By- NK Sanajaoba Memorial Trust
Born on December 30, 1939 at Singjamei Wangma Torban Kshetri Leikai, NK Sanajaoba was an individual who gave immense contributions in the building of modern Manipur. He was the second child among the three children of Nongmeikapam Ibocha and Nongmeikapam Ongbi Muktarei. Nongmeikapam Sanajaoba grew up at a time when Manipur was going through a drastic phase of obscurity in the intellectual system. It was an uncertain period when the future of Manipur remained vague. After gaining independence from the British colonial rule, should Manipur continue to stay under a monarchy? While the king exerts his will and dominance, should the civilians continue to live in a bleak and barren existence where they have no voice and cannot take their own life decisions under such a kingdom? With these questions, the people simply did not want a place where everything belonged to a tyrannical king and one’s precious life holds no value.
On the other hand, it was also considered whether it would be a better choice to take sanctuary under the democracy of India, a massive, emerging nation in South Asia. Would it be a better option for Manipur, which had just attained its independence from the British Colonial rule, to exist under India’s domain? We can understand that though Manipur did not have a direct impact upon India’s struggle for freedom or take part in the movement, it gave influence to many ideologies in Manipur although indirectly. Many students from Manipur after pursuing their studies in different states outside, brought the influence of India’s movement back to Manipur. An admiration for the newly founded democracy of India was presented amid the prevailing intellectual conflict in the state. A new generation that greatly admired Indian democracy also came up in Manipur. It gave a fresh awakening amid the intellectual obscurity of Manipur.
Meanwhile, the idea of creating Manipur as a sovereign nation by achieving an egalitarian society based on socialist thought was taking shape. It believed that the first step towards independence was through the creation of an egalitarian society of the civilian population. The idea of keeping Manipur as an independent nation and letting the people live as citizens of an equal society gave a huge impact on the youths. Amid the intellectual confusion building a republican ideology that puts priority on the civilians rather than the king. Among the youths was Nongmeikapam Sanajaoba, a young and proficient individual. This youth with a clarity of thought and a republican outlook along with his group decided that the future of Manipur would be created by a movement of the people. Before these ideological conflicts came to a definite resolution, Manipur had already merged into India. Afterward, a new train of thought against the merger arrived in the state. However, the objections could not exert a major influence on an administrative level considering the prevailing state of affairs.
Due to the changing socio-political scenario, the dissenting individuals were carried away by the new system which came after the merger into India. At such a critical juncture in that era, Nongmeikapam Sanajaoba and his group believed that merely possessing feelings of dissent against the merger was not enough. They believed in the necessity for dissent to take a concrete form of action towards an identified goal; the requirement to have a strong foundation for both politics and ideology as well as the need to create a strong party. Therefore, the United National Liberation Front was founded in 1964 by these like-minded youths.
As the first social committee member of the United National Liberation Front, Nongmeikapam Sanajaoba mad efforts to translate their ideals into action. In order to disseminate information to the general public about their new ideas, Nongmeikapam Sanajaoba (known to the people as NK Sanajaoba) took a major role as the editor of Lamyanba, the monthly publication of Pan Manipur Youth League.
As a journalist as well as a thinker looking into the issues concerning the people of the state, he made efforts to bring a transformative change into the traditional ways of thinking in Manipur. He took a major role in the struggle to change the outlook of the people who were being led astray as well as the powers that were trying to keep them astray, and replace such a system with a new one. In the Lamyanba publication, he relentlessly exposed the atrocities that were committed in the state under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act which grants special powers to the Indian Armed Forces, and raised issues concerning the situation of the people who had no place to raise their grievances. The stories of violations and atrocities behind the lives of individuals like Rose Ningshen and Oja Ashuli etc were highlighted before the public. Moreover, he was a path breaker who made efforts to ensure that the efforts of the youths who launched a movement, by chasing their dream to create a new Manipur against this system, did not go in vain.
The ‘Yukhal Marum’, an article in the Lamyanba publication, which had a serious bearing upon the public, forayed into the field of investigative journalism in its attempt to expose the corruption that prevailed in the state. Nongmeikapam Sanajaoba stood against a system where corruption and red tapism were rampant. Making a case out of the corrupt politicians and high-ranking officials was not the goal of his investigations; his target was to expose the system itself that was breeding corruption and show the masses that it needed to be reformed.
Another issue that NK Sanajaoba relentlessly exposed in his publication was the political parties of Manipur and their characteristics. He put strenuous efforts into exposing the true colours of the leaders who were only concerned with maintaining power while they remained out of touch with the pulse of the people and their sufferings. He was a leader who deeply despised the nature of governance where the political parties of Manipur sidelined the prevailing issues of Manipur and only followed the orders that came from the Centre.
He detested those who were given power but had no clear principles, who had no qualms in defecting from one party to another and were ready to forgo the interest of the state for their personal gains. Therefore, Nongmeikapam Sanajaoba as a reformer, targeted these political parties and the moral depravity of their leaders.
He tirelessly fought to challenge the prevailing system and shape the image of a new Manipur. As a result, he faced adversities and spent his days in jail. As someone who spent his entire life confronting challenges, this pioneering editor, ever since the publication started till his last, was attempted by those holding the reins on the government to gag his voice many times. He was thrown into prison several times. They tried to stop his publication. However, being someone who truly loved his motherland and his countrymen, he remained unwavering in his commitment to confront those powerful forces. He never abandoned his principles or his outlook shaped by the changing reality and never bowed down to political pressure. He did not yield to political persuasion. He dedicated his life and livelihood to the ones who loved their motherland.
Regarding the courage to fight and the stakes involved in such a movement, he made this straightforward observation in Lamyanba publication of May 1979, “They followed Phizo’s direction for almost 20 years, believing that only the Naga people’s movement will deliver them independence but that roadmap has come to a halt. While Phizo is having a great time in London, a handful of Naga militants are clinging on a piece of land in Burma while their lives hang by a thread between the Indian Army and the Burmese Army. For how long their patience will last remains highly doubtful. While Nagas do not lack courage; the leaders misled them in this situation.”
Although these words were written as a simple reflection of the Shillong Accord, they make a statement about the required qualities and vision of an organization and the leaders when it comes to resistance and facing challenges. These words also make a political analysis that the Naga’s liberation movement will not be successful only by the struggle of the Nagas alone. The major premise involved in this analysis is that such a rebellion meant for a single community is bound to fail. Moreover, even if the people have all the strength, the guidance and direction of the leaders are extremely vital for the movement to go forward. In this manner, Nongmeikapam Sanajaoba and the Lamyanmba publication believed that a clear perspective, a strong organisation, and visionary leaders are necessary for the movement in Manipur to become successful. A movement cannot go forward without the presence of courageous men but wars are not won by courage alone. It needs leaders whose visions are far and wide.
Nongmeikapam Sanajaoba and the Pan Manipur Youth League foresaw the agendas at play to extinguish the rebellious spirit prevalent in each community of the state and destroy the revolutionary ideas through acts of instigation.
Editorial of Lamyanba publication in November 1972:
“The Central government is deeply complicit in playing dirty politics of divisions between the hills and the valley through instigations in Manipur where the people of hills and the valley had been staying united, coexistent and tied to one another. When it came to the growth and development of the hilly brethren, the means for their active participation were always provided in Manipur. The written records, published data, and several other voices bear testimony to the fact that the people of the valley have been innovating more toward giving the hilly brethren the responsibility for the hills within the jurisdiction of the entire state of Manipur. The Hill District Council and the Hill Area Committee have been constituted in this direction. By simplifying the administration over the hills and the valley in this manner, it should strengthen the integrity of Manipur. However, the potential for inciting hostilities loaded in the President’s order on Manipur Legislative Assembly (Hill Area Committee) 1972 causes apprehension as it may lead to severe enmities among the general public. Led by shallow and superficial views, different Hill District Councils will run into conflicts and start finger pointing at one another. Even worse, there will be a tug-of-war between the Hill Area Committee and the Legislative Assembly of Manipur.” The cause of their apprehension came from the goal of establishing a united Manipur and a new, glorious Manipur where everyone could live fulfilling lives. It was an attempt to identify the different entities seeking to disrupt the communal harmony and the integrity of the state. At the backdrop of this juncture, Nongmeikapam Sanjaoba has been eulogised as someone who followed the ideal of bringing a reformation to the system of governance and paving a path towards a new direction.
When we speak of the resistance, we also need to resist several social norms which have become detrimental. Some of the laws introduced to create divisions are also enemies, not just powerful forces or people, and these issues should be considered. The very fact that Nongmeikapam Sanajaoba is still remembered by the people today shows that the dream of a glorious Manipur is still alive, and it can be considered that the line of thought and the ideas remain intact. We cannot say that Nongmeikapam Sanajaoba was merely a mortal who lived among us. He was a symbol of an ideology. The ideas raised by this pioneer and his gifts in shaping the vision of a new Manipur continue to influence the thinking of the people today. Safeguarding the resistance for the sake of Manipur’s future and the new thinking will ensure that a mass movement will be sparked towards a new path. We will never bow down, and shall remain unwavering till a definite resolution to the movement is reached.
