GOMLABÉ LANG NGOLU

                                                 -Bhaigesor Pogag

Songoskrit  gomlab lo gomyarko dung.Édé gomyardé sémpé-

“Sahitya,sanggi:t,kola vina,

Sakshat poshu pusso:  bhi bhishan hina: .”

Lukéngdé sémpé - gomlab,ni:tom,dírbí -dírlab kama:mílo édé réngamdém símín péttanglo luyi supé ido.Mo:píso turné ngané tabu:ngé donam tí:nam,yubnam,darnam,kirug rugnam,geta gínam atíém ido.Tani:yé kapé kísa gerdoji angu símín sili: été édémí:pé gerdo.Péi péttang-símín sira égom gomlab labdo émdaggom buluké gomlabdé:lang tani: yé labnam gomlabdé angumínsudag. Tani:yé pa:p punyo,germur ger-yang,atí momur- moyang kídardém méngkinsudag.Édé mé:nam agom kídardém réngam ara:lo léngkanpé gomlabém lappérung idag.Gomlab ki réngam arado du:né aimané ager kídardém la:pak la:do.Réngam ara:lo du:né ngasod kídardém kagoj lo: manggom atí adgéng kolo alla gomlab labboné kídaré opín dok unnoti léga:pé gomlabém labdo. Édé adman gomsar do:ying,mé:tom kídardé longékolo gomlab do:pín do:yipé agerém gerdoku.Leke lunamko dung-“ Opan yoktungé tu:yi ratpí:dag, Kolomé yoksa émpéyam rat-ya:dag.”Sé gomyarsi aipéi aropakpé kabodag.Kolom ki éddíko gera doji déddíko réngam aibonam agerém okoloksinéi gerramang.Kolomki atí gomsar,do:ying-do:mo,do:déng alla réngamém  ou:tpé ré:bad boladag.Kolom ki rupkolo du:né réngamém ruwad bédangéng léngkan bodo.Gomlabé anu anupé lenné ngasodém odokké anu science lang  Technology do:ying kídardém réngam ara:lopé boma:bido.Bha:rot amosi ami: ké kéíglo du:dom gomlabé bojeko agerém gerto.Aíké Bha:rot amo:sim mé:bone adné kídaré aíké de:ksok  légapé bojeko gomsarém alla de:ksém sadin boto.Asom andulondo:gom gomsar do:ying alla bojeko Asomsok réngamém lérékpé dagrobnam agerém gerto.Abu Mohatma Gandhi bí  de:ksok tani: kídarém léko lakkopé ager gernam légapé aíké de:klok  aí aíké agomlok de:k légapé gomsar adnamém iboka.Bíkké dagrobbonma ki silo ngolu sadin Bha:rot sok sadin tani:é ésula du:la dung.

Mé:tom adné Subhadra Kumari Suwahan bí Rani  Lakshmibai  ké botta bottané gernam ager kídardém mé:tom alla  réngamém lérékpé dagrob bodopé agerém gerdungai.Bí biké mé:tomlo de:k  mé:bonam  mé:tomém bojeko atka.

“Chhamak uthi san satawan me jo talwar purani thi,

Bundele harbulo ke muh hamse suni kahani thi

Kub larhi mardani wah to Jhansi wala rani thi.”

Mising lok Po:sum  Torun Chandra Pa:me gam bísin Yumotsula du:né Mising réngamém utroppé émna bojeko gomsarém atka.Bí yumngaksuné Misingé utropnam legapé mé:tom lang ni:tomémsin modungai.

“Dakropto dakropto Mising réngama

Nok dakorém argomé bukkomdung.”

Émna Mising ara:lo mimag lekorém koryirbodungai.Mising réngamsin ainé béda:lok dakor kornamém Asomiya gomlab ki Mising ngasodém gomsar atí ém alla  dakorém korbodungai.Bíkkémpé Bikromsing yein,Birgumoni Kagyung, Sunaram Panyang kotoki,Dr. Numal Chandra Pegu,Oi: appun Ganesh Pegu,Chandra Kanta Lachan,Muhi Chandra Miri,Saru Chandra Dole:,Po:sum Surjo Sinte:,Madam Indira Miri  odokké bulu kémpiné midum kídaré Mising réngamsok légapé bojeko gomsarém alla Mising opín ko émna Bha:rot amo:so kangkinsuboto.

Facebook lo sí:sangé la:lennam tamténg "Donsiri Donbora". Yalo: Daniel Bori

Siloké sí:sang gí:sa:né kídarégom Mising réngamsok légapé gomlabém labbola Opínsim gíbadbolaye.Po:pé aíké gomlabé kasuma:la aipé ngasod kadungai.Silo Mising gomlab légapé ngasodé ka:kuma:bo.Ngolu asin díkla opínsim turbonam léga:pé gomsar,do:ying,mé:tom do:yar,do:déngém atpé lagidag.Déma:mílo Mising réngamsi mirémné opínko émna ami: tatkolo lubisulamaye.Mising réngam ara:sok aimané koyyang kídarsim gomsar atí alla naré napu:mola ye.Kapé moimang bigné kídaré angu angu rongki yonbu:sugela kangka:no:né moimangém rong bigela kapé kangímoladakji,édémí:pé gomsar ,do:ying,mé:tom atí ki Mising gomlabém labla írga bopaye.

“kémmo okolo duji,odo ruwadé kamang,

Simangé okolo duji,édé de:gdo gomlabé kamang.”(Nibanda Amrit page-85)

Mo:pí so éddí botta bottané mimagém motoji,édé mimag takamdo gomsaré bottan agerém gertung.Dopín do:ying kídarém porila ka:mílo ngolu kabegdag.Siloké longési kompiu:tar longé émdogom ngolu gomlabém mé:pakla du:lamang.Ngolu aíké dumsigém ka:su:pé mé:mílo ngolu adman gomlabém poripéi olagiye.Sim-si:ro Mising sí:sang gí:sane kídaré amiké gomlabém labla aipé aíém ainé tani:pé kangkinsulídag.Émpigela Mising agomsém ami:ké osang anépé mé:sudag.Olendanna “NA:N” émna gognam tatponé gompirdém ngolu aíém mitpansudung.

Ngolukémpé ame: yau:né opín Bodo kídaré silo Nappalok lunam agomém Bharo:tsok anu agom pé 8 sidullo a:motubong.Su buluké agomdém i:nibarsiti lo:pé píngkabo odokké Gomlab amanémté (Sahitya Academy) pa:tobong.Mising agomsém 1985 do:bo migomé adman agompé toríksutagaboi.Odokké pobuk iskullo poraidopé tolíktung.Agom kébangété kébangém ba:tíla Mising agom gomlabém  aibonam léga:pé  ru:ségém ru:tíla dung.Kéba: ba:la:ngo: opínsém ré:badbolamang.Takamé mé:ngkinsula no -ngo émma:pé agerém gerpé lagiye.Ngolukémpé iné ame:yau:né opín  sim mo:pí lolad ka:bopé émna mé:mílo gomlab ara:ngi:dokki ainé ainé gomsarém sarpé lagiye.Gomsar atí alla Opínsém ré:badbopé lagiye.Ékíma:mílo ngolu sé mo:ro:né mo:pí ara:ngíso, longékolo  ngoluké Agom gomlabé yokpak-ye.Odo Mising opínko dungngai émna do:pín potin lo:pak ka:pa:yeku.

Politics of Consensus: Debating Mising Autonomy

                                                                                                                      Bhaskar Pegu

There is a lot of fuss on ‘failure’ and “leadership capacity” of Mising self-government movement. Although it might be accepted that there is a partial leadership failure the absolute claim of being a failed movement can be countered on the mobilization the organization. There is a relevance of behavioural pattern that Mising movement has to do with democratic values.  The way the autonomy movement is going through could be dubbed as “Miri/Mising Model” in near if the state responses are inclined to the unique nature of movement. The peaceful mobilization of Mising people could help in deepening democracy among ethnic communities.

Independence‘s edge

Mising autonomy movement can be traced to May 20, 1947 when resolutions were adopted in Murkongselek with a British political officer, Howard William in the chair on May 20, 1947. This was undertaken North East Frontier Miri Abor Sanmilan (NEFMAS).   One of the resolutions was to create an autonomous unit with specific boundary in all Tani tribes inhabited areas of Brahmaputra valley to Tibet border. It was decided that neighboring indigenous communities would be treated as minorities with right to vote and citizenship. Provisions for creation of legislative council with elected representatives, collections of revenues, land entitlement and transfers were discussed and firm resolutions for a unit of self-government were adopted. The resolutions were agreed upon by Abor, Miri, Dafla, and Charak tribes on the ground that there was“uniformity in language, culture, religion and manners” (Ranoj Pegu, 1997).

File photo of TMPK taking out a rally demanding MAC election in Jonai. Photo: Royal Pegu

In successive years of post-colonial India, like many other ethnic indigenous peoples Mising people moderately joined the echoes of deprivation and injustice against hegemonic project. The sporadic participation in the movement of Udayachal homeland demand for plain tribes in Assam led by the Plain Tribes Council of Assam (PTCA) bears testimony.  Misings’ literary society, Mising Agom Kébang (MAK), formed in 1972 brought about national consciousness especially in language and culture at the height of contentious language policy of Assam.

Political theories

  

All Assam Miri High School located in Matmora, now known for iconic geotube dyke to prevent flood disasters, is a spot known for where the autonomy demand reignited. It was formally announced in a conference in 1981, Takam Mising Porin Kébang (TMPK), translated as All Mising Students’ Union, one of the oldest Mising organizations, that Mising people would seek self-government as per Constitutional basis, the Sixth Schedule. It was at the height of anti-foreigners movement in Assam; Misings’ clamour  was left unheard in the din of ethnic movements and secessionist uprisings.  Two decades later, the government reach a settlement with Bodo nationalists, the previously ‘inapplicable’laws was amended as a conflict-resolution measure with one of the largest indigenous tribes of the region.

Student organizations have been increasingly taking a central role in the social and political life of indigenous communities. The student organization representing Misings, the Takam Mising Porin Kébang (TMPK), helms the movement for self-government since last three decades. Transition from older to younger leadership brought about new dimensions to the movement. 

The Mising mobilization for autonomy movement has been perpetually by the student organization and allied organizations. The interplay of social, political and economic elites in the movement has manipulated its course. The instance of government announcement of Mising Autonomous Council (MAC) in April 1995 with support from few ruling political class workers gave away ‘selective’ incentives without a determinate territory underpinned the scope for intra-ethnic conflict.  The immediate response with mass mobilization by nationalist organizations was repressed.

Post-June 2004: Renewed mobility, tension and reconciliation

 In the following years, Mising movement has seen several ups and downs as necessitated by the state’s political climate. Creation of territorial council in 2003 comprising Bodos and several indigenous communities in the state affected the subsequent political agenda adopted by the community’s leadership.  General elections and state assembly polls held in post-Bodo accord (2003) also influenced ethnic nationalism.  Renewed mobilization for autonomy around 2003-2004 under Mising, Rabha and Tiwa nationalist organizations forced the state government to form cabinet committee. Meanwhile in June 2004, the committee green lighted to delicately look at ethnic autonomy. When they were supposed to be in Gogamukh , the head quarter of Mising Autonomous Council (MAC), to study the feasibility of autonomy  thousands  welcome the move. However, supporters suffered attacks from other groups en route the venue. The concerns of Misings cohabiters’ communities were land security issues and property, coupled political gains.  Consequently, there were disturbances among different communities in several districts in Upper Assam inhabited by Mising ethnic groups.  It created a divide between pro-Mising and non-Mising within days.  There was also media and organized campaigns questioning Mising indigeneity and validity of autonomy demand. Observers anticipated ethnic violence in subsequent days.

Contrarily, Mising nationalists called for measures to bridging gaps between people. Leaders from other communities were invited to spread the message of democratic agitation and public solidarity. It was told touted a “development mechanism” to bring people out from under development and socio-economic problems. This led to induction of members of various communities in the Mising Autonomous Council (MAC) when nationalist organizations accepted to rule the Gogamukh headquarter offices after minor amendment in the MAC Act, 1995. Since then, the movement plummeted into dialogues to resolve differences and expressing solidarity to democratic voices. Despite Election Commission’s recommendation of the Sisiborgaon assembly constituency in Dhemaji district’s reservation for STs, Mising nationalist organizations joined  voices with non-ST communities to press for the proposed constituency’s  opening out for all communities.

Towards a consensual politics

Many argue that granting autonomy to indigenous people will lead to further divisions of society and fuel violent ethnic separatism.  However, Mising mobilization contradicts the view since there is a continuous effort towards building consensus and confidence among communities.  If the leadership did not handle it well, the situation post-June 2004, there was much possibility of aggravating strife. As of now, ethnic Mising people might have been seated in “cauldron of violence” like other in NE areas.

From anti-big dam movements to flood security and erosions agitation in Northeast, Mising organizations have joined hands with peasants’ organizations and various other organizations to lend a united voice.  Mising habitats are among the most vulnerable to big dams, floods and erosion.  Mising people’s mobilization for autonomy must be understood  in the current political backdrop; it has adapted to conciliatory and confidence building measures.

The Mising nationalists are pursuing a new type of politics for marginalized people that are directed towards strengthening local level democracy in areas dominated by ethnic minorities. Their remarkable democratic movement, if accorded a political space, could have much contemporary relevance and help dismiss the notion of militant armed movement to get heard by the state. Even amidst hostility, one of the largest ethnic indigenous communities’ leadership in North East has been adopting conciliatory means by subscribing to democratization, tolerance, peace and stability; this is undoubtedly a unique example.

(Source: Seven Sisters Post, February 19, 2013. Writer's email: b.pegu@iitg.ernet.in)