Manipur Intellectual moots discussion at neutral venue
Newmai News Network
September 3
IMPHAL: Noted personality of Manipur and well known human rights activist and legal Advocate Khaidem Mani Singh has called for an intellectual debate on the Manipur and Naga integration issue. Talking to media persons at his office this evening, Khaidem Mani Singh has suggested that the best way to solve the impasse over the integration issue is to have a good debate comprising of ten intellectuals each from both the parties at a neutral venue, say New Delhi.
The human rights activist said that the persons who should judge such debates should be media persons or intellectuals from mainland India or even from some international media groups or organizations.
“This is to bring peaceful solution to the impasse”, said the activist. He further pointed out that if the result of the debate goes in favour of Naga integration then the process for a unified Naga Homeland should go ahead without any protest. “And in the event of the result going in favour of the group who are against the breaking up of Manipur then the movement for Naga unification should stop immediately,” said Khaidem Mani.
“My initiative is to deal with things without giving any room for whipping up communal tension”, said the noted human rights activist.
Elaborating on the technicalities of the Naga integration movement, Khaidem Mani said that Naga unification or integration amounts to breaking up of the States of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. Similarly maintaining Manipur’s territorial integrity would amount to going against the aspiration of Naga integration.
“This is an extremely sensitive issue and an open debate in good faith by concerned people is the only solution for a peaceful ending,” said Khaidem Mani.
Khaidem Mani who is also the President of All Manipur Bar Association (AMBA) has said that he was not clear regarding the demand made by those leaders who are spearheading the Naga integration movement. He said, the Naga leaders had been maintaining that the British had put/divided the Nagas into different States of India or country (Myanmar). “But what I want to ask is the name of that Naga Kingdom or country that they had been living in a unified Naga kingdom before the British divided them”.
He further asked, about the common language of that undivided Naga kingdom.
“Who was the King or the Prime Minister or the Chief Minister of that undivided Naga country before the British rule in India?”
Khaidem Mani however clarified that his point of view should not be interpreted on communal lines but as an after thought with a desire to clear the problems peacefully.
