(L) Dr. Nehginpao's Citizenship

Dr Nehginpao kipgen was an American Citizen who held a US passport. He was the founder & director of CSEAS later renamed Dr Nehginpao kipgen Centre for South east Asian studies in honour of his legacy.

Contrary to the Misinformed & ignorant slander by the deposed & disgraced CM Biren singh & his sycophantic entourage, he did not enter India illegally. Following the "8888 uprising" & subsequent brutal & bloody Military Repression in Myanmar,1988 by the military dictator General Ne win which culminated in the death of thousands of activists & Grave human rights violations against Minorities,India swiftly & boldly aligned itself firmly with the Pro Democracy Camps, it fiercely criticized the Junta,called for "Complete disengagement" with the military Junta,provided political & material support to pro democratic activists in yangon & India distinguished itself as the first country neighbouring Myanmar to overtly back the Democratic movement & offer sanctuary to Dr Nehginpao's family & hundreds of other Pro Democratic activists allowing them to live,work,study & even settle in India without any pressure on repatriation.

Furthermore,as per the resolution adopted by the General Assembly (107 Plenary meeting, 13 September 2007),6/295 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,A/36 states that indigenous peoples,in particular those divided by international borders,have the right to maintain & develop contacts,relations & cooperation, including activities for spiritual, cultural,political,economic & social purposes,with their own members as well as other peoples across international borders.

Birthplace:

Dr Nehginpao's birthplace Teijang, is a village along the Indo-Myanmar border,barely 1.7km from India. Teijang,Sagiang region is part of the kabaw valley. How then, can Meiteis lay claim to Kabaw Valley as an inseparable part of Manipur,while simultaneously branding Dr. Nehginpao,a native of Kabaw Valley,a foreigner? If nativity in Kabaw Valley confers foreign status,then it logically follows that Kabaw valley itself is undisputably a foreign territory & therefore Meiteis should forfeit all claims to it & relinquish any aspirations of ever reclaiming it.

Myanmar was incorporated into British India as a province from 1824-1937 therefore, His parents/grandparents were British subjects by virtue of their birth in British India,as were all Indians prior to 1947. The notion of Indian citizenship,as a distinct legal identity in its modern legal sense, only emerged after independence with the passage of the Indian Citizenship Act.

His Education:

With the approval of Indian Govt,he completed his schooling in Manipur through higher secondary education.  His academic excellence was recognized with the award of the highly prestigious & fully funded Fulbright Scholarship,the most competitive & prestigious international academic awards funded by the US State Department which facilitated his advanced studies in the United States & culminated in his acquisition of American citizenship.

His Academic legacy:

Upon returning to India,He founded the Centre for South East Asian Studies.

He served as the “country expert for Myanmar” for varieties of democracy (V-Dem).

He has published four single-authored books in Routledge,Oxford University 

Press & Ruby Routledge, he had signed a contract for his fifth book with Routledge & his 2 articles had been accepted for publication in SCOPUS-indexed journals before he succumbed to Covid.

He published 21 peer-reviewed academic articles.

He has also published over 190 articles in various leading international news & magazines in 5 Continents, spanning over 30 countries.

His Death:

He succumbed to COVID-19 in 2021. Despite the shift in labeling Dr. Nehginpao as an illegal immigrant,his remains were respectfully repatriated to Kangpokpi for burial,following the necessary approvals from the very same Biren Singh govt,which issued a No Objection Certificate.

Courtesy: J Shakur@JShakurB /twitter (X)

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