SPECIAL LECTURE- ' LIVING IN A DANGEROUS WORLD '/

BISHNURAM MEDHI MEMORIAL
LECTURE : 13 FEBRUARY,2004
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SNETINEL DAILY
GUWAHATI 14 FEB.2004
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The third Bishnu Ram Medhi Memorial lecture on the topic,'Living in a Dangerous world -post 9/11 world order with special reference to NE region' was delivered by India's leading law scholar- Prof.N.Sanajaoba,Dean,Law of Gauhati University recently - in the city...


Prof.Sanajaoba in his lecture gave thrust on PI- 3 -poverty and degradation,
inequality,
injustice and
illegal occupation of lands,
countries and states as the effective causes of prolonged civil and military conflicts at local,national and global levels.
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The first issue of the quarterly 'The Role of Law',edited by Mr.Pradip Sen Deka was also released by Justice D.N.Choudhury.The programme was inaugurated by Chief Justice P.P.Naolekar of Gauhati High Court...
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Resource depletion,ozone depletion,arms race,nuclearization of South Asia,WMD including Israeli possession of nuclear bombs, weapons of planetary destruction possessed by the USA, cyber terrorism, ethnic clashes, threat to the survival of small states and nationalities besides others render the world a dangerous place,he[ sic.prof] said.
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While addressing to legal regime over global terrorism,
Prof.N.Sanajaoba emphasized on hitting out
at the underlying causes of terrorism
and said that Arab terrorism since 1964 has been a historical bye-product of Jewish terrorism from 1937 to 1949
and exile of all Palestinians from their homeland.

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2001 dec.INTERVIEW WITH EIKHOIGEE YA-ON

EIKHOIGEE YAOL INTERVIEW on US bombing in Afghanistan
NOVEMBER-DEC.2001
details in pages 5-16
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excerpt only:
Yaol: Soviet Union leikhidraba matungdageedi hanna bipolar oirambadu.......?
Professor NS:
International Lawgee meetyeng..... USA na Afghanistanda laldariba ashi touramdabana malemgee oiba yaiphabani haina khalli/

Yaol: US na handakki thoudokshida...?
Professor: mana maningtamba leipak amada laltaba toudana...,mana chingnareeba mee adu phanaba hotnaba..., super power amagee mathounee/

Yaol:....

HUMAN RIGHTS- N.SANAJAOBA,1984

ON HUMAN RIGHTS
- NAOREM SANAJAOBA
News star,Guwahati, 10 December,1984
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excerpts
Locating priority of the third world-" Following the decolonisation movement since 1945,there are 161 independent countries against about forty or so in the 1940s.The third world has witnessed the exercise of the Right to Self-determination on a grand scale; but genuine democracy or even semi-democracies are not put into practice in many of the nascent countries."
-- continue

1980s:SPEAK ON HUMAN RIGHTS-News Star daily

10 December,1982,News Star daily
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HUMAN RIGHTS-MYTH AND REALITY-
n.sanajaoba
Right to self-determination
" The Right to Self-determination is a precondition to right to development and is enshrined in Article 1 of the UN Charter.UN General Assembly observed that its violation has resulted in bloodshed and war in the past,is a continuous threat to peace[Res.545.VI on5.2.1952].It is a prerequisite t0 full enjoyment of all fundamental human rights[Res.637,VII on 16.12.1952].UN General Assembly adopted "Declaration on the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples[Res.1514.XV 0n 14.12.1960] which declares that ' All peoples have the right to self-determination;by virtue that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development': All armed action or repressive measures of all kinds directed against dependent peoples shall cease in order to enable them to exercise peacefully and freely their right to complete independence, and the integrity of their national territopry shall be respected."
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"The continuation of colonialism in any of its forms or manifestations is a crime against UN Charter; the colonial peoples have the inherent right to
struggle by all necessary means at their disposal against colonial powers
and, all the freedom fighters detained, should be treated as per Geneva Convention to treatment of prisoners of war of 12 August,1949[GA Res.2621,XXV on 12.2.1970].... This right is more relevant to UN's commitment to end the last vestiges of this shameful stigma to civilized international community- Colonialism."
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VIOLENCE- COUNTERVIOLENCE
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"The discussion ledger in 1981 Peace and Development seminar in UN HQ correctly observed that all forms of exploitation,oppression,discrimination, colonialism[Political and Economic],racism,apartheid, and religious prosecution were in fact ACTS OF VIOLENCE, which in turn ,provoked Counter-violence by the oppressed and thereby constituted threats to development and peace."

"The rights of particular concern to the Asian region,identified by the

UN seminar for promotion and protection of human rights in the Asian region held in Colombo [21 June,1982] were:

the right to self-determination, accelerated economic

and social development,work within a just economic order..."

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GRASSROOT OPTION'S INTERVIEW-2001

GRASSROOT OPTIONS,SHILLONG
INTERVIEWS PROFESSOR
AUTUMN, 2001
excerpts only
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GO-How do you describe the indigenous situation in the world and in India in particular?
Prof.N.Sanajaoba

...There are some national questions which are yet to be addressed to.There are nearly 60 people or nations[which] want to from Nation States[sic.in the world]...

GO-How is this going to affect the small communities of the north-east who neither have political clout nor economic power?

Professor

...[S]econdly,the north-eastern communities in one sense have been different from the mainstream Indians ,becauseof the unique historical experience they had.For example,Assam did not become a part of British India till the Yandaboo Treaty in 1826 coming into force.Assam,howeverwas not a party to the Yandaboo Treaty signed between the British and Burma.So there is some lacuna.

Thirdly, Manipur and Tripura were independent princely states...

---- The north east mind has been very muchalienated from the mainstream thinking.----

For 50 years,they have done so to subjugate people,but they have utterly failed to militarily contain the agitation, protests and the movements.It should be wise enough to see that solution be found like in the cases of East Timor,Namibia,Western Sahara,the Puerto Rico etc.This type of solution may be considered by the Indian government.

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GO-Is it possible to assert a 'north-east' identity in the context of various homeland demands,such as greater Nagaland... etc.?

Professor

I can't appreciate the issue you've raised... We have to exclude the provocative things likegreater Assam[ese],greater Manipur,greater Mizoram and greater Nagaland issue .By doing so, we'll create parmanent damage to the peace and tranquility of the north-east.This is an impossible thing.

WITOUBOU INTERVIEWS ME-25 JULY,2000

sangai express
25 July, 2000
Interviews Professor N.Sanajaoba
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excerpt from full page-
FEAR OF AUTONOMY IS UNFOUNDED
Witoubou-In the Indian context ?
***Prof: As far as we understand in the Indian context-- it is a semi-federal country and some of the states like Punjab,Jammu and Kashmir,Assam,Manipur,Nagalnd,Tripura etc. have been demanding re-federalisation and re-structuring of the Centre's relationship with them.

Witoubou-If maximum autonomy is garnted by... Centre?
***Prof: .... Similarly,when the Maharajah of Manipur had signed the treaty on 11 August, 1947,the king of Manipur had transferred three powers like that of Jammu and Kashmir.As per the provision of the treaty,rest of the powers should be retained by the State of Manipur.
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Witoubou: What are the right initiatives in mobilising for the demand of autonomy?
*** Prof: .... Thirdly, we have a strong undercurrent or movement since 1949 of the people of Manipur to exercise their right of self-determination.There is a strong liberation movement not only in Manipur but in other parts of the North East....
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Witoubou- When 90% of our expenditure are from the Centre,how are we going to generate it if not provided by the Centre?
*** Prof: Manipur can generate its own economy. In a quasi-state or in a full-fledged State of Manipur,if the Union Government does not interfere, Manipur can maintain international economic relations with other countries.Then, we can open some industrial sectors{ sic. which India had denied for decades} like the Silicon valley, watch factories where the infrastructure and the transportation cost can[sic.] be minimum.We can open tourist centres; you can see Fiji's main economy is tourism industry.
Witoubou-
So we have enough potential and ways to exploit our resources in order to be economically independent.
*** Prof:Yes, we have lots of potential.
**** excerpt only****
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1947 INDEPENDENT MANIPUR CONSTITUTION-PB. SINGH

INDEPENDENT
MANIPUR CONSTITUTION,1947
- who made?
The first ever written Manipur Constitution
had been adopted by king Loyamba in 1100 AD.
The next one happened to be the 1947 constitution.
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After the adoption of independent Manipur Constitution on 26 July 1947, Manipur king declared the independence of Manipur on 14 August,1947.With that declaration under the independent constitution, Manipuri constitutionalism had washed out the "Instrument of Accession" signed on 11 August,1947.Some neo-colonial scholars argued that the constitution was a legacy of British colonialism.Prof.N.Sanajaoba wanted the hard truth from the first Manipuri[ sic.not Pearson a foreigner]
chief minister PB.Singh who replied as follows:
PB Singh's letter to N.Sanajaoba Date 2 February,1996
" Dear Sanajaoba
When I returned from the Army, I joined Manipur State Service on 6th August 1947.Majopr F.F.Pearson I.P.S.{ Indian Political Service], showed me a book containing Model constitutions from which he and the Constitution making body was getting help.
He made no mention of any external force making it necessary for the Manipur Government to draw up a Constitution.
The Constitution was signed by the Maharajah and there was no need for any other person or authority to affix another signature.
Yours sincerely,
sd/-( P.B.Singh)

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quote of the day

" A nation cannot become free and at the same time continue to oppress other nations"

-Karl Marx and Engles in Collected works,vol.6,p. 389.

G.Glezerman adds," That is why a people

which enslves another people forges,as Marx put it, its own chains".