WHY THE WOMEN'S UPRISING IN 1904 & 1939 ?

Guwahati,Asom 22 Dec.2008
_______________________

Uprising at the threshold of republican
Democracy : end of tyranny


_____________________

Women's uprisings in the NE region,particularly in Manipur brought Manipur at the threshold of a republican legacy and democracy.Even to-day,Manipuri Meira-paibis [ women torch -bearers] stand out as a living feminst institution in the 21st century world transcending the conventional gender barrier.Had it institutionally existed in some obscure enclave of the west first, their text books would be flooded with the tale about Manipuri hordes of democratic Zoan of Arcs.
________

Had Irom Sharmila who is doing a Gandhi minus Gandhian politics for 8 years for a period ,which even Gandhi could never imagine beyond his last barrier of human survival for 21 days,by fasting unto death,exclusively for human rights been born in an area of Western vital interest like Iran or Myanmar,or Bangladesh, Sharmila would have won a Nobel Peace Prize before 7 years; it is humanity that blatantly fails Sharmila, and not the reverse.

__________
The 1939 Manipuri women's uprising had been preceded by the first uprising in 1904.The residence of the imperial British officials had been burnt to ashes,possibly by 6 dangerous rajkumars led by Kalasana.All of them had been exiled by Manipuri administration to Lakhipur in Cachar after paying Rs. 100/- each for survival kit.

_________
The administration forced the Manipuri males to re-construct their houses and males were ready after yielding to the pressures.The Manipuri women in thousands rose on several occasions in democratic action, contested the order and forced the British to eat their words.The whole agitation was long drawn out and maket had to be closed down time and again.The Manipur women scored the first point over the British and their stooge- the infant Meetei king.

________________
The 1939 Women's uprising - euphemistically called war- the second in that order happened to be the wake-up call for ushering in a republic and democracy by terminating the Axis of Evil- the monarchy, the imperialism and their instruments of socio-economic oppression.The Congress radicals, which at a point of time bracketed in the loop, socialists and communists of the future, catalysed the second uprising with slogans,minted at the 1938 Chinga session.

______________The tyrant and his axis of evil,however,let loose a reign of terror for seven months at a stretch,punishing their own victims- the poor and the wretched.Even today, a few elements adore the tyranny[ such elements exist in every epoch], which humanity disowned and cursed, in one form or another.

_______________

The memoranda, submitted by the Manipuri public and women to the stooge king, the PMSD and Vicerory of India in 1940, consistently demanded that the criminal- regime be put to task, darbar mem
bers be sacked, export of rice be stopped to prevent a famine, rice mills be closed down, the two big shots who kicked the great woman leader-Sabi at her breast by boots and Ibemhal at her genitals severely be tried and punished, and legislative council be set up.

___________

G.N. Bardoloi from Gauhati- Hindustan Standard daily-brought out the true story of the tyranny to the notice of the elites in that period. Mr.Gimson wrote that the happy-go-luck Meetei king never did his job and roamed around for several months for one reason or another, particularly in crisis period.Mr.Mc Donald saw in H.Irabot a leader that viewed the state of that age alienated from the people.Assam governor knew the truth,but had to side with the tyrant- king.
___________

Viceroy had a vision to stall the emanation of a republic and democracy in Manipur.On 12 December, 1939 ,22 women were injured and five hospitalised due to bayonet injuries in struggling against the Assam Rifles. Four dangerous women as so called by the axis of evil -Manipuri Zoan of Arcs were imprisoned for months.The 'axis of evil' won merely the day only ,to lose ultimately their colonial destiny and imperial legacy for good.
_____________________________________________________
references
_________
1. women's memorandum dt 19 January,1940;
2.Memorandum dt.21.3.1940;
3.suggestions before darbar dt 21 June,1938;
4.Nikhil Hindu Manipuri Mahasabha,30 Dec.1938 resolutions[ Manipur opts for republic and democracy,legislative Council etc];
5.Confidential letter of Gimpson to Mills,dt 16 December,1939;
6.Bulfield commandant, 4th Assam Rifles letter dt 13 December,1939;
7.21.3.1940 Manipuri peoples demand to Meetei King for redress,which he denied;
8. 7 January 1940-Irabot's speech against king,MSD at police bazar, that landed him in jail for 3 years and became a revolutionary in 1949;Irabot was not provided with a mosquito net,king wanted that he should die with malaria;some elements even today worship snakes and king even now;
9.19 January ,1940 memorandum to king for justice, which the tyrant rejected outright.
10.All records connected with the tyranny,PMSD etc in 1939 and 1940.