Yangmaso Shaiza: Difference between revisions

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}

| birth_place = [[Ukhrul District]], [[Manipur]]

| death_date = 1984

| spouse = [[Hangmila Shaiza]] (m. 1949)

| children = {{Plainlist|

'''Yangmaso Shaiza''' (1923-1984) was an Indian politician from the state of Manipur. He was the fourth chief minister of [[Manipur]], and the first tribal politician from the hilly regions of Manipur to hold that post.

Yangmaso Shaiza was born in 1923 in [[Tangkhul Naga]] Community, and was raised in a [[Christians|Christian]] [[Protestantism|Protestant]] Baptist family at Ukhrul District. His father [[Shangyang Shaiza]] (1890-1968), was one of the first founding Educationist of the Tangkhul people living at Ukhrul. His father was among the Second Batch of the Tangkhuls attending [[The Reverend|Reverend]] [[William Pettigre]]w’s School at Ukhrul, learning Western education. His mother was Ningchungla Shaiza, the eldest daughter of H.A. Raihao, Chief or Headman of the Ukhrul District. He was the eldest among many of the illustrious sons of Shangyang and Ningchungla Shaiza. Being born in an educated family, it was not difficult for him to imbibe education and move on to become the most prominent political personality among the tribal communities living in the hilly regions of Manipur to date.

Yangmaso was known for being a bright and brilliant student when he started attending schools in Middle English School, Ukhrul, St. Johnstone School, [[Imphal]], and [[Shillong]]. He eventually matriculated from Shillong, and went to graduate from the [[Scottish Church College]] at the [[University of Calcutta]]. He was among the Tangkhuls’ second batch, who graduated from college (the first batch and only personality being Major Bob Khathing, who graduated from [[Cotton College Guwahati|Cotton College]], [[Guwahati]] in 1929).

As a child and youth, Yangmaso was known for being a great athlete, and he was a keen footballer. This interest was reflected even in his later life, when he organized many football tournaments across Manipur.

Following such incident, he left political activities from 1953-1971 and engaged himself in educating the masses, and later took up Civil Service administrative work under Manipur Government. In 1954, he took up a noble profession of teaching the Tangkhuls at Khamasom, along with his wife. His beloved daughter-in-law, the Educationist and [[National Commission for Women]] Member, [[Soso Shaiza]] (1955 –), asserted that this period was a "self-political asylum’ sought by Yangmaso during his span of political career. His efforts, sincerity, and acumen were easily recognized, and the Manipur Government awarded him the Civil Service administrative post of Block Development Officer and Sub Divisional Officer (BDO/SDO). This career took him across all regions of Manipur including [[Chandel district|Tengnoupal]], [[Thanlon]], [[Churachandpur]], [[Tipaimukh]], Imphal, [[Tadubi]], [[Tamenglong district|Tamenglong]], and Ukhrul. People in these places remembered him as an upright man, who worked tirelessly to bring development and change in the places by constructing roads, water systems, and educational institutes. Among many of his qualities, Yangmaso was known for being the least corrupt politicians in India. His political tactic in solving the corrupt system of India was by directly getting involved with the masses and personally supervising any construction or developmental work done under his jurisdiction. His involvement with the masses has been considered by people in Chruachandpur till today as ''[[Yangmasho’s Style|Yangmaso’s Style]]''.

By 1971, his political calling was underway, and through pressure and support from the masses, he left the administrative work, and instead joined the [[5th Lok Sabha]] Indian Election as an independent candidate. Although he was defeated, he again contested from Ukhrul/44-AC in 1972 (when Manipur attained statehood) as an independent candidate, and comfortably won, thereby becoming a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA). He also became the Finance Minister of Manipur under the Chief Ministership of [[Mohammed Alimmuddi]]n. In 1974, he founded the Manipur Hills Union (MHU), that gave him the opportunity to become the first Chief Minister (July 1974 – December 1974) from hilly regions of Manipur. His first term as Chief Minister of Manipur was short lived, and this was conditioned by the chaos that was emanating under Prime Minister [[Indira Gandhi]] and her Indian National Congress.

When India was put under the State of Emergency for 21-month period from 1975–7 under Article 352 (1) of Indian Constitution, Yangmaso strongly opposed to the situation created by the emergency in Manipur State. Some of the acts committed under the emergency that affected people living in Manipur include the forced mass-sterilisation campaign spearheaded by [[Sanjay Gandhi]], the destruction of low-income housing at many places of Imphal town, and detention of people by the police without charges or notification to the families. For opposing the emergency activities of the INC (R), Yangmaso was put behind bars under the [[Maintenance of Internal Security Act]] (MISA), passed by the Indian Parliament in 1971.

By 1977, Janata Party was formed, and [[Morarji Desai]] was elected as the first chairman of the party.

Yangmaso himself declared in 1977 that he was against the [[Fascist (insult)|Fascist]] handling style of the country by the Indian National Congress, and even more, under the rule of one individual to the benefit of the family. He strongly supported the rise of [[Janata Party]], and in his own words, "the installation of the Janata Party in power is an outcome of a rightful revolt of the people in a democratic manner through the ballots against the previous Congress Party’s rule which was ruling under a virtual dictatorship".<ref>This quotation is derived from Yangmasho's 'Original Copy of Appeal' that he made to the people of India to vote for Janata Party in 1977.</ref> Thus, while being elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) from Congress Party in 1977, he gave up the seat owing to his opposition to the party’s emergency activities. Within the same year, he returned as the Chief Minister of Manipur (29 June 1977 – 14 November 1979) under the Janata Party. He reportedly summoned Indira Gandhi at Imphal Court to explain various crimes committed during the time of emergency. Appealing to the people of India and Manipur, Yangmaso declared in 1977 as, "You are the judges, the jury and you are the best judge to decide for your future. Your liberty, your freedom, your rights in your development is safe with the Janata Party as you have seen it already in comparison with the emergency period".<ref>Same source as 2 citation</ref>

When Shaiza rose to power as the [[Chief Minister (India)|Chief Minister]] of Manipur in 1974, and again from 1977-1979, he came to be regarded as a strong devoted leader since he firmly believed in the unification of Manipur. Although he was elected as Indian [[Member of parliament|Member of Parliament]] (MP) through [[Indian National Congress]] in 1977, [[The Emergency (India)|The State of Emergency]] (1975–7) declared by the Indian President [[Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed]] under Article 352 (1) of [[Indian Constitution]], and the heinous results that emanate out of the act, made him to support the then emerging [[Janata Party]] (1977). By giving up his Congress MP seat, Yangmaso joined the Janata Party and emerged as the new Chief Minister of Manipur in 1977 again, and carried on the post till 1979. He reportedly brought the Manipur Hills Union within the folds of electoral politics, that angered the [[Nationalist socialist council of nagaland|Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland]] (NSCN), leading to a brutal [[assassination]] of the visionary leader by the NSCN in 1984.

"As Chief Minister, he was convinced that the only way to maintain peace and harmony in the state was to reach out benefits to the remotest parts of the state and to bring development to both the hills and valleys, and to all tribes and communities. His vision was the accommodation and acceptance of all tribes and communities in Manipur. His dream was a rainbow concept of recognition and acceptance of the unique culture and character of all tribes and communities. For him, all human beings are brothers and sisters, since we are all children of God. His vision and ideals will be realised when all tribes and communities living in Manipur make his unity-rainbow concept a reality".<ref>{{Cite news|url = http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/seminar-on-yangmasho/|title = Seminar on Yangmasho}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url = http://www.e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=features.Profile_of_Manipuri_Personalities.The_Soul_Of_Manipur_And_Yangmasho_Shaiza_By_Dr_Homen_Thangjam|title = The Soul Of Manipur And Yangmasho Shaiza|work = Further conversation with Masophi Shaiza and Acrticle released during the Seminar}}</ref>