Northeast ‘Vision Plan 2047’ Withdrawn Over ‘Chin State Of Manipur’ Factual Error

A nodal agency for social and economic development of the northeast region has withdrawn a key vision document due to a factual error on the migration of the Kukis (Chin) from Myanmar’s Chin State. Instead of Myanmar, the North Eastern Council’s (NEC) ‘Vision Plan 2047’ wrongly mentioned the “Kukis (Chin)” came from the “Chin State of Manipur”.

The document has been withdrawn, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said in a post on his official Facebook page. Mr Singh said Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has been informed about the matter.

“Following the error with the NEC Vision Plan 2047, the issue has been raised with DoNER Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia and it was subsequently withdrawn,” the Manipur Chief Minister said.

The mistake was found on Chapter 3 of the now-withdrawn vision document titled ‘Art, Culture and Natural Heritage’.

Chin State in neighbouring Myanmar shares an international border with Manipur and Mizoram.

Currently, Chin State is one of the least developed regions in Myanmar, according to UNICEF. It has the highest poverty rates of all states and regions, and close to six in 10 people live below the poverty line. A 2015 survey found almost 80 per cent of households had poor or borderline food security. One in 10 children will not reach the age of five, UNICEF says on its website.

The Biren Singh government has pointed at illegal immigration from Myanmar as one of the biggest factors behind the outbreak of ethnic violence in Manipur.

The error in the NEC document also led to criticism on social media at a time when Manipur is yet to return to normal over a year since clashes erupted between the valley-dominant Meitei community and nearly two dozen tribes known as Kukis – a term given by the British in colonial times – who are dominant in some hill areas of Manipur. Over 220 people have died and nearly 50,000 have been displaced.

The general category Meiteis want to be included under the Scheduled Tribes category, while the Kukis who share ethnic ties with people in Chin State and Mizoram want a separate administration carved out of Manipur, citing discrimination and unequal share of resources and power with the Meiteis.

The North Eastern Council was formed in 1971. The previous document ‘Vision 2020’ was prepared in 2008. It had hoped to achieve several goals by 2020, some of which included efforts “to see the region emerge peaceful, strong, confident, and ready to engage with the global economy.”