A Message Given to the People of Manipur on “Independence Demand Day” Marking the 46th Anniversary of Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF) by Acting President MM Ngouba 25th February 2025
A Message Given to the People of Manipur on “Independence Demand Day” Marking the 46th Anniversary of Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF)
by Acting President MM Ngouba
25th February 2025
First and foremost, I offer my revolutionary salute to our martyred heroes who have made the supreme sacrifice in this struggle to liberate our motherland, Manipur and our people.
On February 25, 1979, inspired by new ideas and a renewed sense of valor, the RPF rose on this day, vowing to embark on a revolutionary movement to free our enslaved motherland and its people. Today marks the 46th anniversary of the Revolutionary People’s Front’s emergence in the WESEA region, aimed at giving a new direction and fresh impetus to the national liberation movement for all people.
Discarding the old beliefs and narrow thinking, and infused with progressive ideas, it was realized that only a party guided by the ideologies of Marx, Lenin, and Mao Zedong can effectively confront this formidable enemy and lead our people toward a successful revolutionary goal, leading to the dissolution of the then Revolutionary Government of Manipur (RGM) and the founding of our party, the RPF. From that day onward, under the guidance of the RPF, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and our people have marched forward in solidarity. To this day, RPF have been actively leading the liberation movement with strong resolve, unwavering determination and making significant sacrifices. We take great pride in these accomplishments and will remain committed to the clear path toward our liberation goals. There are three key factors that make it possible for us to follow along this path. Firstly, RPF is a party guided by a scientific ideology. Secondly, RPF genuinely believes in the just cause of liberating Manipur. Lastly, we believe in the power of the people. RPF recognizes that the true strength lies not only in our own resolve but also in the resilience and unity of our people who have endured oppression under this colonial regime.
Manipur was an independent kingdom for over 2000 years. Throughout this period, various communities and ethnic groups residing in Manipur have made tremendous sacrifices and contributions to preserve the nation’s integrity and sovereignty. In the aftermath of World War II and as colonialism began to collapse globally, Manipur started its journey toward democracy and independence in Asian region. However, colonialist Bharat and its followers have consistently tried to misrepresent the idea of Manipur and its history of independence. Since the start of the armed struggle by RPF/PLA, the colonial master and its supporters have been attempting to distract the people from focusing on freedom and independence by giving revolutionaries different misleading titles and providing ambiguous definitions of Manipur’s independence. As colonial rule continued, instead of promoting progress, people’s lives grew more impoverished and miserable while Delhi and its followers misled the public by falsely attributing the absence of peace in Manipur to acts of insurgency. They constructed a false narrative that Manipur’s development was hindered due to disruption, thereby misleading people about the revolutionary movement. They had also orchestrated surrender dramas to create the illusion of peace and stability in Manipur. However, these ruses couldn’t mask their lies and failures.
After Manipur’s annexation by Bharat, there has been little to no progress in terms of development or the fulfillment of even basic human rights for its people. Instead of ensuring prosperity and protection for the indigenous population, Bharat has allowed an influx of immigrants from other regions thereby posing an existential threat to the indigenous people. Furthermore, numerous draconian laws have been enacted to facilitate unchecked exploitation by Bharat’s forces and its colonial regime. Bharat has been relentlessly implementing divisive policies to foster mistrust and contradictions among the nationalities. Delhi has been actively undermining Manipur’s economy to make the region dependent on it for survival. The people of Manipur are enduring refugee-like conditions within their own state. Questions remain about whether Manipur and our people can further withstand the consequences of 76 years of ongoing systemic oppression.
Today, time has given its judgement that those who have been misled or diverted away from the society of Manipur are the ones who support the colonialist Bharat and its followers. The suffering we endure today stems directly from their relentless efforts to forcibly integrate Manipur into colonialist Bharat and impose Indianization upon its people.
Instead of embracing the dream of sharing common prosperity with the rest of the world, the people of Manipur have endured the nightmare of continuous colonial oppression for the past 76 years. Unable to tolerate these atrocities, people have awakened and searching for a path to strength. Realizing the urgent necessity for a pathway to alleviate the suffering of the people and effectively accomplish tasks has prompted the people of Manipur to raise slogans such as “we should defend our own nation, we should decide our own fate” and “unity is strength, unite”.
Due to the current situation’s dynamics, numerous individuals and organizations that share similar perspectives, ideologies, and objectives have come together and formed various levels of organizations, from small to significant ones. After forming these organizations, they have conducted numerous movements. However, it has become evident that certain limitations exist within the strength and alignment of these groups relative to their goals. What our people genuinely desire is to collaborate seamlessly and act as a cohesive unit to achieve their shared objectives.
It is true that unity brings strength, and therefore, in light of the prevailing situation, it is something we should discuss or take action on. On the other hand, the collective voice of the people is like a divine message from God. However, why can’t our people translate this divine message into action? It seems as though progress is within reach, yet we get stuck halfway and cannot move forward. This suggests that there is something we lack of, and identifying what that is could help us achieve our goals.
Manipur has no shortages of organizations that have stepped up for the people. Among them, some have played pivotal roles in successful and honorable movements. Forming new organizations, collaborating, overcoming challenges and uniting as a collective are not new to them, nor are they incapable of doing so. The challenge lies not in uniting but in maintaining unity with shared objectives and goals that are acceptable to everyone. Our approach to executing tasks and strategies on achieving our objectives must be aligned, and even if internal issues or challenges arise during this period of unity, we need to have pre-planned solutions to handle them. Without such resolutions in place, we may encounter significant obstacles and inconveniences. For example, when defending our villages, individuals and organizations came together as one, sharing the same purpose and giving their best efforts without hesitation. However, once the defense ended, divisions emerged where some resorted to vandalizing government properties and staging public protests out of frustration with the government’s inaction, while others focused on protecting the assets of politicians and government authorities. Another example is that the objectives and goals of some organizations fail to align with the people’s desires or demands. Additionally, there are ambiguities in people’s demands too. Moreover, infiltration of some individuals and organizations who have fallen victim to the deceit and threats of the colonial regime, is undermining the goals of the movement. All these are the main factors contributing to the failure to achieve unity, or a lack of trust in collective efforts.
Even if we don’t unite, we are still carrying out our tasks. The beneficial outcomes of given by unity, both in present and in the future, are immense. Among these outcomes, the greatest one will be the ability to safeguard our identity and integrity, which will bolster our courage and elevate our national honor in a historical context. It is a worthy and valuable legacy that can be passed down to our future generations. It’s not that our people don’t collaborate, there are many movements where we work together, which is also a form of unity. Considering the dynamics of our environment, this demonstrates our ability to adapt, which is a positive sign. However, we must align in ideals, goals, actions, and principles. One thing our people must not forget is that the strength of unity lies in a just cause. If the cause is just and right, it will generate limitless strength, and this very cause will serve as a unifying force. The only rightful cause for Manipur is “Independence.” Straying from this path would be a misguided investment, yielding nothing but sorrow as its return.
The root cause of our people’s suffering for generations is the loss of Manipur’s independence, which was taken away through deception. This statement is beyond debate, and the people of Manipur have repeatedly declared the 1949 Manipur Merger Agreement invalid on multiple occasions and in various instances. While this truth is well-known to our people, a reminder is necessary at this moment. According to intellectuals, there are three key criteria that render the agreement null and void, which can be summarized as follows.
International Law Criteria.
Firstly, India violated the trust that should exist between sovereign and independent states when signing agreements. International customary law has long recognized the importance of trust between sovereign states that are not at war. However, India breached Manipur’s trust on September 21, 1949. Secondly, the use of military and paramilitary forces by Indian authorities to intimidate Manipur’s representatives in Shillong was a direct violation of international law. India violated Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter, which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of another state. By challenging Manipur’s sovereignty in September 1949, India engaged in an act of aggression. Thirdly, according to Articles 51 and 52 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT, 1969), any treaty obtained through threats or the use of force is considered null and void. This principle is widely recognized by international law jurists. Lastly, no referendum was conducted to determine whether the people of Manipur supported integration into India. In contrast, regions such as Junagadh, Pondicherry, and Sikkim were only integrated into India after a referendum was held. To express the people’s democratic will, whether in favor or against, everyone must have the right to participate in decisions concerning independence, as clearly stated by international law. Since a referendum was never held to ascertain the people’s will regarding Manipur’s integration into India, it can be concluded that Manipur remains a colony under Bharat’s military occupation.
Manipur State Constitution Act Criteria.
Firstly, on 26th July 1947, under the provisions of the newly implemented Manipur State Constitution Act, the powers previously held by the Maharaja of Manipur were transferred to the Manipur Legislative Assembly, enabling the elected representatives of the people started to govern the state independently. Secondly, According to Sections 8(a), 9(b), 10(a), 18, and 26 of the Manipur State Constitution Act (MSCA) 1947, as the Maharaja’s power to make decisions independently was removed, the agreement he signed is rendered invalid. Additionally, the Merger Agreement was never ratified by the Manipur Legislative Assembly. Since the agreement was not ratified, Manipur is not bound by the terms of the Merger Agreement. India’s forcible takeover of Manipur’s administration was not permissible under International Law. According to Sections 8, 10, and 18 of the MSCA, any decision regarding the fate of Manipur and its people should have been first debated in the Manipur Legislative Assembly. Furthermore, it was not only necessary for the Assembly to discuss the matter, but a referendum must be conducted too, to allow the people to express their stance on the issue.
The policy of British on Princely States Criteria.
According to this criterion, the political status of the princely states had already been determined before the British left India. According to the Cabinet Mission Plan (CMP) of May 16, 1946, it already stated that paramountcy would come to an end, and the states could only be linked to the Indian Union in three areas, that is, Foreign Affairs, Defense and Communications. Apart from these three areas, the princely states gained full autonomy. They regained all the rights that were previously surrendered to the British Crown, and as a result, the states became sovereign entities. The Memorandum on State Treaties and Paramountcy of May 12, 1946, clearly states that the princely states had the right to negotiate whether to join the new constitutional structure of the Indian Union. As a result, the British transformed all the states into fully sovereign and independent political entities. Under no circumstances could the Indian Union force these states to integrate.
The agreement, which led to the annexation of Manipur by India, is now null and void, as it violates constitutional provisions and was made without the consent of the people of Manipur.
We have identified the root cause, recognized the way forward, and are resolute and ready to move forward with strength. The right way to move forward together is to remove the signboard of Manipur Merger Agreement 1949 that has deceived Manipur and misled the public for generations causing them to bear the burden of colonialism. This signboard should be eradicated from both people’s consciousness and our collective history. The most fitting course of action would be for the king of Manipur to publicly declare that this agreement is null and void. At the same time, the Manipur Legislative Assembly should deliberate on the reasons for the agreement’s invalidity and make a decision. We recognize that the king lacks legal authority, and the Manipur Legislative Assembly is just another tool of the Delhi colonial rulers. Nevertheless, we view this as an essential task, given the current circumstances, in order to send a clear and transparent message to all stakeholders. These two entities should demonstrate the necessary fortitude to take this decisive step. RPF call upon our people to inspire courage in everyone involved in this effort and to support the RPF’s national liberation movement.
In conclusion, RPF extend our salute to all the comrades of CorCom who have stood together, as well as to the various fraternal parties, individuals, and organizations that have demonstrated their unwavering commitment to the nation, and we wish them the very best.
Long Live RPF
Victory to PLA
Glory to the Motherland and the People