MAHEIROI 2011 An Annual Magazine of the Manipur Students’ Association Delhi © MSAD 2011 Editorial Board: Malem Ningthouja Praem Hidam Nongmaithem Manishwar Beerjurekha Samom Khumukcham Chinglen Luwang E-mail: [email protected] Contribution price Rupees 100 only ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Dedicated to those who fight for Justice Dear friends, At the very outset I would like to express my happiness to the successful publication of Maheiroi 2011. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Coordinator Chinglen Luwang, Malem Ningthouja (Chairperson, Election Committee), Praem Hidam (Advisor), and Manishwar (Advisor) for their initiative and hard labour. Furthermore, I would like to share my expectation to the succeeding executive terms to have regular publication of Maheiroi. I wish that Maheiroi 2011 serves the interest of the Manipur student community and inspires them as well. Our executive term (2010-2011) coincided with turmoil situations in Manipur. The longest blockade that Manipur had ever witnessed was carried out in an environment of mistrust and animosity among communities in Manipur. There was apprehension of the situation culminating into communal violence. The political decadence in Manipur has attained such high degree that despite prices of goods increasing to astronomical high, thereby affecting the economic livelihood of the common people, neither the government nor the contending forces were seriously working towards urgent amicable political solution. Another important issue that we came across was people’s call for peace and democracy. We were involved in the people’s demand for peace directed against AFSPA, i.e., a struggle in which the decade long hunger strike of Irom Chanu Sharmila had been an integral part. However, as exemplified MSAD MAHEIROI 2011 i by the recent attack on peaceful demonstration at Arts Faculty, University of Delhi, there is a clear indication of some anti-peace people trying to implicate the ongoing movement getting projected as anti peace and anti-democratic. The onus is on all of us to prevent any such snti-peace propaganda projection. Everyone here is an ambassador of this movement. Everyone share the responsibility of projecting the movement in its true meaning. I would like to reiterate the fact that in order for any student to be able to do anything substantial for our motherland, one has to strive hard in studies. While social awareness and political role are important, what is equally important for each student is to be sincere in studies as well. I would love to see everyone keeps the feet grounded and the promise that was made to the parents while coming to Delhi for education. The city lights are blinding and it is easy to lose ground here. I would like to appeal everyone to be true to oneself and never get lost into temptations that may uproot one’s cultural originality. We are the pillar of Manipur and I am sure that we can keep the flag of Manipur flying high. MSAD is looking forward to see the entire Manipuri students in Delhi coming out with flying PAOJEL colours. Long live MSAD Long live Manipur Delhi da mahei masing tamliba Manipurgi maheiroi khunai gi lup ama oina Manipur Students’ Association Delhi 1971 da lingkhattuna maheiroisinggi yaifa thouram kaya hakthengnana paikhatlakli. Lup asina maheiroi singgidamak leptana paikhatchaba thabk thouramsinggi manungda Miss Beerjurekha Samom, Maheiroi hairiba chefong asisu maru oiba thabak amani haina loujei. Tellaba President, MSAD matam kharagi manungda maheiroisingna knna hotnaduna Maheiroi 05 November 2011 puthoklakpa asi maheiroi khunnaigi maipakpa amani haijaning-ee. Chefong asina Delhida leiriba Manipurgi maheiroi singgi lousing amadi eeba-khotpa kaya mayamda saruk tamminnanabagi maru oiba pambei amasu soidana oigani haina thajajei. Chefong asina maheiroi singda kannaba amadi fajaba ethil peeba ngamba soidana oigani haina achetpa thajaba thamjari. Apunbana Yaipharae. Long Live MSAD R.K. Sanayaima, General Secretary, MSAD ii MAHEIROI 2011 MSAD MSAD MAHEIROI 2011 iii MESSAGE MESSAGE I am extremely delighted and feel tremendous pride that the Manipur Students’ Association Delhi is coming up with the fourth edition of its one I am glad to learn that the Manipur Students’ Association Delhi and only magazine Maheiroi on 3 November, 2011, after a gap of nearly a (MSAD) is bringing out the 4 th edition of its annual magazine “MAHEIROI- decade. I, with great humbleness, take this fourth publication of Maheiroi as 2011”. one of the phenomenal achievements of the organisation and its members and I congratulate the Editorial Board of “MAHEIROI-2011” and its indeed a result of gracious cooperation. The earlier editions were released in co-ordinator, Khumukcham Chinglen, in particular, for the effort to bring out the years 2000, 2001 and 2002. Maheiroi is perhaps the only notable the magazine. publication of MSAD besides its monthly newsletter. A magazine of a students’ association plays a very vital role in I consider it to be my duty, as the cultural secretary, to express my strengthening the association by bringing into it the spirit of fraternity among sincere gratitude and words of thanks to the Editorial Board for bearing its members. countless inconveniences and sacrificing their valuable moments due to their I do sincerely wish the publication of “MAHEIROI-2011” a success. preoccupation in this work. I shall be failing from my duty if I don’t extend my gratitude to those people who have always been helpful in the preparation of this work. It would not have been possible to accomplish this task without their active role and support. They deserve special credit for the success. I take this opportunity to sincerely express, on behalf of MSAD, my special thanks to everyone who has always been kind to MSAD with sincere assistance and cooperation so ungrudgingly. It is all because of their blessings Dr Thokchom Meinya that this humble publication has now seen the light of the day. I, with firm M.Sc.; LL.B.; M. Phil., Ph. D. belief expect further cooperation from all in the years to come. Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) Former Minister (Hr. & Tech. Edn.), Manipur Laishram Ashok Khuman. 20 October 2011 Cultural secretary, MSAD iv MAHEIROI 2011 MSAD MSAD MAHEIROI 2011 v MESSAGE MESSAGE I have the great pleasure to learn that Manipur Students Association Delhi (MSAD) is bringing out the magazine Maheiroi after a long break. I am sure that with the current publication of Maheiroi 2011, it will once again I am very glad to learn that Manipur Students’ Association Delhi rejuvenate the academic and literary activities of MSAD. (MSAD) is bringing out its 4 th Annual Publication “Maheiroi 2011” with Academic and literary activities are endeavour that require constant manifold topics and information about Manipur. engagement with words – with ideas. It is through novel ideas that human Such magazine will definitely create a platform where the younger civilizations have moved ahead towards life of greater value and ideals. One generation has the opportunities to expose their innate talent in the field of way of creating new ideas, and thus visualize a desirable human goal, is through literature and express their views on all the current topics. constant sharing and debating on the existing ideas. Writing is one of the Publication of such magazine regularly will help spread our rich many platforms through which our experiment with ideas can be initiated. cultural heritage all over the world The publication of the Maheiroi , I believe, will be a small but meaningful engagement towards this objective – not only towards academic and literary I wish the publication a grand success. excellence of the individual students, but also praxiologically engage with our trouble torn native place called Manipur. It is really commendable that the Academic Committee of MSAD has been working hard and making such a serious endeavour. I wish MSAD and its office bearers good luck and success. Nongthombam Biren Spokesperson, SPD Government, Dr. Bhagat Oinam Minister, IFCO and CAF & PD, M-anipur. Associate Professor Jawaharlal Nehru University Centre for Philosophy 3 November 2011 School of Social Sciences October 21, 2011 vi MAHEIROI 2011 MSAD MSAD MAHEIROI 2011 vii MAHEIROI 2011 Contents Acknowledgement i Messages iii- vii Contents 1 Foreword from the Editorial Board 3 Section I: MSAD ACTIVITIES MSAD Activities Executive Term 2010-11 7 List of the Awardees 10 List of the Contribution to MSAD 11 Office Bearers and Volunteers 2010-2011 12 Section II: ARTICLES Statistical Information of Manipur in Brief, Chinglenkhomba, Malem and Manishwar 17 Brief Profile of Indigenous Communities of Manipur, Khumukcham Chinglen Luwang 36 Violence as AFSPA 1958 and People’s Movement Against It, Malem Ningthouja 43 So Called ‘Development’, Chongtham Gunamani 50 Arts as the Politics of Authenticity and Cultural Appropriation, Usham Rojio 53 Folk Music of the Ethnic Minorities of Manipur, Laishram Birendrakumar Singh 58 A Visit to My Native Place “Abode on Earth,” Camela Rakhangmi 62 Women’s Question and Their Role in Political Struggle in Manipur, Shreema Ningombam 66 Wildlife Conservation in Manipur , Forest Department, Govt. of Manipur 69 Section III: SHORT STORY, POETRY & LYRICS Chanurembi, Malem Ningthouja 77 Thum Packet, Devananda Moirangthem, 81 ‘Conflicts’....where is the serenity?, Chan Paona Elangbam, 84 Spring Song, Soibam Haripriya 85 FOREWORD FROM THE EDITORIAL BOARD Change !!, Akoijam Premchand 86 Loktak Project, Tapta 87 MAHEIROI, the annual magazine of the Manipur Students’ Qutub Minar, Imphal Talkies 88 Association Delhi, is the result of collective efforts of many people. This volume is another addition to a number of other documents in the archives of Section IV: SELECTED DOCUMENTS OF MSAD MSAD, most of which are related to crucial issues of political and civil rights. Constitution of MSAD 93 We hope this volume would keep alive the literary tradition of MSAD which A Total Culmination 101 had witnessed the publication of the first three editions of MAHEIROI in MSAD Memorandum 104 2000, 2001 and 2002.