CIRCA observes Natl Repentance Day

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Sep 21: Remem-bering the Merger Agreement of September 21, 1949 which merged Manipur with the dominion of India, the Coa-lition for Indigenes Rights Campaign (CIRCA) obser-ved "National Repentance Day" today.
The observance at Millennium Institute of Scien- ces, Kwakeithel Mayaikoibi saw CIRCA president So-morendro Thokchom, vice president Longjam Ratan and HERICOUN president Yumkhaibam Surjit, among others, speaking on the merger agreement and correlation between the agreement and issues plaguing Manipur today.
The "controversial" Mer-ger Agreement of September 21, 1949 was signed between Maharaja Bodha- chandra and India in Shillong.
Speaking at the event today, CIRCA vice president Longjam Ratan underscored the importance of "looking back at history to better understand the present and future implications".
"Tracing and understanding our history will enable us to anticipate the future and contribute towards the welfare of our society," he said.
Before the Merger agreement, Manipur was an independent State having its own administrative system, language, history, culture and economy.
After it merged with the dominion of India, the State has faced many issues. It is now not able to take decisions on its own, he added.
CIRCA president Thok-chom Somorendro said the merger with India has had administrative, social and political ramifications.
Under India, Manipur has arrived at a juncture where the Sate is not able to safeguard her own land, and its political status is degrading, he claimed.
Manipur under India is increasingly facing threat to its territorial integrity, issues of human rights violation, cross border infiltration and division among the society, he said.
CIRCA strongly believes that the issues facing Manipur may be resolved once the State returns to its pre-merger agreement political status. Manipur must be given the pre-merger agreement political status based on the Instrument of Accession signed on 11th August, 1947, he said.
He explained that the IOA provides that India would be given control of Defence, Communication and External Affairs while the State would have control over all the other subjects.
Granting Manipur the pre-merger political status would give it some degree of autonomy which would help resolve many of the crises the State is facing today, he said.