Kangleipak Communist Party


Kangleipak Communist Party is a Maoist separatist militant group in Manipur, India. Named after Kangleipak, the ancient name of Manipur, it was initially led by the communist ideologues — Ibohanbi and Ibopishak. The Kangleipak Communist Party has been engaged in an armed conflict against the Government of India.

Splinter factions

The KCP has now been divided into numerous factions, of which the known are:
  1. Kangleipak Communist Party
  2. Kangleipak Communist Party
  3. Kangleipak Communist Party
  4. Kangleipak Communist Party
  5. Kangleipak Communist Party (Maoist)
  6. Kangleipak Communist Party
  7. Kangleipak Communist Party
  8. Kangleipak Communist Party
  9. Kangleipak Communist Party
  10. Kangleipak Communist Party
  11. Kangleipak Communist Party
  12. Kangleipak Communist Party

Background

This faction of the Kangleipak Communist Party came into existence in the late 2000s following the failure of certain party leaders to commit themselves to Marxism and Maoism. The incumbent chairman of its Politburo Standing Committee, Ibungo Ngangom, who used to head the Information and Public Relations Department of the Kangleipak Communist Party, was the main force behind the emergence of this faction, which has now become the most prominent among the KCP factions. Though it came up as a separate group around 2010, it still sticks to 14 April 1980 as its rising day, because the Kangleipak Communist Party was established on this date.

Ideology

The Kangleipak Communist Party under Ngangom is a group that follows Marxism and Maoism. But what makes this group a unique communist party is the fact that its chairman has often spoken about ideological flexibility and adopting the so-called bamboo policy. According to Ngangom, communism is a living ideology and nobody must hesitate to 'adjust' in order to make it realistic and successful. He has also talked about trying to achieve a higher level of compatibility between Marxism and Maoism. The group especially promotes the principle 'from each according to their abilities, to each according to their needs'.

Organisational structure

The Kangleipak Communist Party under the leadership of Ibungo Ngangom has two main organs: Politburo Standing Committee, which is a combination of its legislative and judiciary bodies; and General Administrative Council, which is the executive branch of the group.

Politburo Standing Committee

The Politburo Standing Committee consists of Ibungo Ngangom, Amumacha Mangang, Thoiba Meetei, Wangba Angomcha, Angousana Moi-rangcha, James Paomei, Sanatombi Chanu Lourembam, Moramba Meetei, Tomthin Mangang, Sanatomba, Wangthoi. Initially, it was a five-member committee. But it was expanded into an eleven-member committee during its recent bi-annual conference.

General Administrative Council

Following the expansion of the politburo standing committee, the general administrative council of the outfit has also been reshuffled as Ibungo Ngangom, Amumacha Mangang, Wangba Angomcha, Angousana Moirangcha, Sanatombi Chanu, James Paomei, Thoiba Meetei, Sanatomba Khumancha, Moramba Meetei, Tomthin Mangang, Wangthoi, announced the outfit.

Legal status

The Kangleipak Communist Party is an organization that has been continuously banned under section 35 of the Unlawful Activities Act, 1967 by the Government of India for 'waging war' against the Indian State.

Relations with other groups

The Foreign Affairs Department of the group, which is led by none other than its PSC Chairman has been endeavouring to establish contacts and relations with many communist parties throughout the world. The group is also said to have established some links with certain Maoist groups of Nepal, though it has not openly admitted it. Moreover, in a recent press release, the group has expressed its willingness to cooperate and coordinate with the Communist Party of [India (Maoist)].
The party used to maintain operational linkages with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) and the United Liberation Front of Asom.

Role in 2023 Manipur violence

During the 2023 Manipur violence, the Kangleipak Communist Party collaborated with other militant Meitei groups such as United National Liberation Front of Manipur .

Ban on the Indian Independence Day and Republic Day

The Kangleipak Communist Party has "imposed" a so-called "permanent ban" on the celebrations of Indian Independence Day and Republic Day in Manipur. According to this group, Kangleipak was "annexed" by the Union of India under the guise of the Manipur Merger Agreement, which was signed by the then King of Kangleipak, who no longer had any authority to ink such an agreement as Kangleipak was already a democratic society under the command of an elected body of legislators. So it has been struggling to "reclaim" the "robbed sovereignty" of Kangleipak.

Kangleipak Communist Party (Maoist)

In 2009, numerous comrades of the KCP coalesced and organised a convention, and reconstructed the party's Central Committee. Forthwithly after the plenum, they named the faction as "Kangleipak Communist Party," which has now evolved into the Maoist Communist Party of Manipur. However, the Kangleipak Communist Party led by Ibungo Ngangom has emerged as the leading group at least in terms of ideological positions and changes brought about within the group following his release from prison on 4 April 2015 after spending about 12 consecutive years in various prisons in India, including Tihar Jail. According to recent press releases of this group, led by Ibungo Ngangom, the group's primary goal is not only to liberate Kangleipak but also establish communism in Kangleipak through the scientific socialism of Karl Marx. This makes this group a unique communist party of Manipur.