Introduction of Manipur
Manipur lies in the latitude range of 23°83″ and 25°68″(North) and in the longitude range of 93°03″ to 94°78″ (East). Covering an area of about 22,327 square kilometers and inhabited by about 3 million population, it is shares boundaries with the territories of Nagaland on the North, Assam on the West, Mizoram and Chin State on the South, and Sagaing Region on the East.
Manipur has been the ancestral homeland of native peoples comprising Aimol, Anal, Angami, Chiru, Chothe, Gangte, Hmar, Kabui, Kacha Naga, Kharam, Koirao, Koireng, Kom, Lamgang, Liangmei, Mao, Maram, Maring, Meetei / Meitei, Meetei Pangal, Monsang, Moyon, Paite, Poumai, Purum, Ralte, Rongmei, Sema, Simte, Suhte, Tangkhul, Tarao, Thadou, Thangal, Vaiphei, Zemei, and Zou.
Manipur has a glorious past from the time immemorial. It was an ancient Asian sovereign nation with a vast territorial extent extending far beyond the present territory. It was known by different names such as ‘Poirei Meitei Leipak’ or ‘Kangleipak’ by the Meeteis, ‘Kathe’ or ‘Ponnas’ by Burmese, ‘Hsiao Po-lo-mein’ by Chinese; ‘Cassay’ by Shans, ‘Moglai’ by Cacharis and Bengalis and ‘Mekle’ by Assamese.
Manipur was an expansive nation till its civilizational zenith of medieval period. During its declining phase since the mid-18th century, there were repeated threats to its sovereignty by Burmese invaders. Manipur defeated and repulsed Burmese occupation to bring an end to seven years devastation (1819 to 1826), but became a protectorate nation under British suzerainty (1826 to 1891). Following the defeat of Manipur in the Anglo-Manipur War in 1891 Manipur was indirectly ruled by the British till 1947.
Manipur’s sovereignty was restored following the lapse of British Paramountcy in 1947. She adopted a constitution in 1947 that brought an end to absolute monarchism and established an elected government elected in 1948. Unfortunately, Manipur’s sovereignty was short-lived when India took over Manipur on 15 October 1949. Since then, Manipur has been ruled under a colonial system, which has been enforced through military occupation, repression, and co-option with local puppet regimes.
Today, Manipur is at a critical juncture. Its pollical sovereignty has been suppressed. Its economy has been underdeveloped and dependent due to domination, plunder, and expropriation by alien finance capitalism and market forces. Its indigenous peoples are threatened by unregulated influx of settler colonialists who have been systematically taking control of land, natural resources, markets, jobs, and spreading cultural imperialism to uproot indigenous identity. Colonial education system, propaganda machineries, cosmetic services and divide and rule tactics are misleading the youth and other reactions towards confusion, opportunism, sectarianism, and suicidal politics.
The tasks of the revolutionary forces towards national liberation and social emancipation of Manipur remains imperative.