The Manipuri Youth Front of Assam (MAYFA) flagged off volunteers in Assam’s Cachar district who will take a long march of 300 km from March 12. The campaign is for the awakening of the Manipuri origin people and to intensify the demands for their democratic rights.
Thangjam Brojen, president of the MAYFA said, “The march will cover several Manipuri populated areas in Assam. The most important demand is the recognition of the Manipuri language as the associate official language in Assam. The march will also cover the localities dominantly inhabited by the Manipuri Muslims. Members of the civil society organisations, students’ bodies and others are taking part in the march. We are seeking support from the Manipuris in Assam to the long march demanding our democratic rights”.
T. Salauddin, general secretary of the MAYFA said, “There is a considerable population of the Manipuri Muslims in Assam. If we do not get the constitutional protection a day will soon come when the Manipuris in Assam may be written off”.
Mr. Brojen told The Hindu that the population of the Manipuri origin settlers in Assam is over five lakh. There are Manipuri-origin settlers in the Northeast States, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Most of them had fled Manipur during the seven years of “brutal” occupation by the Myanmar invaders. Some others had left Manipur of their own volition. They settled at many places in general and Assam in particular.
Seram Herojit, the chief advisor of the MAYFA said, “The road map of the long march shall cover most of the Manipuri-origin villages in Assam. The journey begins from the Cachar district of Assam on Sunday morning where there is a heavy concentration of these people. Wherever they go they will spread the message that they are one of the indigenous peoples in Assam and they should get constitutional protection.”
They alleged that though the Manipuri language is taught in primary schools no Manipuri language teacher has been appointed. Though the demand for the recognition of Manipuri as the associate official language has gained considerable ground, the Assam government is in no hurry to take up appropriate actions. Indications are that if the Assam government remains unconcerned and unresponsive even after the long march the MAYFA is likely to intensify the language campaign.
