IT News
Imphal, Mar 25:
The armed wing of the proscribed group PREPAK – the Red Army is celebrating its 43rd Red Army Uprising Day on March 26, 2023. On the eve of the uprising day, Chairman of the Interim Council of the People’s Revolutionary party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), Aheiba Angom greets the people of the region and the cadres of the Red Army as well as all those revolutionary groups fighting for the cause of liberation of Kangleipak and WESEA region.
In his message in connection with the rising day Aheiba Angom said that the freedom struggle or the national liberation movement for the restoration of the lost Independence of Kangleipak after it has been forcibly occupied by India in 1949, since the time of Lamyanba Hijam Irabot, uninterruptedly, is being portrayed as a movement of some few people to the world. The Indian colonialists are trying to mislead the world by portraying the legitimate national liberation movement of Manipur as extremism or terrorism. This act of colonial India is an attempt to cover the fire with a blanket. The liberation movement being undertaken by the PREPAK is to restore the lost sovereignty of the erstwhile Manipur Nation that has been crippled under the wrath of the Indian occupational army. The so-called ‘merger agreement’ was made in clear violation of the Charter of the United Nations and the international. The then King of Kangleipak was just a nominal head with no legitimate power to entertain any treaty. Besides, there was neither referendum nor a plebiscite conducted to get the assent of the people of Kangleipak.
He further said that if sincere enough and a harbinger of democracy as well as messengers of decolonization as in the case of Palestine, India could have conducted a referendum or plebiscite to get the mandate of the people on whether the people of Kangleipak would prefer to become a part of India or exist as an independent nation with a bilateral agreement. The democratic standards followed by the International community for resolving conflict are not followed by India till today.
On the other hand, the present NDA government of India like the previous government has been inviting the armed opposition groups in Manipur to lay down arms for peace talks in the name of bringing peace and security to the region. The PREPAK terms this a hidden agenda of India in showing the peace-loving people of Manipur as a violence-loving nation throughout the world. India should know the root cause of the Indo-Manipur conflict which rose from the Indian annexation of Manipur on 15 October 1949 in clear violation of international law. Since then, the Manipur people have been launching various forms of resistance movements of which the National Liberation Movement has been the highest form to drive out the Indian occupation forces from the soil of Manipur and the restoration of the lost sovereignty of Manipur-Kangleipak. India must also know the Manipur People never like a single square inch of the territory of imperialist India.
India’s campaign in the international fora that there is no independence movement in the WESEA Region has been outrightly rejected by the declaration of several armed opposition groups as outlawed organizations under the Unlawful Prevention Act, 1967. The proceedings of the UN Human Rights recommending India for a political resolution of the Indo-Manipur conflict has given recognition to the freedom movement in Manipur as a legitimate national liberation movement under the purview of international law.
In stark reality, the Manipur People should not fall prey to the dreams and aspirations of a few Indian puppets who dream of a better India which will never happen as India is slowly disintegrating with various forms of regional disparities and nationality questions. India has never been a nation nor is it now and will never be.
Worthwhile, it needs special mention the continuous efforts of the United Nations, especially its subsidiary organ, the Decolonization Committee in its journey for wiping out colonialism in all its forms from every square inch of the planet by giving due recognition and diplomatic support to all the national liberation movements of colonial peoples and countries in the emancipation of their right to self-determination. More than 80 countries got liberated after the inception of the United Nations on 24 October 1945. The firm stand of the United Nations in terminating colonialism has been clearly reflected in the successive statements of the UN Chief, Mr. Antonio Guterres in 2018 and 2019 in the opening session of the UN Decolonization Committee where he called the decolonization agenda “an area close to my heart and to which I reiterate my commitment”. In 1960 the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples was adopted and the following year the General Assembly established the Special Committee, known by the shorthand ‘C-24’ after its original 24 members, to monitor its implementation. As “one of the most significant chapters of the Organization’s history,” Mr. Guterres credited decolonization with helping to transform UN membership, “propelling the Organization’s growth from 51 original members to 193 today.” Over the years this process has resulted in the removal of most territories from the list. “But this story is still being written,” the UN Chief continued, “as 17 non-self-governing territories remain,” each waiting to attain self-government, in accordance with Chapter XI of the UN Charter, the 1960 Declaration and relevant UN resolutions.
Oppressed People and nations of the world are waiting eagerly to free themselves from the clutches of the colonial regime of the administering powers under the aegis of the United Nations. It took almost 20 years for Timor Leste to regain their independence from Indonesia and establish their own self-government. The decolonization process has been slowed down however, Gueterres has stated that it is moving forward. The Decolonization process has played a significant role in granting independence to colonial peoples and countries worldwide
Rights of the people for national self-determination has enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. There are several clauses to emancipate the right to self-determination in several declarations of the UN General Assembly and International Law. However, the self-proclaimed developed country called India is not following the provisions of International Law. But, it would be wrong to say that there is no International Law as India fails to comply by the provisions of international law, covenants and declarations of decolonization. In 2020, the General Assembly adopted resolution 75/123 declaring the period 2021-2030 the Fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism. This resolution called upon the Member States to intensify their efforts to continue to implement the plan of action for the Second International Decade.
As of Kangleipak-Manipur, the people have not given their mandate either through referendum or plebiscite for the merger of Manipur with India which forcibly annexed Manipur in clear violation of the Charter of the United Nations, international law and the Manipur Constitution Act. The Kanglei people still have the rights guaranteed by the United Nations. This is the juncture that the Kanglei people while moving forward with the armed liberation movement need to knock the door of the United Nations and highlight the right to self-determination of the Kanglei people.
Lastly, the role of the RED ARMY in the liberation movement of the PREPAK over the last 46 years is commendable.
