Oscar breaking North East India's Peace

Delhi’s pointsman in the Naga talks, Oscar Fernandez, today said unification of all warring Naga groups was imperative to take the “stalled peace process” forward.

Fernandez, who is in Shillong, to campaign for the party in the forthcoming elections, said disunity among the various Naga factions was the main hurdle in the peace process and that only “unification” would lead to an early solution.

“If all the underground factions join hands, it will be the easiest method to find a solution to the Naga problem,” he said. His statement is likely to give a new dimension to the ongoing controversy in the state over the unification efforts by a breakaway faction of the Isak-Muivah group.

A few members of the NSCN (I-M), led by its former home minister (klo kilonser), Azheto Chophy, recently broke away to form the NSCN (Unification) to try and bring unity among the Naga militant groups. The NSCN (I-M) leadership, however, has questioned the manner the nascent outfit was trying to push the unity agenda and declared a “state of emergency”.

Contradicting national security adviser M.K. Narayanan’s view that the peace process in Nagaland has slowed down, Fernandez said the talks are on the right tracks. “Peace talks are on the right track and we are now dealing with the technical aspects of the talks to arrive at a viable solution.”

He added that a technical committee, comprising government officials and NSCN (I-M) members, has been constituted to arrive at an acceptable formula. “Both sides are working on the technical aspects and we hope that the matter will be discussed in the next meeting to be announced shortly.”

The Congress leader, however, avoided speaking on the manifesto released by the party in Nagaland seeking integration of all Naga inhabited areas, saying he was yet to see the manifesto.

“I have not seen the manifesto and during my trip to Nagaland, I will find out the content of the manifesto.” Asked further on the party’s stand on the matter, Fernandez said, “It is a sensitive issue. If you have a copy of the manifesto, I am eager to see that”. On the spurt of violence in Nagaland, Fernandez said the government was taking steps to check violence.

Source: The telegraph

Festival of the Apatanis: MOROM

Unlike the ‘Dree’, the Apatani tribe of Arunachal Pradesh who resides in the Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh, celebrates many religious festivals throughout the year. The ‘Morom’ festival is also one of them which is celebrated with much joy and gaiety in the first two months of the year i.e., January-February. This particular festival is celebrated by the ‘Apatanis’ to welcome the advent of the spring season, similarly as the spring is welcomed in the rest of India in the form of ‘Basant Panchami’. Initially, the celebration of the ‘Morom’ festival was started by the villagers of Bela, Hari and Hang, where the rites and rituals were started of the months of December / January (Kume), but the villagers of the ‘Haja Duta’ do not commence the rites and rituals, until the first day of the months February / March (Kuye). The first day of the ‘Morom’ festival is counted as ‘Morom’ ‘Polo’ (Moon) as soon as the first moon is seen. Aged and elderly people of the village tells the young of clan and the whole village that as the ‘Morom’ ‘Polo’ is seen, that is the right time to celebrate the ‘Morom’ festival. However, according to the Apatani tradition, ‘Morom’ is generally performed in this month only.

People are thrilled, excited and are filled with enthusiasm to welcome the spring season. However, this is considered to be an individual celebration in which only the clan members can participate. But, if someone wants to join the celebration and to celebrate it on a large and grand scale, they should consult their family members and must go to the ‘Nyibu’ priest to express his desire. However, there is no obligation for anyone to celebrate this in any particular year but depends entirely on personal inclination.

About Morom :

The ‘Morom’ festival can be divided into three types viz. i) Runth, ii) Takum Padu and iii) Ronshar. ‘Runth’ in other words (Rungti or Gyamo Pido) is quite a big occasion and is performed on a grand and befitting manner. In this ‘Runth’, the whole of the Apatani Valley participated in one way or other. All sorts of animals, fowls etc. viz. mithun, pigs, goats etc. are sacrificed and the meat is distributed in all the villages of the Apatani plateau. On the contrary, ‘Takum Padu’ is a more complicated ritual which involves only the clan or group of clans. ‘Rungshar’, on the other hand, is performed and celebrated on a very small scale, where only one or two mithuns are sacrificed. In all these. ‘Morom-Mudd’, the master of the occasion proposes the celebrations that he wishes to perform and the priest advises him accordingly. However, the ‘Padu-Lodu’ is celebrated and done before the actual ritual of the ‘Morom’ begins. After this, the priest consults the omens, by chanting hymns and holding an egg in his hand, he invokes the ‘Uyu’. As indicated by omens, he then decides the date to start the activities connected to the celebration. Collecting of fire-wood is considered to be the first work of the celebration. Then the host of the celebration informs everyone in the village or clan about the cutting of bamboos in his garden. Subsequently, one person from each family in the village clan goes to the spot where the fire-wood is to be cut. This action continues for the whole day.

Old and elderly people cut the fire-wood and the youth and children collect the pieces at a particular place. Women of the clan and the relatives and kinsmen of the host from other villages bring cooked rice, apong and meat to feed the workers. Sufficient amount of fire-wood is collected and assembled to last for the whole celebrations. This occasion is known as ‘Yashum Padi’. Even the priest goes to the bamboo garden, where the fire-wood is cut and chants hymns, while the villagers are at work. After the cutting of the fire-wood is over, the villagers are find by the host of the rituals / celebrations and in the evening they go back to the respective houses. Then the priest comes to the host houses in the village and offer prayers to bless them and for their welfare and well-being. After taking food, drink etc. the priest goes back to his own residence for that particular night.

It is always seen that, from that day onwards the host of the celebration is always busy collecting rice-beer (Apong), meat, endi chadar rice, money, fire-wood etc. All the clan members of the host, kinsmen and of course, the neighbours provides all possible aid to the host. Sometimes, they even work throughout the day and the night in the hosts house to make necessary arrangements. Renovation and repairing of the house i.e., “Semla-Mudu” is done with the help of neighbours, relatives and clan members etc. When everything is ready and kept in proper order, the priest is then informed. Then, the priest informs the host the ‘Shikha Lulido’ has to be performed on a fixed date. Generally, in the wee hours of the morning or at cock’s crow or even earlier. However, for “Runth Mudd” the rituals and rites are performed by more than one priest, but, if the “Runshar Mudd” is performed, then only one priest is more than sufficient. The priest wears a traditional religious dress and comes to the hosts house. Then, he sets up a stick at the front of the hosts house which is known as ‘Shikhra’ and starts chanting hymns to worship the ‘Uyu’ to save the people from miseries and to safeguard the welfare of the society. After this, the priest rests for sometime and is offered ‘Apong’ by the host. The priest then performs ‘Shikha Lulida’ on the Verandah (corridor) of the house and comes to the lapang to perform ‘Subu Hido’. Elderly and old people in the village sits on the lapang to witness the performance of ‘Subu hido’ where a mithun is tied up for sacrificial purpose and then the priest starts chanting hymns. Then, the host’s wife comes and performs the ‘Subu-Supundo’. While, the priest performs the ‘Subu hido’ (the lapang on the public platform), the villagers prepares the ‘Sikha Pado’ (altar) where the mithun is to be sacrificed near the ‘Shikhra’. Throughout the day, people are busy in worshipping and for making necessary arrangements. On the other hand, women are busy preparing food and looking after the guests.

Then in the evening, ‘Shikha Botinto’ is performed. The mithun is brought by a ‘mura’ (a person of lower status) from the ‘Apong’ to the ‘Subu-Shikha’ and tied up. Then, the lady of the house stands with ‘Liya’ (cane basket) ‘Linya’ (lao) with ‘attang’ (rice powder) ‘apong’ (beer) to perform ‘Subu-Supundo’. After this, the Nyibu performs and chants hymns to the deities to accept the offerings and to safeguard the welfare of the society. Then, a strong man stands with a Yayu sword to slaughter the ‘mithun’ which is known as “Su-ta-to”. Then the host’s lady is directed to perform ‘Subu-Supundo’. In this, rituals, the lady puts ‘apong’ and ‘attang’ on the head of the mithun with her right hand. The mithun is then slaughtered and several blows of the sword are given to its body till its dead. Thus, the ‘Morom’ festival continues after this rites and rituals also, till the sixteenth day of the celebration, which is other words is known as ‘Midi-Lindo’.

Conclusion :

It is believed that Apatani society was created with a small population, which was not that large as it is today. Destruction and natural calamities have done the toll. According to the myth, ‘mipor’ and ‘hape’ the sons of ‘Doni’ and ‘Libo’ respectively were prominent and important personalities of that time. It happened once that ‘Mipoo’ fell ill seriously and everybody was perturbed and nervous not knowing what was to be done to cure him. Finally, ‘Pahin-Kedo’ (omen) was taken by ‘Nyibu Abra’. He said that ‘Mipor’ was suffering from the displeasure of bad spirits. He also said that ‘Mipor’ can’t be cured until the worship of the ‘Uyu’ was done and also suggest that the ‘Uyu’ should be worshipped in the month of ‘Morom-Polo’ only. The gifts required to worship ‘Donyi’ were long wide leaves of the trees named ‘Hee-zee’, Tali Pessa (Pine) and the plants ‘Tazar’ and ‘Taki’ should be collected from the jungle. After collecting all these items, long ropes were made to tie up the mithun and other animals near the ‘Lapang’. In other to please ‘Danyei’, the ‘Nyibu’ directs the people to bring the branches of the ‘Kra tree’ for making ‘Shekha’ (altar) and shaved bamboo tassels for decorations. After all the arrangements, performance of the rituals were done as advised by the priest.

The name of the priest for these occasions is ‘Morom Mudd’ and since then the Apatani people have celebrated ‘Morom’ every year to make their society prosperous and strong.

Vows to continue struggle for Independence from India

Irengbam Chouren, chairman of the proscribed Revolutionary People`s Front, RPF, has categorically rejected the possibility of any other solution to the ongoing armed struggle in Manipur other than the end of Indian rule, whether it is of its own volition or not.

In a message issued on the occasion of the 29th raising day of the RPF`s armed wing the People`s Liberation Army, Chouren stated that the revolutionary struggle will not end unless the present regime departs of its own will or is forced to depart.

It is not possible for revolutionaries to bring a solution with India other than this, he stated. If India wants peace in Manipur as well as a long-lasting relationship, they should bring the colonial regime to a close, he stated.

Chouren also observed that India has so far refused to recognise and admit that Manipur had been an independent contry that was forcibly annexed to her fold, but rather using democracy as an effective weapon to draw the people of Manipur in the election process in an attempt to show that Manipur is a part of India.

He however maintained that Indian democracy and elections is not real democracy or elections. Real democracy can be there only when Manipur becomes an independent country, he stated.

In this context, he also said that those wielding power in Manipur at present are there as representatives of the Indian State and must bear total responsibility for various inhuman atrocities suffered by the people of Manipur at the hand of the security forces.

On the plank of development, which he maintained is being used as enticement to strengthen Indian rule, Chouren said it is impossible to believe that India, with forty percent of the world`s poor can make Manipur fully developed with her money. The little amount of money that is being sanctioned to Manipur presently is also due to revolutionary activities, he said.

He urged the public to shed the outdated idea of Manipur not being able to survive without depending on India, and shape the future of Manipur through development activities through our own efforts.

He further noted that while India`s pronouncement is for peaceful negotiation with the revolutionaries through dialogue, it adopts violence in action, apparently on the presumption that the revolutionary movement in Manipur can be finished off easily through armed might. This is however fallacious, he mainitained, pointing out that there is no sign of fall in the number of revolutionaries despite the increase in the number of those arrested or martyred.

He also stated that the RPF does not take those of its members who have retired to live a civilian life to have discarded the revolutionary struggle. Rather, it is taking a long term perspective by giving arms training to maximum numbers of youth to prepare them for an imminent war, he stated.

Chouren also stated that the RPF has been built as with the character of a true revolutionary party. The fact of building the party without any division into factions shows ideal discipline and mutual trust among cadres. The RPF has now become one of the unassailable revolutionary parties of Manipur, he said.

Regarding unity among the revolutionary organisations, Chouren said it is the party`s desire that various revolutionary parties come under one platform. However, as seen from past experience, it cannot be taken for granted that revolutionary work can be undertaken once a few parties with the same vision come together. It is necessary to explore a path for revolutionary parties even with different ideologies and visions for undertaking revolutionary work together.

This is however not easy in the present different state of affairs prevailing within the revolutionary organisations, he admitted, noting that effort first needs to be taken up bring unity to various factions of some revolutionary organisations.

Expressing the RPF`s stance, he said assistance or encouragement from other parties will not be enough to bring long-lasting unity, unless they come to agreement of their own will. Such organisations beset with factionalism should be allowed to search the parth for their unification on their own, in the process learning to discharge their duties responsibly.

He said there is no question of RPF recognising or working jointly at present with various factions, as this will only cause more bitterness.

He also urged the public to stop helping different factions, rather to put more pressure so that factions come together. Otherwise no end to factionalism, he remarked.

The RPF chief also called for urgent introspection among the revolutionary organisations of the direction of revolution works in the light of the whope people of the work undertaking a new united movement against terrorism. If the issue is not taken seriously, they may fall prey to Indian propaganda to portray the independence movement as terrorist activitiy, thereby lossing support of the international community. In this connection, he appealed to all organisations to desist from using terrorist tactics.

On the covert understanding in the name of negotiations between the Indian Army and rebel groups of various communities, he said this is aimed at causing destablisation by driving a wedge between various communities. Warning that the inevitable result of this is a communal war, he appealed to the revolutionary organisations to come together and work unitedly for Manipur with new ideology and vision instead of reposing faith in India.

While urging the media in Manipur to work in an unbiased manner, Chouren also appealed to all sections not to intimidate or inconvenience the media by interfering unnecessarily with media freedom.

Expressing concern over ever depleting forest and receding hill cover, he also urged the public to take responsible steps to protect the environment, particularly intervene in areas where the Manipur governemnt departments have failed.

He also the need for inculcating a sense of patriotism and dedication to the motherland among the children by educating them in Manipur itself, for which good schools, right academic envornment, as well as new and relevant methods of teaching, are required. It would be a disaster for the future of Manipur to send students indiscriminately outside state for their studies, he said, and observing that instead of dragging the schools with their young and budding students into ever increasing strikes and bandhs, it would be more rewarding to raise and discuss specific issues in the classroom.

Chouren further said no one can be isolated from the revolutionary struggle, and all must prepare to take their part so that the struggle is not put in danger.