War on Education: Will the Meiteis' Attempt to Destroy the Intellectual Properties of the Kuki-Zo Backfire?

The ongoing ethnic turmoil is not just a state-sponsored ethnic cleansing pogrom perpetrated by the majority Meitei community against the minority Kuki-Zo but also an attempt to destroy the latter's intellectual properties forever. Even before the current violence broke out, there had already been a systematic attempt to disrupt the slowly emerging scholarly research on the histories of the Kukis. 

The first such attempt at disrupting the academic works of the Kukis was the open denial of the existence of the Anglo-Kuki War, 1917–1919. Even though detractors opposed the term "Anglo-Kuki War," they all accepted that the Kukis had actually fought the British during the First World War. For many, the term "war" was a problem. They argued that it should be used only between two sovereign nations. Yet they didn't realize that all the hill tribes were independent of valley state control. Meanwhile, a Meitei professor, A. Bimol Akoijam, argued in a social media post that it is not the term "war" which was problematic but "Anglo" in the Anglo-Kuki War. This says a lot about how the Meiteis change their colours [standpoints] any moment! 

Apart from opposing the term "Anglo-Kuki War," another incident worth remembering is how any dissenting voice, such as that of Mr. Mark Thangmang Haokip, a human rights activist, was put behind bars on flimsy grounds. In this particular case, Mark simply quoted published works in his social media handles that the Meitei King merged only the valley, i.e., 700 sq. miles at the time of signing the Merger Agreement in 1949. It is interesting to note that he was also slapped with the charge of leading a secessionist movement against Indian Union through a little-known Facebook group! 

When the Meiteis realised that there was a published PhD Thesis quoting the same thing, they put all the blame on Prof. Amar Yumnam of Manipur University, who happens to be a co-supervisor. This professor was attacked in his house by a group of youths ["lairik hairasu laisu haitaba?"] and was later forced to stay far away from his hometown, Imphal. 

Instances of silencing dissenting voices had begun within the Meitei community many years ago. Back in 2015/2016, while the demand for ILP and ST status for the Meiteis was gaining momentum, a few scholars compiled documents related to the mass movements in a book titled, "Claims and Refutations: Compilation on Inner Line Permit System." The editors, Homen Thangjam and Sukhdev Sharma Hanjabam, had stated that the demand for ST status for the Meiteis was "spearheaded by the Indian intelligence and military who have taken Manipuri compradors such as retired army personnel into their folds." This argument did not go down well with a section of the Meitei society, for which the editors were pressurised by a student body, DESAM, in September 2016, to make a detailed clarification on their remarks on ST demand within ten days. They obviously tendered an apology with the condition that they will make necessary corrections in the later editions, which never happened. 

In a similar case, Prof. Ch. Priyoranjan Singh of Manipur University was shamed and named by STDCM for expressing his opinion in a local TV discussion in March 2019. Since then, this professor never spoke again on such public platforms, though he was the advisor of chief minister Mr. Biren. 

The campaign to silence dissenting voices was also carried out with the active participation of the state government. In fact, Mr. Biren is known for dictating even discussion topics on local TV channels. His government has also been notorious for slapping defamation suits against editors/newspapers. One of the well-known cases was that of Pradip Phanjoubam, noted journalist and author, who was slapped with a defamation case while he was the editor of Imphal Free Press by Mr. Biren at least on two occasions. This compelled the publishers of the newspaper to part with him. The same newspaper, which was quite critical of the establishment where learned academics such as Prof. Amar Yumnam and Prof. Bobo Maisnam were regular columnists, are now controlled by the relatives of Biren's second wife, Mrs. Olish Lamkang, MLA of Chandel AC. 

Another regressive step taken up by Mr. Biren's government was the formation of a state level committee in September 2022 to oversee the publication of books on the history, culture, tradition and geography of Manipur. Most of the members of the committee claimed that they were not aware of the formation of the committee. And nobody knows whether this committee ever reviewed any book. 

Prior to this, there was an order in August 2020 that all employees under the Department of Higher and Technical Education should publish or speak on public platforms only with the approval of the competent authority. The order was aimed at keeping an eye on the free speech of intellectuals, particularly teachers of government colleges, who may be critical of the government's policies and programs. Curiously enough, a government college teacher was suspended for writing an article in a national daily back in 2017 based on this order. Similarly, another teacher was also suspended for speaking in an election rally for a candidate in November 2020. All these developments were under the watch of Mr. Biren who is hailed by many in the valley as the savior, or the best CM, of Manipur. 

Meanwhile, when the current violence broke out on May 3, 2023, a targeted attack to destroy the intellectual properties of the Kuki-Zo community also began. For instance, when the well-planned mobs began attacking Kuki-Zo colonies in Imphal, a similar invasion was organized at Manipur University and other institutes of higher learning. Initially, when the unruly mobs barged into Manipur University campus at about 8:30 pm, their first motive was focused on the resistance of selected faculties, staff, and research scholars. Probably it was due to divine intervention alone that the Assam Rifles and some kind-hearted people belonging from different communities took the risk of evacuating the Kuki-Zo from the campus. However, all their properties, including research and archival materials, were either burnt or looted in the next few days. 

As such, thousands of academic-related certificates, books, theses/dissertations, research materials and raw/primary data earned or collected for years turned into ashes within the first few days. Of these, some are available in the market or can be found again in duplicate/photocopy, but many of them will be lost forever without any means of retrieval. 

This irreparable loss incurred upon the Kuki-Zo intellectuals and scholars can only happen with a well-thought-out plan. It did not end there. Such barbaric acts of destroying the intellectual properties of the Kuki-Zo were followed by FIR against authors of scholarly works and activists who raised their voices against this ethnic cleansing pogrom. These anti-academic, neo-nazi like ultra-right-wing populist, goons who are hell-bent on people reading the glorious history of the Kukis did not know that there was already enough literature on the Anglo-Kuki War. It may also be noted that there are also ongoing researches on other aspects of the history of the Kukis including their participation in the INA and the anti-colonial struggle prior to the First World War. 

Yet again, in its desperate attempt to denounce the history of the Kukis, the online warriors are actively engaged in spreading fabricated messages on social media platforms and online shopping like Amazon, Flipkart, etc. However, all these attempts at belittling scholarly works backfire and actually help in promoting the books! May I remind the readers that the two books, one edited by J.Guite & T.Haokip, and another by Col. (Dr.) Vijay Chenji, are not the only works on the Anglo-Kuki War? So, registering a few FIRs wouldn't erase this glorious chapter in the history of India's freedom struggle! 

Meanwhile, as the current ethnic turmoil went on, the Meiteis and its communal government too refused to give up attacking the Kuki-Zo. Instead, they continue to harass them by whatever means at their disposal. For instance, psychology students from a college in Lamka were intentionally made to fail en masse, though it was rectified later. In many instances, students of different colleges and universities belonging to the Kuki-Zo were removed from their department's WhatsApp Groups so that they may be denied crucial information. On a few occasions, answer scripts from Kanggui and Lamka were reported missing or arriving late. 

Among the students, one of the most affected lots were the PhD Scholars who are no longer able to go to their departments or meet their concerned supervisors in person. Science students who required laboratory or practical examinations are totally denied such facilities. Even those who are about to submit their dissertations are either denied on flimsy, or forced delayed on grounds best known to them. In some cases where the supervisor and the staff are kind enough to assist the scholars/students, there are often people who interfere in between. 

Moreover, most of the schools and colleges managed by Kuki-Zo in Imphal have been burnt or used as offices by Meitei armed militias like the Arambai Tenggol. Even in Moreh, a Kuki-dominated town, three schools were razed to the ground by Meitei CDOs recently. It is also disheartening to note that orders of schools who succeeded in getting CBSE affiliation had to be canceled after the Meitei government in Imphal complained to its chairman. Here, it is ironic that the Kuki-Zo people are denied facilities available in Imphal, and at the same time, they are prevented from seeking alternative means. 

Another step taken up by this communal government is to conduct recruitment (or DPC) to deny maximum Kuki-Zo the opportunity to get into government services. Whereas in some cases examination centers for such recruitments are allocated in Imphal, some others whose results are declared include either very few Kuki-Zo or none in the merit list. 

All these efforts made by the Meiteis to destroy, or disrupt, the development of the Kuki-Zo's knowledge system have affected many, but it also had its share of affirmative action. The atrocities against the young minds of the Kuki-Zo provoke them to work harder and give their best in their chosen field. This is particularly visible in the field of education as all the libraries and study halls in Lamka are full-packed with enthusiastic students and job aspirants studying day and night like never before. 

In the field of sports, particularly football, few young players began to make the nation proud at the international level despite the turmoil back home. There are also a number of new educational institutes, coaching centers, hospitals, and entrepreneurship coming up in the Kuki-Zo hill towns some of which are already established institutions shifted from Imphal. In the next couple of years, the Kuki-Zo community will certainly see a giant leap forward in the field of education and job market, including sports. 

It is simply against the will of God for one community to carry out a campaign for the total annihilation of another community. The greater the persecution, the greater the blessing will be provided the Kuki-Zo community doesn't give up!

[Thingkho le Malcha: 5th February 2024]