the HSLC and HSE examination in first division under state and centre board.

MLA Nemcha Kipgen while congratulating the meritorious students inspired them to set their goals high and also motivated them not to stop till they achieved it. She also said that student community should avoid keeping their studies aside and taking part in other issues which are not related to their responsibilities and duties as a student. The MLA also emphasized the vital of parents particularly in acknowledging the goals or desire of their wards in molding their careers to become a responsible and respected person in the society while illustrating various examples of parents compelling their wards to pursue in the field which is opposite of their [the student] goals and desire which could ultimately leads to destructive consequences.

The state level felicitation program was organized by All Manipur Gorkha Students’ Union (AMGSU)

The felicitation program was attended by MLA Nemcha Kipgen as Chief Guest while Bhumi Prasad Basnet, Executive Member, ADC Sadar Hills and Shiva Kumar Basnet, Pradhan, 7/24 Kanglatongbi Gram Panchayat as Guest of Honour. While Ch. Birendra Kumar, Assistant News Editor, DDK Imphal attended as Resource person, Chonkam Kipgen, Chairman Kangpokpi Town Committee and Anil Kumar Dahal, President, All Manipur Gorkha Students’ Union attended as Special Guest and Functional President respectively.

Around 171 successful candidates in Class-X and XII examination under Manipur state and Centre board including 48 Class X and 30 Class XII students under CBSE and 79 and 14 students under BOSEM and COHSEM respectively who were awarded Certificate of Appreciation by the organizing committee. Meanwhile, highest percentage scorers in state and centre board, subject toppers and teachers were also felicitated during the function with Certificate of Appreciation and Memento. Ch. Birendra Kumar,

Assistant News Editor, DDK Imphal said while lauding the efforts of AMGSU in felicitating the meritorious students that it is important to first worship the teachers rather God, who imparted us good lesson and positive thinking while we are never sure of our creator. According to the Assistant News Editor, DDK Imphal, a best and an excellent teacher never give the right answer to the students but taught them [the student] the way to seek and find his/her own right answer. The Asst. News Editor further lamented that academic education is not that important and student do not need much academic education but it need more value base education while inspiring the student to chose their ways of life by their value base education. Bhumi Prasad Basnet, Executive Member, ADC Sadar Hills, Shiva Kumar Basnet, Pradhan, KGP, Chonkam Kipgen, Chairman KTC and Anil Kumar Dahal, President, AMGSU also spoke on the occasion and motivated the students in various aspects.


Via Prateet Pradhan

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GORKHAS CHANT PEACE AT PEOPLE'S CONVENTION, DELHI

8:08 PM

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Manipuri Gorkhas

PRESS RELEASE: Manipur Gorkha Society, Delhi

MANIPUR GORKHAS CHANT PEACE AT PEOPLE'S CONVENTION, DELHI

11th June, 2016: A delegation of Manipur Gorkha Society, Delhi attended the trust building day-long People’s Convention for A United Manipur People's Forum for Hills and Valley Peace and Reconciliation Dialogue at the Deputy Speakers Hall, Constitution Club, New Delhi today.

Concerned citizens and eminent personalities from Manipur and outside including Harsh Mander, Director of the centre for Equity studies, Dr Anuradha Chenoy, Dean, JNU SIS, Mr David Boyes, Founder-Member, Northeast India Forum Against Racism, Dr Alana Golmei, General Secretary, Northeast Support Centre & helpline, Mrs Rose Mangshi Haokip, President, Kuki Women's Union, Mrs Sitara Begum, Muslim Woman Leader, Mr Lakpachui Siro, Co-founder of FUNICH (Forum for understanding the Naga-India conflict and human rights), Mr Babloo Loitongbam, Director, Human Rights Alert, Ms Lianboi Vaiphei, IP College, Delhi (TBC), Mrs Lucy Jajo, Conflict Widow, Ukhrul, Manipur, Mr Amit Luwang, Mr Jenil, Social Warriors, Mr Ghanashyam Moirangcha, Mr Nido Patra, Arunachal Pradesh, different student leaders.

Representatives of the Manipur Gorkha community Rajen Chhetry

The convention was initiated by a team of social activists and volunteers including Ms Binalakshmi Nepram, Founder, Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network/Northeast India women initiative for peace.

In a full-day discussion, various speakers cutting across ethnic tribes and communities, discussed on various aspects of the ILP stand-off the Valley people of Manipur and the Hills tribe.

While some speakers pointed out the structural flaws in the legislation, others expressed their concern at the “mass” agitation, because almost 90 percent of the mass don’t seem to understand what exactly the legislation means. Some speakers called it a ‘manufactured crisis’ and some addressed the urgent need for all stakeholders to sit down and discuss, before it creates further rift in the society.

With a very interactive and positive note of discussions, the convention also expressed concerns that the never ending agitations that threatens to engulf the state one after another, can also be part of a larger ploy to keep the public away from talking about Development and Accountability. Appealing to the students to stay focused on their studies, the gathering also requested that schools students, medical and emergency services should be kept away from any such public blockades and bandhs.

Intellectuals and leaders from other NorthEast regions, bureaucrats and senior government officials also participated in the daylong discussion. Representatives of the Manipur Gorkha community was led by Rajen Chhetry, Sangeeta Pradhan, Gautam Chhetry, and Dinesh Sharma.

In an open-forum panel discussion various speakers including activists, intellectuals, community elders, mothers, youths and students speakers cutting across tribe and communities while agreeing on the need for a law to protect social political demography of the ethnic minorities,

Representing the voice of the marginalized communities in the ongoing agitation, Rajen Chhetry, social activist and youth leader from Manipur started by saying that his voice represents the “fears and concerns gripping thousands of marginalized communities, who are extremely vulnerable and are often at the receiving end.”
Highlighting the plight of the Gorkha community living in Manipur, Rajen Chhtery said, “Not just in Manipur, the Gorkhas have been the favourite punching-bag for any nativity propaganda across the North East. In the 1980s, thousands were forcefully evicted from Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and across the NE region and we still live without acceptance from the state government.”

He added “As a marginalized community, we have never enjoyed any welfare benefits or priviledges of a government. After 30 year of living my life, and with an ancestral heritage of over 200 years, I am still called an “outsider” and a “foreigner” in my own Motherland.”!!!. "It Pains" he added.

The Gorkhas have also been an equal contributor in the making of Modern Manipur. The community that came along with Maharaja Gambhir Singh’s troop and British army in 1824 played an important role in liberating Manipur from the Burmese in in Manipur after the Chahi Taret Kumbaba (Seven years Devastation). We had patriots like Subedar Niranjan Chhetry who sacrificed his life fighting for the native Prince Yubraj Tikendrajit, against the British.”

Appealing for peace and requesting introspection from all quarters, Rajen added “While I am not an expert in law or an intellectual who understand what is right or wrong. But as a youth of the state, I also believe there is a better way of address this real problem that affects us all equally.”

As was expected of every speakers to provide inputs for the solution of the vexed issue, Chhetry added, “As we are headed for a new beginning after such a historic event, this offers us a unique opportunity to resolve the crisis in the most satisfactory manner. While we step onto a new beginning, a modern state calls for “Inclusive Governance where the marginalized minorities are protected, and their rights safeguarded as per national and international laws. It is also equally important to recognize the contribution and existence of even the smallest section of the population, in the process of nation-building.”

Ending his speech with a call for peace, Rajen added “I am from Manipur and a Gorkha. I am proud to be from the North-East India, and from the land called the ‘Jewel of India’."

Via GYASA

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AMGSU paid homage to Niranjan Singh Chettri on 125th Shaheed Diwas

8:05 PM

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Manipuri Gorkhas

 Manipur 8th June 125th Shaheed Diwas of 1st Gorkha Martyr Shaheed Subedaar Niranjan Singh Chettri was observed by All Manipur Gorkha Students Union today . Subedar Niranjan Singh Chettri was 1st Gorkha to achieve martydom when he was hung to death by the British on the charges of revolting against them along with Jubraj Tikendrajit Singh on 8th June, 1891.

Various students and individuals came to pay homage to the martyr. The observance function was held at the office hall of union's Kanglatongbi Unit.

Shaheed Niranjan Singh Chetri was a Subedar in the Native Force of Yubraj Tikendrajit in Manipur.
He was trial by the Chief Political Officer, Commanding Manipur Field Force of then British Government of India and was sentenced to be hanged by the neck for assisting the Tikendrajit's Native Force against the British on 8th June, 1891.

AMGSU paid homage to Niranjan Singh Chettri on 125th Shaheed Diwas

Even after 125 years of his Supreme Sacrifice and 67 years of free India, neither Government of Manipur nor Government of India cared to honour his legendary. Even our societies seems to have forgotten our hero.

Heartily Tribute to the Legend who had made such a Supreme Sacrifice for the land, for the freedom from British Colonial Rules.


Via AMGSU

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