~ Tongkhohao Khongsai

Manipur State hi Northeast India a um, agam letdan 22,356 sq. km. ahi. Agam hi thinglhang le phaicham a khenthei ahi’n, thinglhang gam hi 20,513 sq. km. apha’n, phaicham hi 1,743 sq. km. ahije. Manipur leipeh 91% hi thinglhang gam tina ahi.

Agamsung a cheng miho jong seni – Thinglhang mi le Phaicham mi a khenthei ahi’n, Phaicham ah Meilhei le Pangal atampen uvin ahi. Thinglhang mite hi nam chomchom 33 in akikhen uvin, ahi’nla hiche nam 33 hi seni – Kuki le Naga tia khenthei ahiuve.

1971 kisimpi (census) chun Manipur ah mihem 10,72,754 ana um in, hicheho lah a chun thinglhangmi (schedule tribe) 3,34,466 ahiuve. 1991 kisimpi chun 18,37,149 ana lhing in, hicheho lah a chun thinglhangmi 6,32,168 aphai. Chule 2001 kisimpi chun 23,88,634 ana lhing in, hicheho lah a chun thinglhangmi 7,13,813 alhing in ahi.

Masanglai chun phaicham miho hin Leng ana nei un, lenggam in ana kivaipo uvin, thinglhang miho vang tulai bang in kivaipohna tum neilou vin, khotin in Haosa anei in, haosa vaihomna noi ah ana um in ahi. Haosaho chun amaho khosung cheh ah thuneina shangpen anei un, gam-le- go nei chule avengbit jong amaho ahiuve.

1891 laipeh a pat chun Manipur hi British vaihomna noi ah ana umta zong leh Lenggam (Princely State) ana hi zing in ahi. Leng Churachand Singh in May 15, 1907 chun Manipur State Judiciary Durbar ana phutdoh in, hiche State Durbar chun tulai Session Judge ho thaneina chan ananei in, case chomchom a thutanna chu hapta khat sung in ni 5 ana um ji’n ahi. Lengpa chu State Durbar President anahi’n, phaicham le thinglhang mite kivaihomkhomna shangpen ana phutdoh in ahi.

Manipur thinglhang gam kivaipohna chu amin in British khutnoi ah ana um zong leh, atahtah in vang khosung haosaho khut ah aum in ahi. 1907 kum chun lengpa’n Manipur State Durbar ana phutdoh tazongleh, thinglhang mite’n vang chuche thutanna chu anajon ngai pou vin, thuboi – aneopen a pat alenpen, toltha gei in khosung haosaho’n thutanna ananei zing un ahi.

Chuche phadlai chun Manipur thinglhang gam ah kichotmatna lampi duhdah ana umpo’n, kenglam ngen anahije. Hijehchun British vaipoho di’n thinglhang mite chung a vaihom ding chu thil hahsa tah ahi’n, amaho hung masang a khosung kivaipohna ana umsa dungjui a vaihomkhum ding chu phajo di’n agel un ahi. Chutoh kilhon chun kho Haosaho hedpina abol un, gam lekha apedoh un, bol ding jouse haosaho kithopina noi ah anabol jiuve.

Tax zong haosaho kithopina noi ah Hill House Tax Rs. 3/- anadong un ahi. Hiche tax hi April 29, 1892 kum a pat Major Maxwell, Political Agent in ahin patdoh ahi’n, chuban ah hunam in natong ding mi zong haosaho kom ah anathum jiu vin ahi. Chulai a British Policy chu sum le tha chule phad alhomtheipen a Manipur thinglhang gam vaipoh ding ti anahije.

Manipur thinglhang gam vaihomkhum thei tahtahlou ahi jeh un, British vaipoho’n hahsatna tamtah anatoh un ahi. Vaihomna bul dettah anei theilou jeh un, agamsung miho athujo pou vin, hijehchun Kuki Rebellion 1917-19 sung ana um in ahi.

Chuche kidouna jeh chun alanglang ah hinna tamtah anabei in, boina suhthipna ding in govt. in Rs. 28 lakhs anaseng in ahi. Chuche boina hung kipatna chu thinglhanggam a kivaipohna det umlou (loose administration) jeh hi’n akholdoh uvin ahi.

Thinglhanggam kivaihomna akintheipen a semphatna di’n British vaipoho’n pan alau vin, Assam Chief Commissioner, Nicholas Beatson Bell in October 16, 1919 chun Lengpa inn a kikhopna ah Manipur gamsung kivaipohna ding thulhun ahin pandoh ta’n ahi.

Chuche dungjui chun Manipur gam chu Sub-Division 4 a khen ding ti ahitai. Phaicham a sub-division khat um ding, a headquarters Imphal hi ding chule thinglhanggam a sub-division 3 um ding –

1. South lang a Kukiho chenna lah sub-division khat, a headquarters Churachand (tua Mission Compound kiti khu).
2. West lang a Kuki le Kabui chenna, sub-division headquarters ding Tamenglong chule
3. North a Tangkhul le Kukiho chenna sub-division headquarters Ukhrul hi ding, ti ahitai.

Thinglhanggam sub-division 3 a Sub-Divisional Officer ding in B.C. Casper, William Shaw le L.L. Peters chu gon in aum pai tauve. Chuche kivaipohna thah tohmolso ahitheina ding in British India in Manipur gamsung a pat kumseh leh Qai (tax & tribute) alah ji Rs. 50,000 lah a Rs. 45,000 chu lah tahlou ding, chuche sum chu thinglhanggam vaipohna a manchah ding, ti ahitai.

Manipur lengpa’n July 1947 chun Manipur State Durbar kiti chu Council of Ministers in akhel tai. Chuche Council of Ministers a chun thinglhangmi anapang po’n, chuche jou vin August 14, 1947 chun Interim Council of Ministers aphutdoh kit in, Captain Priyabrata Singh chu Chief Minister in apansah in ahi. Chuche Interim Council a chun thinglhangmi 2 – TC Tiankham (Minister of Forest, Agriculture & Veterinary) le Major Khathing (Minister of Hill Affairs) apang lhon in ahi.

Manipur thinglhang mite kivaipohna i hedthem theina diu vin 1947 a pat tuni chan a State le Central Govt. in dan le thupeh asemho lah a apoimo phabep gah veu hite.

India in zalenna amu masangpeh a pat in Manipur ah mipi vaihomna (democratic form of govt.) deina ana um zing in ahi. Manipur lengpa’n March 29, 1947 chun mipi kivaihomna a man ding in Constitution Making Body 2 aphutdoh in – The Constitution Drafting Committee le The Hill Local Self-Government Regulation Sub-Committee ahi.

Constitution Drafting Committee a memberho chu – (i) L.M. Ibongohal Singh (ii) A. Ibotombi Singh (iii) H. Dwijanami Sharma (iv) S. Krishnamohan Singh (v) A. Daiho le (vi) Thangkhopao Kipgen ahiuve.

Hill Local Self-Govt. Regulation Sub-Committee ah F.F. Pearson chu Chairman ahi’n, memberho chu – (i) A. Ibotombi Singh (ii) A. Daiho (iii) R. Suisa (iv) TC Tiankham (v) Teba Kilong le (vi) Leiren Singh ahiuve.

Sub-Committee chun Manipur phaicham le thinglhang kivaipohna ding The Manipur State Constitution Act, 1947 le The Manipur Hill Peoples (Administration) Regulation, 1947 aphutdoh un, chuche phadlai a vaihom ‘Caretaker Government’ in passed anabol un, Dan ahungsoh tai. Chuche Dan chu Manipur a mipi kivaipohna dia Dan kibol masapen ahije.

Manipur State Constitution Act, 1947 dungjui a chu Manipur in Legislative Assembly khat anei ding, hiche a chu member 52 um ding, memberho chu mipi’n akilhen diu, ti ahije. Seat 52 umho chu Meilhei 31, thinglhangmi 18, Muslim Education & Commerce Section ding seat 3 reserved anahije.

Hiche Assembly a chu Council of Ministers um ding, hiche sung a chu Chief Minister le Minister 6 um ding, Council of Ministers lah a chu thinglhangmi 2 pang ding, ti ahi. Chuti chun Manipur a kilhenna masapen chu 1948 chun ana um in, chuche Legislative Assembly a chun Speaker in TC Tiankham (Hanship Constituency) anapang in ahi.

Manipur State Hill Peoples (Administration) Regulation 1947, kiti Dan khat Manipur thinglhang miho dinmun dopshangna di’n phudoh in ana um e. Hiche dungjui chun Manipur thinglhang kho, House Tax pe inn 20 a pat achunglam umna se ah Village Authority sem ahi’n, Haosapu chu Chairman ahi’n, member dangho chu ama’n agon ahi.

Chuche Act dungjui chun kivaipohna akitub theina di’n thinglhanggam khoho chu agamkai dungjui in Circle le Sub-Division a hopkhen ahung hi’n, Sub-Division tin ah Sub-Divisional Officer khat aum in, Circle tin ah Circle Officer le member 5 aum in ahi. Civil Justice ah Court nempen Village Authority Court aum in, chuban in Circle Bench, Hill Bench, Chief Court, ti’n ana kikhen chilchel in ahi.

1891 kum laipeh a pat Manipur hi British vaipohna noi ah ana um tazongleh lengvaipo ana um zing in ahi. August 15, 1947 a India in Chamlhat amulai chun Manipur hi anapangkha poi. Manipur lengpa Budhachandra Singh le India Govt. palaiho’n September 21, 1949 chun Shillong ah Manipur gam India a lahludna ding suoi anakai tauve. Hiche thulhuhna Manipur Merger Agreement chu October 15, 1949 a pat chun ahung kimangpan ta’n ahi.

Hiche kinoptona dungjui chun Manipur lenggam chu India ah lahlud ahita’n, lengpa panmun chu haisah ahitai. Lengpa’n compensation dan a adamsung a kumseh leh Rs. 3,00,000 asaan ding, ti ahi. Chuche kinoptona suoi akai joujou un, Manipur kivaipohna chu India in ala pai in, Major General Rawal Amar Singh chu Chief Commissioner ding in gon anahije.

Chief Commissioner in 1948 kum a mipite’n analhendoh Ministry le Manipur Assembly chu aphedlha’n, thuneina jouse ama khut ah akoi in, chuti chun Manipur chu Chief Commissioner vaihomna noi ah aum tai. 1950 kum a Indian Constitution ahung kimanpat phad in Manipur chu Part ‘C’ State ho lah a khat ahung hitai. States Re-organisation Act, 1956 dungjui in 1957 chun Union Territory a dopshang anahi’n, January 21, 1972 a pat full fledge state dinmun peh ahitai.

Manipur thinglhang gam kivaipoh kitub joh theina ding in The Manipur (Village Authorities in Hill Areas) Act, 1956 phudoh in ana um e. Hiche Dan chun Manipur State Hill Peoples (Administration) Regulation Act, 1947 chu repealed abol ahije.

Village Authorities Act dungjui a Haosapa chu akhosung Village Authority Chairman hi ding, member dangho chu khosungmiho’n alhen diu, ti ahitai. Hiche Dan kisemdoh masang a chu Village Authority memberho chu Haosapa’n anagon ahi. Achung a kisei memberho term chu kum 3 anahi’n, chujou vin kum 5 a suhsao ahije.

Village Authorities Act, 1956 dungjui in Manipur thinglhang gam a kho, Hill House Tax pe inn 20 a pat achunglam umna jouse’n Village Court anei ding, hiche Court a member dingho chu State Govt. in agon ding ahi. Village Court chun thuboi Rs. 500 chan thutanna aneithei ding, migilou Rs. 100 chan leosah a lhakhat songkul khumtheina tha anei diu ahi. Hizongleh tuni chan in Village Court achom a bol ahipoi.

Manipur thinglhang gam kivaipoh dan i vet leh Village Authority Act kimanna umsun chu Authority memberho kum 5 dan a kilhenna bou hi ahi’n, adang vang akimang poi. Haosaho’n thuboi, aneopen a pat alenpen toltha thu chan in thutanna abol jiuve.

Manipur gamsung kivaipoh ‘fel’ theina ding in The Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms Act, 1960 phudoh in ana um in ahi. Hiche Dan chu Manipur gamsung pumpi, thinglhang gam tailouva man ding ahije. Ahi’nla State Govt. in Official Gazette ah hiche Dan chu gamsung pumpi a manthei ding in thoso abol un ahi.

Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms Act, 1960 Section 158 ah Special Provision Regarding Schedule Tribes kiti aum in, hiche dungjui a chu thinglhangmi khat in thinglhangmi dang kom a agam apehson thei ding ahi. Ijemtia thinglhangmi hilou kom a apehson nom leh, agamsung Deputy Commissioner phalna alah ngai ding, D.C. in District Council phalna alahson ngai ding, ti ahije.

1963 kum chun Union Parliament in India gamsung a Union Territory ho kivaipohna ding in The Govt. of Union Territories Act, 1963 anabol in, hiche Dan Section 52na ah Special Provision for Hill Areas of Manipur kiti aum in ahi. Hiche Special Provision dungjui chun Manipur Legislative Assembly ah Hill Standing Committee kiti aum in, thinglhang gam Constituency ho a pat MLA lhendohho chu member hi ding, ti ahije.

Hiche Standing Committee kiti chu khonung in Hill Areas Committee ti’n akikhel in, tuni gei in akimang in ahi. Thinglhangmiho ding Bill ipi hileh Financial Bill tailou jouse Manipur Assembly a pohludna thei thaneina anei uve. Gam le lei, Social Customary laws le adangdang, thinglhangmiho toh kisai a thuneina jouse amaho khutnoi a um ahije.

January 21, 1972 kum a Manipur Full Fledge State ahung hi toh kilhon in Manipur thinglhangmiho khantouna ding, amaho le amaho kivaipohna ding gelkhohna jal in The Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act, 1971 kiti semdoh ahi’n, Manipur thinglhang gam jouse chu District Council 5 a khen ahitai.

Hiche Act sung a apoimo domdomho chu thinglhang gam (land) chungchang a thaneina, Primary School le Dispensary, lampi, lei lou neina lampang, thenna, twineh, haosa appointment, gou kilo ding dan, kichen dan, social customs chule adangdang Dan sem dingho govt. kom a recommend abolthei diu ahi. Ahi’nla hitobang thaneina hi Governor in apehdoh le aphalpeh dungjui a hithei ding bou ahi.

Hiche a kisei thaneinaho hi State Govt. in anop phadphad leh District Council khut a apehdoh a, anop phadphad leh alahdoh kit thei tina ahi. Administrative power le financial power themcha bou peh ahiu vin, amaho a kon a sum muna aneilou jeh un, State Govt. a pat kithopina Grant bouva kingam ahi jeh un, Grant avaigei leh aboi pai ji tauve. Hiche District Council hi Indian Constitution a Sixth Schedule noi a ahilou jeh in, State Govt. khotona jal a hing maimai dan in aumdoh in ahi.

India gam pumpi a village level a kivaipohna phajo le thuneina lenjo peh ding Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi chun ana gelkhoh lheh in, pan hatah in anala’n ahi. “Gamsung a khantouna tahbeh aumtheina dia khosung kivaipohna semphat a, thaneina shangjo peh ngai ahi” anati’n ahi. Hiche toh kilhon chun gamsung pumpi a man ding Panchayat Raj phudoh ding anagong in ahi.

Panchayat Raj chungchang a Parliament a ahoulimna ah, “Panchayat a mipi kivaipohna aum teng leh, gamsung a vaichapen, thulahlou le gentheipenho chu khohsahna i nei uve, ti vetsahna hi ding ahi” ati.

India gam pumpi a Panchayat Raj System a kivaihomna umsah ding pha asah lheh vang chun, Northeast States a kivaipohna dan umsa toh hoijoh phajo ding ham ti ngaidan ananei in, hijeh chun 1988 chun Study Team khat anasemdoh in ahi.

Hiche a memberho chu chulai a Northeast gamkai a Chief Minister 3 – P.A. Sangma (Meghalaya), S.C. Jamir (Nagaland) le Lalthanhawla (Mizoram) ahiuve. Amaho chun Northeast States a Chief Minister dangdang le mi poimo chomchom kimupi’n Study anabol uvin ahi.

Report apehnau vah, “India gam mun dangdang a kichepi Panchayat System a kivaipohna hi Northeast States ho a koithei hipo’nte. Amaho dia hitobang kivaihomna thah phudoh sang in, masanglai peh a pat ana kivaipohnau (traditional system of administration) hi semphat a suhhad phajo’nte” anatiu vin ahi.

Hijeh chun 1989 in Parliament in Panchayat Raj Act passed anabol zong leh hiche Act chu “Jammu & Kashmir, Manipur thinglhang gam a District Council Act kimanna le Darjeeling a Gorkha Hill Council umna munho a man hilou ding” ti anahije. Ajeh chu Jammu & Kashmir, Manipur thinglhang gam le Darjeeling a Gorkha Hills a amaho chondan toh kitoh, kivaihomna umsa suhboi ding hi phapo’nte ti ngaidan aum jeh ahi.

Phad sodpeh a pat Manipur phaicham lah ah Panchayat Raj System a kivaipohna ana um ta’n, chukeo hilou vin, hilai munho a man ding in Manipur Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 chu 1995 kum chun Manipur Govt. in passed anabol tai. Hiche toh kilhon chun Manipur phaicham ah Panchayat Raj System a kivaipohna zong dettah in ana um ta’n ahi.

Manipur thinglhang gam a kivaipohna toh kilhon a Dan kisemho lah a poimo mamaho chu Village Authorities Act, 1956 le District Council Act, 1971 ahije. Thinglhang gam a khantouna umtheina ding in kivaipohna dih aum angai in ahi. 1967 kum a ki passed The Manipur Hill Areas (Acquisition of Chiefs’ Right) Act, 1966 chu tuni chan in manlou vin aum nalai in, hichu thinglhangmite dia vangphat umtah ahi.

Hiche Act chu ana kimang hihen lang, Haosaho chu compensation peh a suhbei ana hitaleu, i gamsungu dinmun itobang ahidem? Tuni chan a Haosa aum hi i gamsungu bitna ahije. Ahi’nla tu tobang a aumden ding zong aphatmona ahung um dem? Mipi vaihomna khang ahita’n, haosa vaihomna (hereditary institution) suhbei a, mipi deilhenna dungjui a democratic institution a kivaipohna semdoh ding zong hi gellou theilou ahitai.

~ Kuki International Forum

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