Imphal Times Supplementary issue Page No. 2 Editorial Referendum in Catalonia Saturday, August 31, 2019 By -Bruce Pebam, referendum of November 2014. At this juncture, it is only fitting Catalan leadership to pursue the Secretary HRD, AMSU Almost 5.4 million voters exercised that we remember the contribution matter of Catalan independence their franchise and 80% of them of Catalan President Carles come what may! Remembering the past Catalonia! A small nation in north- favoured complete independence Puigdemont, for he was the one We need to ask some crucial eastern Spain inhabited by the from Spain. who brought the movement to that questions at this stage. Why would Catalan people, who are Close on the heels of the events of stage. It is most fortunate for all someone like Carles Puigdemont famine while on the significantly different from the this independence referendum, the Catalans that a leader like him was who is the head of a stable majority of Spaniards in many Catalan people elected a pro- born amongst them. Despite the provincial government in a well-to- aspects including culture, independence party (Junts pel Si/ Spanish Constitutional Court do country like Spain risk way to another famine language and history. For years, Together for Yes) to power in the maintaining that the referendum everything for the sake of Catalan the 7.5 million Catalan people have 2015 regional elections. The party was illegal, in the aftermath of the independence? He could easily live

been kept under the unjust soon set out on its quest to hold a referendum results the Catalan a carefree life with the resources at The history of Manipur had witnessed two subjugation of those in power in legal, binding independence Parliament on October 27, 2017 his disposal. Why do the Catalan Nupi Lals in 1904 and 1939 as a result of artificial Madrid. Deep inside their hearts, referendum against the provisions declared that Catalonia was an people feel that nothing could be famine during British rule. Few decades later the Catalan people have always of the Spanish Constitution. The independent and free country. As more important than their followed the students’ movement in 1965 against had the desire and aspiration for Catalan regional government led by soon as this declaration was made, independence? another artificial famine post annexation of self-determination and all this President Carles Puigdemont the Spanish Government in Madrid We should analyse what are the culminated in a large extent to the announced that a legal, binding evoked Article 155 of the Spanish differences between our Manipuri Manipur by India. All three uprisings were revolts Catalan Independence Referendum independence referendum would Constitution to impose direct people and the Catalan people, two against the ruling government of the respective in October 2017 under the be held on 1st of October, 2017, central rule on the region of lands faced with similar period that enabled the rich mayang businessmen stewardship of the regional further asserting that the Catalan Catalonia. Spanish Prime Minister circumstances. What are the to get hold of our food and trade it for their Catalan government. The basis of people had moral, economic, Mariano Rajoy deposed the differences between Mr. personal benefits. Innumerable lives suffered and Catalan Nationalism stands mainly cultural and political rights to live Catalan Parliament and removed Puigdemont and our own leaders many died fighting for the blood of the poor and on the principle of resistance separately as an independent Catalan President Carles who kneel before those in power in against the efforts of Spanish nation. However, the Spanish Puigdemont and his cabinet from Delhi whenever they are told to do against the system of the rich. As we remember Government to impose greater government in Madrid called the their respective posts. Not only so, and why the differences? We the fight against the artificial famines from the Spanish culture on the Catalan proposed referendum this, eight ministers were charged need to find an objective reason for past, we also need to remember that history people. Preservation of their own unconstitutional and announced with attempting to wage war these crucial differences. How has repeats and another artificial famine is on its unique identity and culture is the that they would do everything against the Spanish state with their the courage and determination of way. At present, people of Manipur, especially main driving force behind the possible to stop the vote from words and actions and sent to jail. our own people come to differ so Catalan independence movement. going ahead as planned. The They were also falsely framed with greatly from that of the Catalan the poor, are facing the burden of the scarcity The movement has been fuelled by Spanish government argued that corruption charges. This was a people despite sharing numerous of food along with the current soaring price of fears of dilution of Catalan identity the proposed referendum was glaring display of fascist mentality, historical circumstances? rice and local foodgrains. The very by the majority Spaniards, and the illegal under the 1978 constitution. despite Spain claiming to be Economy of a place gives us a basic necessities are sold at a price that is hardly realization that continued union They argued that the constitution democratic country. An arrested window into a place’s lifestyle and affordable for people with low income in this with Spain could one day result in did not give the power to any Catalan leader expressed that if the mindset of the people. For this time of job scarcity. On the other hand, farmers their ‘extinction’ as a nation. Spanish province to hold they thought this was natural, they reason, it is important that we Catalans have not forgotten in their referendums for self-determination. would not be able to live as discuss the economic life of the are struggling and finding it difficult to grow hearts and minds that before their In March 2017, the Spanish Catalans anymore. His words Manipuri society and the Catalan foodgrains in the paddy fields because of no union with Spain in the 16th government barred the former carried a deep significance. It society. It is a known and agreed rainfall and lack of irrigation facilities. Farmers century, they were a proud Catalan president Artur Mas from showed how much the Catalan fact that the first step to had to pay the price of the delayed and deficient independent nation for almost 250 holding any sort of public office leaders loved their motherland. colonisation of a place is the monsoon. It took away their sources of income years. on the pretext that the 2014 As soon as the Catalan Parliament takeover of the local economy. Oppression of Catalan identity and unofficial referendum organised by announced that Catalonia was Catalonia has been repeatedly and left them empty handed at the time of this culture reached its zenith during his government was against the independent, the Spanish High stressing that they give more to crisis. Had there been a well-planned irrigation the military dictatorship of General Law. Legal action was also taken Court summoned Carles Spain than what Spain has given system, the problem could have been avoided Francisco Franco (1939-1975). against many members of the Puigdemont and 13 of his them. Although the Catalans only at least in some way or the other. On top of this, Catalans feared whether they Catalan regional authority on government’s cabinet ministers to make up 15% of Spain’s population, there has been claims of irregularities in rice would lose their identity altogether. charges of supporting the holding appear in court. Only nine of the they contribute 20% to the total distribution under National Food Security Act, The subjugation was so complete of the independence referendum in ministers appeared in court. Out of GDP of the country. 35% of Spain’s that Franco’s administration put a October 2017. Civil officers of the the nine, eight of them were income from foreign trade comes either in terms of the price or quantity or ban on the cultural practice of Spanish Guard raided the offices arrested and only one was let go. through Catalonia’s ports and frequency. It is necessary to check if the Public Castell, a Catalan practice of making and buildings of the Catalan President Puigdemont maintained harbours. Therefore it is well and distribution essential items are reaching the human towers/pillars during regional authority and arrested 14 that the dissolution of the Catalan truly clear that Catalonia has an dese rving citizens or not, and not just give a important festivals and people including the Secretary for Parliament was a war on democracy independent self-sufficient clarification of well-maintained documentation ceremonies, a unique symbol of Economic Affairs and the Secretary and refused to go to court. Instead, economy, and they don’t need to Catalan identity. Catalan parents for Taxation. The Spanish police he and some of his ministers went beg for resources from Spain. In of distribution by the state. were prevented from giving their destroyed nearly 10 million ballot to Brussels, the EU Headquarters. this way, they’ve never felt any It is crucial to hear from the people and children traditional Catalan names, papers that were to be used for the Meanwhile charges were framed sense of inferiority to Spain and confirm if they are getting what they are and the administration instead referendum. Not only that, they against President Puigdemont and they feel that they are capable of supposed to be getting at the right price and emphasised on giving the children also picked up and destroyed four of his cabinet ministers by the living independently. Meanwhile, it time. Amidst the delayed monsoon, price hike, Spanish names. The use of the hundreds of pamphlets and posters Spanish National Court for not is a completely opposite case in and irregular distributions, another major Catalan language was severely meant to be used for the Catalan attending court as ordered by the Manipur. Every aspect of our restricted, even in the areas independence referendum. They Spanish Constitutional Court. economy is controlled by India. We contributing factor to the nearing famine is the around Valencia and the Balearic were hell bent on not allowing the Arrest warrants against them were literally do not have any viable exploitation of workers/farmers, their lands, and Islands. There was tight independence referendum to go issued and sent to the Belgian economy of our own. Our state sources of livelihood. For instance, the censorship on books and ahead as planned. The magnitude Government to apprehend them. administration literally survives on construction of Mapithel dam has destroyed the publications published in the of policemen and security Just because Mr. Puigdemont and funds from the central government whole of Chadong village and their entire paddy Catalan language. The situation personnel that descended on the some of his cabinet colleagues in New Delhi. Our roads, bridges, was similar for many minority ports of Catalonia to stop the went to Belgium, it does not mean healthcare services, educational field. This huge blow has created a crisis in their communities throughout Spain, referendum from going ahead was that they ran away like cowards facilities are all dependent on funds livelihood and worsened their daily struggle. but it seemed that the Catalans not seen even during the many from their motherland. Brussels given to us by New Delhi. In other How are they going to afford the skyrocketing found themselves at the biggest years of the Spanish government’s being the headquarters of the words, we survive on the resources prices of rice with no proper sources of income receiving end as Franco sought to struggle against the Basque European Parliament and other allotted to us by New Delhi. Any while battling to start their lives all over again? unify Spain by force. The insurgency in Northern Spain. This notable organizations, they went disruption in this and our society The same dam construction has also badly administration in Madrid was well only exposed the authoritarian there to spread awareness to the would literally come to a standstill. aware of the Catalan peoples’ mentality of the Spanish whole world about the atrocious This is one of the main reasons why affected the people in and around Nungbrang aspirations, and it sought to Government in dealing with the actions being taken up by the we’ve become so afraid of village. subjugate them to the maximum legitimate aspirations of the Catalan Spanish authorities against the ‘independence’, for the fear of Sand and stone quarrying used to be their main extent. Catalan Nationalism thus people. wishes of the Catalan people. resource shortage is too great it has source of income but the accumulation of stone could not gather much pace during What was even more surprising Puigdemont himself affirmed this become engrained in the public and sand also drastically declined after the dam the Franco regime. and shocking was the European when he came to a village called psyche. However, after General Franco Union (EU) refusing to intervene Vilhaour near his birthplace where Being skilled in the art of politics in construction. To top it all, the recent ban on passed away in 1976, voices of into the matter, maintaining that it he signed a pact (Farmhouse Pact) Manipuri society is nothing but the quarrying has deprived them of their only source Catalan self-determination grew was an ‘internal issue’ of Spain. with the Deputy Chief of the ability to dance according to the o f livelihood. All of this has resulted in the louder once again. Under the new This left the Catalan people with a Catalan National Assembly. They whims and fancies of those in villagers struggling to find an alternative, including 1978 Spanish constitution, number of questions to the EU agreed to take part in the power in New Delhi. Elections are wood cutting in the hills and clearing of forests. Catalonia was given greater leadership. What would any nation scheduled elections to the frequently won by political parties This sudden shift in finding ways to survive has autonomy. A statute that was think if hordes of security Catalonian Parliament, the date for who seem most likely to garner enforced in 2006 gave more powers personnel descended on their which had been fixed on December surplus funds from New Delhi. The added up to the already existing struggle of the to the Catalan people. It gave them ports, on their streets? If this had 21st by the Spanish Government. mentality of our society has never families, some to the extent of losing family more economic autonomy and happened in somewhere like the The main reason behind the progressed from that of a servant members. While the benefits of price hike, upgraded them to the status of a UK, would they have remained agreement was that they were who relies on the good graces of irregularities of rice distribution, and dam ‘Nation’ in their own right. silent? How can the treatment of confident of yet another victory in his master for survival. The race for constructions etc have landed in the pockets of a However just four years later in local politicians and journalists as the said election. They regarded it political power in Manipur is 2010, the Spanish Constitutional terrorists, how can their dragging as a third referendum for Catalan nothing but a race to become a few rich people, the prices are paid by the poor Court amended much of the out and arrest from their offices and independence. With the peoples’ slave of New Delhi. In such a and with their blood. Therefore, it is the duty of provisions of the 2006 statute and homes be brushed off as an mandate on their side, they could situation, forget aspiring for another the government, the people, and concerned removed many clauses that gave internal matter? Despite all the further pursue their goal of self- Manipur. This is the reason why citizens to look into this holistically and take up greater autonomy to the Catalan draconian restrictions by the determination. They could show to our leaders view anyone who necessary steps to fix the land and help the poor people. This act enraged the Spanish authorities, the Catalan the world the steadfast will of the brings up the issue of in order to avoid another artificial famine. Catalan regional authority and the Independence referendum was Catalan people. During the meeting independence as ‘anti-national’ Catalan people as a whole. Removal held quite successfully with over at Vilhaour, Puigdemont told his while in Catalonia Puigdemont of greater autonomy, increasing 4.3 million people turning out to followers that he would gladly himself led his people in aspiring Letters, Feedback and Suggestions to ‘Imphal Times’ economic recession and cutting vote. 92% of the voters supported spend 30 years in jail for the Catalan for self-determination. It is now can be sent to our e-mail : [email protected]. down on public spending all complete independence from Spain independence movement and he imperative that in order to For advertisement kindy contact: - 0385-2452159 (O). increased the anger in the hearts and this only affirmed the had no regrets whatsoever should strengthen our society as a whole For time being readers can reach the office at Cell Phone and minds of the Catalan people determination of the Catalan it ever come to that situation. His we need to build up and strengthen and this culminated in the people to live as a free nation in statement only re-affirmed the our local economy. No. 9862860745 for any purpose. unofficial Catalan independence their own right. steadfast determination of the We shall overcome someday.