kanglaonline – Page 1060

Where Is My Right To Live

by AW Khaiyar The Govt. of Manipur has often interpreted the RIGHT TO FREEDOM in shrink in the constitution of India into two terms. Countless of evil incident and event… Read more »

by AW Khaiyar
The Govt. of Manipur has often interpreted the RIGHT TO FREEDOM in shrink in the constitution of India into two terms. Countless of evil incident and event have been encountered by common citizens of our state, to my surprise the price of life differ from community inspite of the same cases. May be its not worthwhile to mention but situation compels me to state the genuine facts that the government of Manipur is solely responsible for lawlessness in the state: the concern department never take positive steps least the situation is out of control, the nature of bandh, strike, blockage, hunger stick, etc, etc is the seed sawn by our government and now people are suffering in cultivating all these miseries. One cannot see any good Samaritans from present government other than discovering the most deadliness poison environment of communalism and senseless responsible. Believe or not you will never or else hardly see VIPs on their headlight visiting the deceased nor hear condolence nor they will shed crocodile tears when tribals are the culprits needless to mentioned ex-gratia. No citizens of Manipur will deny me in saying whenever any students from privilege class(Meitei) molest, harass, fail to notice their where about, the whole city is ceased with placard of solidarity of peace and appeals and heed the heart of ………………. But my Sister belongs to non privilege class (Tribal) have only mourning dear ones with their tears and lovely last garlands. No worldly placard, no ex-gratia and no condolence but surly our God is with you and may He grant you an eternal life. Dear fellow beings I have no say of disparities: rich or poor, friends or enemy, when we are struggling for live but it’s our moral responsible to respect the lifeless body. Senseless activities are increasing day after day people with attitude of “the law is with me” increases taking advantage of deteriorating government. Silence is not always indicator of acceptance rather it may be a sign of desperation in case of the minority community in Manipur, every steps of our government is incidentally or intentionally widening the gap between the love of the valley and the hills. Our sister who is found dead with marks of strangulation and multiple injuries found half naked at Cheiroching, Chingmeirong under Lamphel Police Station is morning with pain claiming where “WOMAN DIGNITY” is where is “MY FREEDOM TO LIVE” waiting the government to answer.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/where-is-my-right-to-live/

Sardar Hills Issue Peopling & Role of leaders

by RS Jassal Many have given their views over genealogy creation of Sadar Hills including one new version by Lt.Col. Rajender Singh Retd that it stands for Special Area Development… Read more »

by RS Jassal
Many have given their views over genealogy creation of Sadar Hills including one new version by Lt.Col. Rajender Singh Retd that it stands for Special Area Development Region by Mr. Maxwell. However if you scan the development done there is hardly any evidence traceable. After careful study of some history books, articles and assessments from ground realties it stands:

Pertinent Realties
(a) How Pettigrew was settled at Mission Compound Kangpokpi after his initial stay at Ukhrul objected to by the then locals at Ukhrul.
(b) First ever cantonment of 129 houses belonging to Kuki’s was established at Keithelmanbi Chief of Keitheilmanbi who happens to have retired from Assam Regt is holding documents with him.
(c) Maharaja Bodhchandra Singh’s wife Princess Ishwari Devi brought 200 retinue of Gorkhas with her as part of royal send off. Bulk of them were settled at Irangpat I & Irangpat II. This location extends Kalapahar – IT road to Chhalwa hills on IT road short of Tamei.
(d) There are three to four houses belonging to Bhutia’s also settled on IT road & about 40 to 60 Buddhist were settled around in Moreh/Tamu, perhaps all with proper agreement of the Regent Maharaja and Communities having permanent controls over their lands.
(e) Yangangpokpi to Litan – New Heaven are having a good number of Kuki villages & Nepali dwellings intermittently staying, together. Interestingly , Litan, Sawungmong (Tumionpokpi) on Kangpokpi- Hengbung road, Mayangthana, Mayang Naga on same road & Chiru Kangchup with Chiroi Humdangba are mixed population – Naga on one side & Kuki on the other in West on Silchar road indicate – close , agreed settlements since past century or above. To Saikul in East & areas where these settlements are, appear to have been lying vacant at some stage or the other. This buffer zone for fears from either side valley/hills might have dictated to remain unoccupied. So Regent/Maharaja created Sadar areas like elsewhere in India – Delhi Sadar,Jallandar Sadar, Lucknow Sadar-, Benares Sadar & so on meaning by areas closer to main HQ were writ of the Britishers prevailed and in Sadars Hills settlements desired by them invited no problems: Please give analystic thought to it.

Present Status:
Population wise it meets all the requirements for a revenue district ADC office with enhanced powers is functional. People representing all the communities are staying amicably and without problems except with Damocles’ sword hanging over heads of Kuki’s and milestone of past hanging on the neck of Nagas both for treatment beyond their control since ailment is reality.

Govt. of India & Manipur are trying hard to find out solution without hurting any community(s) psyche. Many moderate Nagas also wish that district can be created but with mutual discussions & understanding. It is also a fact even if district is not declared; its functioning will not diminish in value & content. The present day population cannot be evicted, since areas were never measured from revenue point of view. It will be a Herculean task to decide on boundaries in a perfect manner. Nagas say boundaries first, Kuki’s say District first. Government does not desire to disappoint any community. PM of India Dr. Manmohan Singh says at no cost any community be put against other for narrow political ends. Both sides are governed not by conscience BUT by people with guns behind which is dangerous.

Suggested Solution
All communities must respect the wisdom of Hon’ble Chief Minister and regard the Chief Secretary as a representation of godly court to decide on the boundaries of this would be extant district where weight age be given to the ‘district of the people’ and not ‘district of ethnics’.

Kuki sticking to economic blockade conveys the ethnic colour when we talk of having a district of the people. So in all fairness, economic blockade must be called off. Full use of 90 days for the Chief Secretary to submit report be made, with liberalism, so that concerned Naga, Kuki and Gorkhas can move out to the Secretariat for submitting their views and documents freely and frankly.

Need of the hour:
No body should issue any inflammatory statement to vitiate the atmosphere. The more we delay, the more loss of developmental hours for the economic uplifment of ‘common man’ Let this solution prove that leaders once determine to solve a problem are really capable of doing so when moving in real earnest.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/sardar-hills-issue-peopling-role-of-leaders/

The Sadar Hills

by Heigrujam Nabashyam Sadar Hills has long ceased to be a question of district. The Manipur government cannot pretend or be in denial of this development; nor that would help… Read more »

by Heigrujam Nabashyam
Sadar Hills has long ceased to be a question of district. The Manipur government cannot pretend or be in denial of this development; nor that would help in any way. Fact is, Sadar Hills has become two opposing world views of the two contending parties. In plain words, the question appears to be : who owns Sadar Hills ?

The question finds a direct root in the British legacy of the colonial days. It has born out of the British policy of reserving moles and hills of the then Manipur for the hill dwellers for their convenience and strategy. And this legacy of the British administration was the original and primary source of the ideas such as one’s ancestral land, etc.

And what was equally, if not more, responsible for the development of this kind of historical junk – classification, identification and reservation of the natural landscape by the colonial people, was the pathological fear of the subservient minds of the British subjects of Manipur – perhaps the post-British generations, too of this godforsaken beautiful land – that did not question the whimsical act that ultimately led to the growth of conceptual and cerebral fissure in the society of Manipur on the hill-valley line.

Man by nature are greedy; once given an opportunity, it would be very difficult to make one share it later that opportunity with another, because it becomes one’s nature and would ultimately claim it to be one’s birthright, etc.

Manipur, even after coming of age, when values of equality, fraternity and democracy was the Mantra of our politics, 90 percent of the land of Manipur are out of reach even for the fellow brethren. This is unthinkable in a civilized world. And this is the source of many of the ills and problems of the weird world of Manipur.

Now, politics is the name of this game. But to play the game there should be a fair and legitimate norm. What Manipur in today is, the game is being played on an uneven, unfair and absolutely illegitimate ground. This is the curse and that we are all under its spell. We have even forgotten, under the spell of course, that it is destroying all of us without any distinction.

Definitely our first task is to come out of this spell and that this won’t be an easy task too. But this is what politics and the political activists – especially the elected representatives – are expected to perform; because that would decide what the future and our immediate tomorrow, too – would hold for us in this badly blighted land.

The Sadar Hills is one such ill, born out of this curse. But what is unfortunate is the government fails to inspire confidence in the minds of the public that it would find a durable solution so that we can bear the pains and sufferings that are inflicted on us by its habitual inactivity. People expect words from the chief minister that would evoke confidence in us that Manipur is not a Mapu Paandaba Lum – a land with no one in charge.

Even an SPF government apologist must understand that the health of this ancient land have seriously deteriorated during the rule of this most stable government ever.

Everybody knows Sadar Hills is a complicated problem. But the government has to handle it one way or the other. That is the job of the government.

Recalling the last upheaval of the Sadar Hills during W. Nipamacha’s period – I had the privilege as a member of a group of social activists, to interact and discuss the issue of Sadar Hills with the members of SHDDC led by its Chairman and the General Secretary – that was a serious meeting, though unofficial. When I talked to the members of the Committee, I had pointed out that Sadar Hills was much more than a question of district, rather it had become a symbol of Manipur. It is a microcosm of Manipur and no community can play the communal card and every community must respect it.

I had also pointed out that bandh/blockade of the Sadar Hills to demand upgradation into a district was not commensurate to the importance and beauty of the Sadar Hills that bind all the districts of Manipur – hills and valley together.

On behalf of the group of activists and on behalf of the then suffering public, I made the appeal to withdraw the strike/bandh because that had only lessen the importance of Sadar Hills and would ultimately destroy its own beauty.

Luckily nobody from the SHDDC had contradicted or opposed to what I had proposed.

The next day the SHDDC withdrew the strike/bandh after signing an agreement with the W. Nipamacha Singh government.

A decade had gone and the spirit of Sadar Hills remains the same; but the issue of Sadar Hills aggravates. The problem is, our political leaders appear to have lost on the decades-old issue. And let nobody be under the illusion that Delhi has the solution unless our elected rulers do their homework.

It is them to understand the intricacies of the matter; pinpoint areas to be focused; visualize and plan for viable alternatives only then Delhi or whoever, can help us. But sadly, the SPF government seems to have abdicated its responsibility. Do we not deserve a responsible government that would steer clear of the mess made by the O. Ibobi Singh government?

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/the-sadar-hills/

Editorial – Black September

September 9 is already going down in history as one of the darkest day of human civilisation. This the day many paradigms of basic humanity changed so dramatically and drastically…. Read more »

September 9 is already going down in history as one of the darkest day of human civilisation. This the day many paradigms of basic humanity changed so dramatically and drastically. Not the least important of these is the paradigm of human conflict. Regardless of what has been said of America or the Capitalist ideology which drives the country, basic humanity was compromised in a big way on this day when fundamentalist Islamists hijacked four planes in the USA and attacked and destroyed some of America’s most important symbols killing close to 3000 innocent civilians in the process. Of the four plane hijacked, two destroyed the famous World Trade Centre buildings in New York city, one rammed into the Pentagon building near Washington DC and the third crashed somewhere in Maryland, but according to experts, was probably headed for the White House. Apparently some passengers in the last plane got into action fighting the hijackers, in the process crashed the plane. Although they did not manage to save themselves, they prevented further damage to the American morale, thereby died heroes’ deaths in their own ways. The event on the day shook not just America, but also the rest of the world and indeed it was to have grave consequence on everybody else in the world, in particular two countries, Afghanistan and Iraq, which bore the brunt of the ire of the richest and the most powerful country in the world. National regimes in these two countries were dismantled in the most brutal and violent ways by invading Americans. What was a black day for America was soon to become the black era for many other nations. Pakistan and Indonesia to name just a few were also to soon feel the heat in big ways.

While there can be no dispute about the attackers of America on September 11, 2001 were making Afghanistan their stronghold, America’s retaliation against Iraq and the ultimate hanging of the President of the country, Saddam Hussein, remains a big controversy. The excuse for that attack was that Saddam’s regime was stockpiling weapons of mass destruction meant ultimately to be used to create terror in the world and that the country was in league with the Al Qaeda the organisation behind the attack on America. Nearly a decade after the invasion of Iraq, there are still no traces of any weapons of mass destruction found in the country. In the end, Iraq is turning out to be a country, the centre of the ancient Mesopotamian civilisation, a mistaken victim of the America’s and those of its Western allies’ unfounded suspicion. Can history ever excuse this mistake or highhandedness as the case may be?

But the event which has today come to be simply known as 9/11 has had other profound influences on the way the world conducts its business. It cannot be all by coincidence that while America remains extremely sensitive and as well as unable to come out of extremely expensive wars that it waged in the wake of 9/11, other thus far sleeping economic and military giants have not just begun stirring but also to wake up to prepare to change the power and economic equations in the world forever. China is leading the way, so are India, Brazil and Russia among others, making big headways. Once moribund economies of South East Asia too have begun making their presence felt, and Vietnam in particular is growing at a rate that would in another decade put it above many much larger nations of the world in terms of economic strength. At the end of the Cold War in the last decade of the 20th Century, marked most dramatically by the fall of the Berlin Wall and then the crumbling of the Communist bastions in Eastern Europe, most political analysts around the world had come to be convinced and some to lament, that the world was headed to become a uni-polar one with the USA as the only power centre. In just a matter of a decade into the 21st Century, this popular prediction is proving to be nothing but too far from what the picture ultimately would be. It is not even a bi-polar world as during the Cold War, but a multi-polar one we are looking at now. Indeed 9/11 is proving to have much more significance than apparent. To indulge in a bit of counterfactual speculation then, the interesting question now is, if the cataclysmic event had not occurred, would the world today have been the same? Would what Newsweek Magazine often described as “the rise of the others” been as pronounced as it is today. Again, the concept of war and conflict has been rewritten. Except for the USA which is in the thick of it, wars of nations are increasingly becoming a thing of the past. The new wars are against terrorism most visibly, but perhaps more importantly, though not acknowledged so readily by many of the richest nations, issues like global warming and shortfall of food to feed the ever increasing human population etc.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/black-september/

Press Release: MSAD AFSPA Black Day Observation

Press Release Dated: 11 September, 2011, New Delhi Delhi University, Arts Faculty, Main Gate Black Day Observation Repeal Armed Force Special Power Act 1958 is the Way Forward. 11 days… Read more »

Press Release

Dated: 11 September, 2011, New Delhi
Delhi University, Arts Faculty, Main Gate

Black Day Observation
Repeal Armed Force Special Power Act 1958 is the Way Forward.

11 days fast by Ann Hazare brought nation and its parliament to its knees while 11 year’s old hunger strike by Manipur’s Irom Shrmila has still not moved nation its people and its parliament. Irom Sharmila Chanu has completed her fast for 3640 days , 7200 hours and 100080 minutes ( 10 years , 10 months and 7 days) today ( 11/September, 2011). The most inhuman, anti -democratic black law the Armed Forces Special Powers Act -1958 has completed 53 years of its existence after India became “republic, secular, democratic, and sovereign” in 61 years. Silently away from the blares of media it is but an inconvenient truth of the so-called largest democracy of the world.11 September is the day of the year 1958 when the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) was signed into a law by his Excellency the President of India. It is a clear black day in the history of 20th Century. It was an attack on humanity and principle of democracy and people.

Since then, without any break and judicial review, the black law has been in force in the region. Time has now come we the people to need to understand the call to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958. It is a colonel act made by the British colonel power to suppress the quite India movement in 1942. It was brought just after 9 years of India became republic in 1958. It was a shame day in post Independent India. AFSPA is a lawless law. No other part in this world of any other country around the world has similar draconian black laws of existence. AFSPA is a clear symbol of state terrorism and state racism. There is no any place of AFSPA 1958 in democratic and civilized society. In India, AFSPA completely dismantle one of the important institutions of democracy, the Judiciary. Interestingly, all the important institutions of “Indian Democracy” are united in the name of “national Interest” and taking share of exploitation and justification in their own space of power. India’s highest legislature, the Indian Parliament passed the law, the Executives, “security forces” performing execution, killing, and raping, the highest Judiciary, the Supreme Court of India justified the act and the Media does not dully inform the people about what is happening with the profit making process and out of imagination. People in India remain ignorant and maintaining silence. In the process, people who live under this act are living with all kinds of injustice and painful life. That is how this law is operating.

53 years of AFSPA -1955 is enough. We are united and extending our support to Irom Sharmila and the struggle of people in the last 53 years to repeal this Black law.

Now, the time has come this black law should go.

Repeal Armed Forces Special Powers Act is the way forward to address many problems in the Disturbed area created by the Indian State Itself.

Sd/

Birjurekha Samom, President, Manipur Student Assiciation Delhi, (MSAD)
Seram Rojesh, Just Peace Foundation, Coordinator Delhi (JPF)

Resolution of the black day observation

A black day observation was organized at arts faculty, Delhi University, main gate from 11am to 5pm under the initiative of Manipur Student’s Association Delhi and Just Peace Foundation. Various people from section of society are gathered in the observation. Many students and professors from Delhi University, JNU, and Jamia were also participated. Activist from people union for democratic right, All India student Association (AISA), National Alliance for People Movement have given their solidarity and support the movement against AFSPA. It was further followed by a strategy meeting to strengthen the movement against AFSPA and to create awareness about this draconian law which has been sucking the blood of humanity since last 53 year. Resolution was taken to support Irom Sharmila and to organize mass campaign and a protest demonstration on 2nd October 2011. A group of core people was formed under “Right to Life” campaign and the demand of the campaign is to repeal AFSPA.

Sd/

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/press-release-msad-afspa-black-day-observation/

The Quality of Mercy

by B.G. Verghese The past week has seen witnessed impassioned appeals that the death sentences passed against the LTTE killers of Rajiv Gandhi, Afzal Guru, sentenced for his role in… Read more »

by B.G. Verghese
The past week has seen witnessed impassioned appeals that the death sentences passed against the LTTE killers of Rajiv Gandhi, Afzal Guru, sentenced for his role in the attack on Parliament House in December 2001, and the Khalistan Liberation Font terrorist, Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar, for bombing a Indian Youth Congress gathering in Delhi in 1993, be commuted from life to death sentences. The argument made out is that they have been on death row for unconscionably long without disposal of their mercy petitions and thereby made to die a thousand agonising deaths.

This is a valid point and there is absolutely no reason why these matters have been kept pending for so very long across different regimes. Article 72 of the Constitution stipulates no deadline by when the Home Ministry/Government should make its recommendation to the President. If decisions have not been taken it is because governments have sought to trade stern duty by pandering to political constituencies. As long as the Constitution provides for the death penalty (which the Supreme Court awards in “the rarest of rare cases”), unless there has been a miscarriage of justice, or new evidence or other compelling circumstances, – such as Nalini, one of the Rajiv assassination accused, giving birth to a child in jail – it should not take more than a few weeks for the decision to be announced. Most often, delay itself invites political play and the building up of pressure from interested quarters, national or international, to impede decision-making. This is the trap into which governments have repeatedly fallen across parties and have only themselves to blame.

As long as capital punishment remains on the Indian statute it should be laid down that unless a mercy petition is decided within four weeks of the final sentence, the Supreme Court’s verdict will stand and any death sentence executed within a week thereafter.

However, it is passionately argued, that most countries have abolished the death penalty and it is only befitting that as a democratic, liberal state, India should follow suit. This is not without merit – though terror perhaps stands on a somewhat different footing; but as long as the law is the law, it must be observed and there should be no shifting of goalposts. If capital punishment is abolished tomorrow than let all future heinous crimes be heard and decided in that context. Fiddling with due process can open the door to other ills.

It is argued that the execution of Iqbal Butt, the killer of the Indian diplomat, Mhatre in Birmingham, years ago, stimulated resentment and anger among anti-national and jihadi elements in J&K and Pakistan and that the execution of Afzal Guru and Bhullar could trigger similar reactions. These arguments must be dismissed out of hand as caving in to terrorist blackmail. For the same reason, any mercy petition by Ajmal Kasab should not be given consideration on such pusillanimous grounds. In each and every case, the decision must rest on merit. The Tamil Nadu Assembly recently adopted a resolution calling for commutation of the death sentences imposed on the Rajiv killers. The Punjab Assembly is contemplating passing a similar resolution in regard to Bhullar. And now a J&K MLA has introduced a similar motion for clemency for Afzal Guru “in keeping with the aspirations of the people”.

This of course is undiluted nonsense and confuses legitimate debate on the merits of capital punishment with playing politics.

Anna Hazare’s fast has also triggered debate on the legitimacy of that form of protest in a day and age – unlike the Gandhian era – when the country has a democratic Constitution, a representative and popularly elected Parliament to which the Executive is duly accountable, a judiciary subject to due process and a free and powerful media. A two or three day self-purificatory fast is one thing but a fast unto death (howsoever named) is tantamount to suicide which is a cognisable offence under law. Such fasts amount blackmail as the coercive element lies in the threat of public disorder and violence in case of death.

It is for this reason that Irom Sharmila’s 11-year fast in Imphal, though greatly moving and distressing, has resulted in her being restrained and forced-fed. This writer too believes that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, should be repealed in its present form and any essential provisions should be incorporated in other legislation, as recommended by the Jeevan Reddy Commission. Irom Sharmila has appealed to Anna Hazare to endorse her demand and even to visit Imphal. A visit might be problematic as it could confuse matters by conflating issues.

Anna plans to watch the process and content of Parliament’s enactment of a Lok Pal Bill on the basis of the recommendations of the Standing Committee after a full examination of all and everybody s demands and suggestions. The unanimous Parliamentary resolution adopted on August 27 said no more than this despite much posturing and divergent interpretations by sections of “civil society” and the media. However, Anna now says he will resume an indefinite fast should the outcome not be to his satisfaction. This could be no more than another case of careless reporting. There can be no supplanting of democratic consensus by authoritarian diktat and blackmail. One trusts Team Anna will not be so foolhardy as to tread this path.

As in the case of corruption, numerous civil society groups and government agencies are dealing with many other burning issue such as electoral reform, political party reform, police reforms and so forth all of which have a bearing on good governance. The Aadhar (UID) programme will itself vastly strengthen the government’s ability to improve governance by more accurately targeting those who should benefit from various rights based programmes and replacing money transactions with e-banking payments. None should think they can muscle in at any point and at any time and seek to appropriate such vital national programmes on the basis a narrow agenda set by a small, self-appointed coterie in the name of “civil society”.

While the law must take its course every time, the Government and Parliament too would be advised not to appear vindictive or stand unduly on privilege. At the same time, Anna cannot bristle over the fact that tax notices have been served on Kejriwal (and Baba Ramdev). Let the matter be settled expeditiously one way or the others. No one is above the law, even if only a technical offender. Anna is categorical that Kejriwal is innocent. Maybe But in defending Kejriwal he has labelled government servants liars and wily fraudsters and the Home Minister, Chidambaram as a “mischievous man” and habitual liar. This is not the first time Anna and his team have used such abusive language.

The media too must examine its role as part “farce multiplier” through what was in some ways embedded and biased reportage and commentary. The Independent Broadcast Regulatory Authority under Justice J.S. Verma should look into this matter de novo and Government would do well to prepare a draft Bill for regulating the broadcast media, and refashioning the Press Council, in the interests of maintaining the health and vigour of what is today the most powerful Estate in the land.
www.bgverghese. com

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/the-quality-of-mercy/

Manipur as a travel/tourist destination

By Chitra Ahanthem That Manipur has many things to offer to travelers and tourists alike in terms of places to see or as destination points is no secret. So when… Read more »

By Chitra Ahanthem

The list goes on…but for now let’s hope the tourism department is reading this piece

That Manipur has many things to offer to travelers and tourists alike in terms of places to see or as destination points is no secret. So when a team from the state taking part in a tourism mart came back with the tag of the state being an upcoming tourism destination, it was not a surprise. But one sincerely hopes that tourists and travelers when they do come to this “exciting destination” are not left unpleasantly surprised by how unprepared we are. Since it is the season of media censures and newspaper bans (not to forget the vitriol that will spawn on internet web pages in the form of comments and debates), let me hasten to add that one is not disputing the tag of a great destination. However I will vehemently dispute the nature of the destination(s) in Manipur.

Here are some reasonings behind my take:

– Social networking sites are often choc a bloc with positive comments and inquires following photo album updates of sights, scenes and locations of the state. The more adventurous even want to sample local cuisines (we will look into this too, but later) but anyone has any idea why none of the decent hotels in Manipur have the local cuisine in their spread? Check in any hotel and you will see their menus with the usual Chinese, Tandoori and Continental segments. Yes, local cuisine gets served at conferences and seminars but we are not talking of that.

– Accommodation issues are a sore point once those projecting Manipur as a tourism destination are thinking of taking them tourists to places beyond Imphal. The Government has to really spruce up the Government rest houses in the district headquarters at least. The tourist lodge at Sendra comes to mind mainly because of the buzz over the Loktak lake. Unfortunately, it stinks of urine and one is not clear whether it is open to hosting tourists. There used to be a private hotel (very small, and one that comes with no star rating) in Moirang but it soon became a dingy place. I recently saw the outer structure getting a new coat of paint (some rather hideous colour). One sincerely hopes that they have done something about the inside rooms as well: I distinctly remember a one night stay with a camera team that came in from Mumbai to video shoot the Moirang Lai Harouba. The bathroom had no water in the taps! Unlike tourists, travelers do not look at luxury but there is something called comfort. A clean bed and toilet-bathroom and home-made meals are often what takes it to make a great travel spot.

– Combine the first two points written above and one can see how unprepared we are! As far as the beauty of places go or the excitement factor goes, there really is no lack of places. Think Moirang and apart from Loktak lake, there is a huge scope for making the area the favorite destination for wildlife enthusiasts by introducing activities like camping at the Keibul Lamjao National park for one; angling around Sendra (that would mean taking away the Army psst..psst!). These and more can be done only after there is a proper accommodation set up at Moirang. But the same applies everywhere else once one moves away from Imphal. Think Ukhrul and one thinks immediately of the Siroi peak and the Siroi lily. But again, it is the same accommodation issue here too. Yet, if this factor gets taken care of, other areas in Ukhrul apart from the Siroi peak can be put on the tourist map. Think Nungbi, think of Khangkhui Cave, think Kachouphung Lake. Let’s now imagine a situation where accommodation gets taken care of (and for this, we are not talking necessarily only of big hotels but home stays or community efforts) and then we have the immense potential of bringing local community people as trekking guides (for Siroi peak), pottery tutors (for tourists who want to have a try at making pottery) besides of course boosting the traditional handloom and handicraft industry. The story repeats itself for every other district: think the Thanlon caves, think of river rafting on the Barak but….

– Before the tourists or travelers comes in from outside the state, ever wondered why the tourism department has not looked at home tourists? Most states have week-end getaways with accommodation logistics being developed precisely to generate income from within the state. There is definitely a huge market for this in Manipur as well.
End-point:

This is going to be a bit longer than the usual end-point. Keeping in mind the topic, let me stick to a point format on what can be done or thought about:
– Adopt a heritage walk program for the Kangla. A light and sound show is a must and can bring in locals too, thereby generating money also for the concerned department. But a guided tour (in English) inside the fort is needed for tourists, which is also good news for the educated but unemployed section. Much like heritage walks, there can be a cultural emphasis too. There are various harvesting festivals in the state and there would be immense interest in them.

– Do something about the transportation segment. We do not have a pre paid vehicle system at the airport, which is supposedly being considered for an “International” tag. The distance from the airport to the hotels in town are very short as compared to the distances that gets commuted in other cities but the charge that the van/tata safari/auto syndicate charge on a mutually agreed upon rate (and hence, harder to negotiate and bargain with) is much steeper. There is an imperative need to have vehicle services registered and following a Government standard rate. Once this gets done, they must also get petrol from the government depot so they do not hike up the vehicle hiring rates when highway blockades comes calling!).

– There is a strong need to change the concept of the Sangai Tourism festival. Till date, it is a carbon copy of any other “Mela” in town: one sees the same stalls, the same agencies. All you see are glittering blouses and sandals and cheap plastic toys for children being sold at hiked rates. Yes, there is talk of bringing in “international stalls” but pray, how does that help tourist foot-fall? Instead, bring in new blood and new ideas. Think out if the box initiatives like perhaps a photo walk: call in paid registrations from within and outside the state. For those coming in from outside, give them subsidized stays so they can spread the word for the next festival.

– Ah well! The list goes on…but for now let’s hope the tourism department is reading this piece!

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/manipur-as-a-traveltourist-destination/

Giving Ibobi the Credit: Reappreciating the Issue

By Amar Yumnam It is good that Ibobi has come back from Tokyo, without further proceeding to Europe and others. It is a case of good sense prevailing upon our… Read more »

By Amar Yumnam
It is good that Ibobi has come back from Tokyo, without further proceeding to Europe and others. It is a case of good sense prevailing upon our leader. So we should give him the credit for that.

We also know that he left Manipur for a tour abroad at a very wrong time. But on his return he has related to the people once again the evergreen intentions for Manipur of the Japanese. What is of interest in this and with positive implications at that is the Chief Minister of Manipur taking initiatives on his own to visit a foreign country for economic reasons. All along we have been used to the feature of our political leaders flocking only to Delhi and request for funds. Even worse, one mind-set of these have been to ask for the funds and look for possibilities for extraction of maximum personal share from the “utilisation” of these. If what Ibobi says of the purpose and achievement of his trip to the East Asian country, it signifies a paradigmatic change in the approach of our political leaders to development interventions for Manipur.

Wish Were True: We indeed certainly wish all the rationale and claims of the leader of the people of Manipur about his recent trip to Japan were true. Besides paradigmatic change it signifies, it also buttresses two other very important issues. It conveys to the government at the centre that the State is ready and capable of mobilising international investment. Secondly, it displays in real sense of the term an understanding of the compulsions of Manipur to link to the growth dynamics of the countries in the East and South East Asia. Given the geography, institutional affinities, cultural closeness and manifestations of important ethos, the land and people of Manipur have necessarily to look at these countries for a long term and sustainable solution to the economic problems of the State.

In fact, with the globalisation forces pushing from the direction of these countries and India being increasingly compelled to link to these economies to cater to her developmental needs, Manipur should now apply her mind in how to take advantage of the challenges going to be thrown up by these processes. We should now be seriously revisiting our social sector and infrastructural policies in order to convert the oncoming challenges into opportunities. We have already spent a long time too far without ever applying our mind to the contextual needs of dovetailing the policies and programmes emanating from the Centre to our needs. The recent unilateral trip by Ibobi signifies a fresh start to review this tradition.

Three More: Now that Ibobi has shown his willingness and even action to go for steps which genuinely address the developmental needs of Manipur by going beyond the schemes of Delhi, there is need for taking his initiative to further logical steps forward. First, he must now initiate steps without further delay for linking the economy of Manipur to the economies of South East Asia. We cannot have a meaningful economic relationship with countries of the East Asia by bypassing South East Asia. The economists in these countries find the North East, and more significantly at that Manipur, the “missing link” in their grand designs for a dynamic Asia. Ibobi should now be the pioneer political leader from the region who really attends to and initiates steps for converting this missing link to a vibrant link.

Secondly, there is the approach of the government of India who thinks anyone from the North East, who talks of East Asia and South East Asia, as anti-national or at best as suspicious character. Ibobi should now be able to lead his people to make the Centre to “revisit” their outlook to the people of Manipur.

Third, there is the case of the Bangladesh. Our linking up with the South East and East Asia would not bear the expected fruit if the linkages do not get extended to Bangladesh and beyond to the “mainland” India. In this Ibobi can play an active role as a catalyst for altering the mind-set of India and look at Bangladesh as a potent economic partner. If this could be achieved, the region would not only emerge as a vibrant economic zone, but would also be a politically stable one.

The ultimate question however remains if Ibobi can rise to the occasion and take his recent manoeuvres to their logical conclusions. Or would he also go down in history as just one of those who just ruled but did not achieve? The choice is his.

Camp: Sikkim University Guest House,Gangtok.

Indian Cinema – a Retrospect

by Subir Ghosh The Indian film industry is one of the largest in the world, and Indian cinema is unmatched in its variety. Tracing the history of Indian cinema through… Read more »

by Subir Ghosh
The Indian film industry is one of the largest in the world, and Indian cinema is unmatched in its variety. Tracing the history of Indian cinema through the traditional methods is not tedious – it is too gargantuan a task. This column will revisit Indian film history, and look at various aspects of Indian films and individuals who have made Indian films so memorable, through different prisms. This week, we take a look at ten celebrated collaborators. There would be needless to say problems with this list, for no finite list can be all-encompassing. Maybe, those who have been missed out can be covered under a list of a different kind.

Himansu Rai and Franz Osten: In the 1930s when Bombay Talkies was launched as a public limited company, founder and one of the pioneers of Indian cinema Himansu Rai gathered the who’s who of talented young Germans of the time. Among them were filmmaker Franz Osten, cinematographer Josef Wirsching, sound engineer LenHartley and architect Karl von Spreti. Osten directed films like Jawani Ki Hawa (1935), Achhut Kanya (1936), Jeevan Naiyya (1936), Janambhoomi (1936) and Jeevan Prabhat (1937). After Rai died in 1940, the Germans left India. Bombay Talkies too collapsed soon.
V Damle and S Fatehlal: The two were the Prabhat Film company partners, who directed films like Sant Tukaram in the 1930s. They excelled with other spiritual/religious films like Gopal Krishna (1929) and Sant Dnyaneshwar (1940). The latter had one of the earliest forms of a freeze shot in Indian film history. Unfortunately, both died in oblivion, and remain unknown entities, despite making socially relevant films in both Hindi and Marathi.

Naushad and Mehboob Khan: They were known as the mega pair of blockbusters: Andaz (1949), Aan (1952), Mother India (1957) and Son of India (1962). Their partnership was legion. Changes in the script by the director would upset the composer, and the latter would often suggest changes while the shooting would be on. Their collaboration went way beyond that of a filmmaker and a musician: each often had a say on the other’s work.

Khwaja Ahmad Abbas and VP Sathe: The two made an unusual pair of writers, when they worked on screenplays. Their collaborations ranged from V Shantaram’s Dr Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani (1946) to Raj Kapoor’s Barsaat (1949), Shree 420 (1955) and Bobby (1973).

Satyajit Ray and Bansi Chandragupta: At one point of time, there seemed to be little change in the credits of Satyajit Ray’s films, and among these was the name of Bansi Chandragupta as art director / production designer. The latter remained a constant right from the Apu trilogy of Pather Panchali (1955), Aparajito (1956) and Apur Sansar (1959), to Jalsaghar (1958), Devi (1960), Teen Kanya (1961) and finally Shatranj Ke Khiladi (1977). The partnership ended only with Chandragupta’s demise in 1981.

Shakti Samanta and Gulshan Nanda: The first was a filmmaker, and the second the uncrowned king of Hindi paperbacks. When they teamed up, they came up with one hit after another: Aradhana (1969), Kati Patang (1970), Ajnabee (1974) and Mehbooba (1976), incidentally all starring the star of the time – Rajesh Khanna. Once they split, each had a range of flops. Samanta’s started with Anand Ashram (1977) and Nanda’s with Jheel Ke Us Paar (1973).

Dev Anand, Vijay Anand and Sachin Dev Burman: When the two brothers from the Nav Ketan group made a film, it would be a foregone conclusion that the score would be provided by SD Burman. The films would be a hit, and so would the songs: Funtoosh (1956), Kala Pani (1958), Guide (1965), Tere Mere Sapne (1971). When SD’s son Rahul Dev emerged on the scene, he took over in Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971), another resounding success.

Raj Kapoor, Radhu Karmakar and Mukesh: The grand showman of Bollywood had two constants: cameraman Radhu Karmakar and playback singer Mukesh. Karmakar worked as cinematographer in each of Kapoor’s films. The filmmaker even credited him for directing Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai (1960) when Karmakar wanted to go his own way. Mukesh made Kapoor’s songs immortal with his voice, right from Barsaat in 1948 till his death in 1976. Kapoor could not get over his friend’s death, and made the latter’s son Nitin Mukesh sing for Satyam Shivam Sundaram (1978).

Guru Dutt and Johnny Walker: This was possibly one of the strangest of combinations to be seen in mainstream Hindi cinema: the king of tragedy and the king of comedy together. If that was not all, Walker would more often than not be cast in song sequences: from Pyaasa (1957) and Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959) to Chaudvin Ka Chand (1960). They remained inseparable till the end.

Shankar and Jaikishan: If there was a charbusting duo, it was this. From the ‘Teri pyari pyari surat ko’ in Sasural to ‘Ramaiyya vastavaiyya’ in Shree 420. In the 50s and 60s they reigned supreme, and was the most sought-after composer pair in the industry. After Jaikishan died in 1971, his partner continued with the same Shankar-Jaikishan name, but could not meet with the same amount of success. By the time Shankar died in 1987, they music industry had changed.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/indian-cinema-a-retrospect/

AFSPA: Tragedy of Delinking Its Political Premise

By Angomcha Bimol Akoijam By and large, those who oppose the Armed Forces Special Powers Act continue to de-link or ignore the subversive political premise of the Act in their… Read more »

By Angomcha Bimol Akoijam

All legislations are to address some realities/phenomena in our real world. Acts on dowry, sati, child-marriage, for that matter the recent talk of Lok Pal, all are (about) legislations to address or fight realities of our life (the menace of dowry, sati, child-marriage or corruption). The discussions or debates on these legislations are not carried out by de-linking these realities. If so, what is that AFSPA is fundamentally seeking to address?

By and large, those who oppose the Armed Forces Special Powers Act continue to de-link or ignore the subversive political premise of the Act in their criticism against the same. Primarily driven by narrow juridical perspectives informed by Human Rights concerns, those who oppose the Act have allowed AFSPA to go on without facing a fundamental challenge to its foundation. As a consequence, the prospect of the Act going through a process of mutation to come back in another incarnation to continue the subversion of a civilized democratic life in the Northeast in general and Manipur in particular cannot be ruled out.

Rhetoric of a Merry-Go-Round

It’s worth remembering that not only AFSPA came as a product of a “decision” by the political executive (i.e., as an ordinance on 22nd May, 1958) but also subsequently escaped more or less unscathed from the “legislative oversight function” of a democratically constituted Parliament on 18 August, 1958. And finally, rather than returning the legislation to the Parliament again for reconsideration, the President readily gave his assent on the legislation, thus making it into a law on 11 September, 1958.

Finally, this “special” law, which, unlike many other “extraordinary” or “special” laws, specifically allows the deployment of the military forces in the “internal affairs” (or as it has been termed as “law and order”) of the State, survived the judicial scrutiny in 1997 as the Supreme Court upheld its “constitutionality”.

Incidentally, after having escaped all these processes, legislative, judicial and executive scrutiny, the Act did return to the political domain once more as a consequence of the upheaval in Manipur in 2004. And yet, the political premise of the Act has never been the primary concern of the protest against the Act.

Indeed, despite this historicity of the Act, strange as it may seem, even as we mark the anniversary of AFSPA, the day the Act became a law, or a “lawless law” (as the then MP from Manipur Laishram Achaw meaningfully called it), one might continue to hear the same legal arguments against the Act which were put up before the Supreme Court. And redundant arguments (e.g., the power to shoot has been given to Non Commission Officer, as if the power is given to a JCO or Commission Officer, it will be acceptable) are likely to be in the air once again. This being the case, the need to go to the basics must be emphasized once more.

Basic Questions

One basic issue that has been relegated, with serious consequences, has been the issue of what this Act is for? All legislations are to address some realities/phenomena in our real world. Acts on dowry, sati, child-marriage, for that matter the recent talk of Lok Pal, all are (about) legislations to address or fight realities of our life (the menace of dowry, sati, child-marriage or corruption). The discussions or debates on these legislations are not carried out by de-linking these realities. If so, what is that AFSPA is fundamentally seeking to address?

The Act addresses a reality in our real world, that is, armed insurgency which purportedly threatens the “national security” (i.e. undermining the territorial integrity and constitutional order of the Indian State). In Manipuri, that phenomenon is called “khutlai paiba lalhouba” (or “armed rebellion”; here it must be noted that “insurgency” is a synonym for “rebellion”).

How does one hope to discuss the Act by de-linking it from the purpose and reality of “armed rebellion” that it purportedly seeks to address? Indeed, have the familiar arguments on power being vested with the NCOs or for that matter even the infringement on the fundamental and sacrosanct “Right to Life” of the citizens ever reminded one of what is that the AFSPA is seeking to address or deal with this reality of our real world? None!

Interestingly, all this while, as the protestors are busy while barking at the “bare act” of AFSPA with their increasingly redundant legal arguments, the Government of India does not and will not de-link what it thinks the Act is addressing while thinking about AFSPA.

It is no wonder then that the protestors are not only least bothered about, if not oblivious of, the dubious and sinister politics that has given birth to, and sustained, this legal fiction called AFSPA over the years. While the Supreme Court Judgment categorically has insisted that the “disturbed condition” is not due to “armed rebellion” wherein the Act has been enforced or that the said “condition” does not constitute a threat to the “security of the nation”, the military and the political class continue to maintain otherwise.

If the Act is not addressing or not related to what the people know it as “khutlai paiba lalhouba” (or “armed rebellion”), what is that the Act is seeking to address? Having failed to address or remained ignorant of such basic question, many have failed to understand the Act itself. For instance, the violence which is being exercised by the State through AFSPA is fundamentally based on or derived from the violence to “institute order” rather than “violence to preserve order”. That AFSPA is a violence to institute “Indian-ness” or the Legitimacy of “Indian State” in specific areas and their inhabitants wherein the “Indian-ness” are problematic.

Indeed, it is not merely the ignorance of written words or documents, even the empirics have failed to draw the attention of many protestors to the real character of the Act. For instance, that the AFSPA has not been imposed in all those areas that have “armed insurgency” does not even allow many of these protestors to see the real nature of political violence invoked by the Act. Thus, having failed to understand the political premise of the Act, they do not adequately comprehend the fact that AFSPA has always been imposed wherein “Indian-ness” has become problematic for the Indian State (Northeast, Kashmir, and briefly Punjab), not in those areas wherein “Indian-ness” has not been seen as a problem, albeit affected by armed insurgency (i.e., leftist insurgency in “mainland” India). And consequently they continue to argue against AFSPA as if the Act is an instrument of maintaining “law and order”, a premise dubiously set up by those who impose and seek to sustain the subversion of this diabolical legal fiction.

Having failed to understand the nature of the political premise and its violence invoked by the AFSPA, most of these protestors have also failed to understand that the reason behind the use of the military forces (which has the ultimate physical force for the “institution of order”) rather than the police (which exercise the violence to preserve/main order) runs deeper than the issue of whether the police forces can handle the situation or not. That had it been a question of “law and order”, either the police forces would have been readied long time back for the job or the military would not have also objected to the restraints on power which are typically imposed on those who perform the duty of maintaining “law and order” under the normative and institutional imperatives of a democratic order.

Thus, the delinking of the political premise of the AFSPA has been a critical factor in allowing the subversion of a civilized democratic life under a legal fiction. Not only that, such an approach has also allowed the people to be a part of the denial and distortions of the nature of the historically rooted and contemporary socio-political issues that affect our collective life for decades. Consequently, our capacity to address and deal with our pathetic situation in an informed, honest, purposeful and realistic manner has also been seriously jeopardized. And it must go without saying that harping on narrowed legal arguments, resorting to rhetoric and proclaiming dubious knowledge of “ground reality” to hide one’s ignorance or dishonesty do not help much to fight against AFSPA and its political premise.

What killed the Python?

By: Deben Sharma A rare species of Python 12 ft long, gracefully beautiful, came in the fire line of a hunter’s gun somewhere 33 kms from Ukhrul town in… Read more »

By: Deben Sharma

No law or Act on protection of wild life, in place, saved the reptile, neither any environmentally aware local initiative worked in difference to the cultural tradition of targeting the Python as priced catch to celebrate and rejoice

A rare species of Python 12 ft long, gracefully beautiful, came in the fire line of a hunter’s gun somewhere 33 kms from Ukhrul town in Manipur. I just wished Python did not appear at all or disappeared suddenly. Alash! that was not to be! It is gone for ever for our children never to see again. It was shocking but a joyous event in that remote community to share the kill, so valued, to the taste of the cultural tradition.
What missed the point? No law or Act on protection of wild life, in place, saved the reptile, neither any environmentally aware local initiative worked in difference to the cultural tradition of targeting the Python as priced catch to celebrate and rejoice.

Yet, neither a python waited for a hunter or a hunter chance upon a python every now and then but for the belief in the medicinal value. And, perhaps for the new found commercial tag the rare animal carried on its head and hide for the elites that got the whole of the length: head and tale intact all the way to Ukhrul town for a display in the market but not in a formalin jar.

It seems to have simply disappeared in digestion channels without a trace to discover as though it never existed but to tell the story – the Python walked into the traditional cooking pot for the belief in better health!
Do the Pythons walk into every cooking pot? Nay, no wild animal are banned to walk into the traditional pot in the neighboring Angamis Village, Khonoma – the birth place of Legendary figure AZ Phizo. Few years ago, the Village Council of Khonoma resolved to ban hunting within the village territory and notified to all citizens of the village. The law was enforced with vigilance and fines. Youth society of the village felt the Village law was in contravention to their youthful hunting adventures, the technologies, skills and practices handed over to them from their elders – the traditional ways of life.

When the village council realized the displeasures of the youth, they immediately acted upon. Series of meetings were held with the youth in the village to reason out why there was a need to change the tradition and tame their hunting instincts. Youth finally agreed and became part of village the prohibitory law enforcement agency to give wild animals a chance to live their lives free from fears and to prevent them walking into the cooking pot in their ignorance. The Village Chief in his recent visit to Imphal shared their new found joy in the village with number of wild species returning to house in the reserve forests of the community in their increasing population in the village territory.

Children in the village wake up the calls and musical nodes of different birds and animals early in the morning, everyday to set out to schools. Still earlier, Nagaland state Government was more proactive to put a state-wide ban on hunting wild animals in close cooperation with Village councils. How far the law has been followed is different question.

In the meantime, prosperity comes to Khonoma village. The conscious decisions of the village elders to preserve their traditional cultural heritage, which cradled historic events and personalities, have brought dividend to the village by the inflow of tourists. But what has raised the curiosities of people from outside, even more, is their stories of befriending with the wild animals, managing the ecology rather than becoming a problem to it, and living in the cozy comforts of their natural environment. The days are much nearer, when every sound in the forest will sleep in silence in our hills, not even the pitter-patter of the rain drops to hear, then, we will go to Khonoma village, on educational tours with our children, to chat with the monkeys, to sing with the birds, and to play horse ridding on or wrestle with big fat Python friends in lap of natural environment.

On our return journey we will answer what killed the Python.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/what-killed-the-python/

9/11 Day Observation – MSAD and Just Peace Foundation

PRESS NOTES Silently away from the blares of media it is but an inconvenient truth of the so-called largest democracy of the world. 9\11 is the day of the year… Read more »

PRESS NOTES

Silently away from the blares of media it is but an inconvenient truth of the so-called largest democracy of the world. 9\11 is the day of the year 1958 when the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) was signed into a law by his Excellency the President of India, the most draconian and undemocratic legislation enacted by the Indian Parliament. Since then, without any break and judicial review, the black law has been in force in the region. The fact that the ‘right to life’ enshrined in the constitution is not a privilege of all may come as a surprise to many. It was an attack on democracy. While very few civil society organizations and individuals in Delhi has come forward to show solidarity to Irom’s cause, not many have joined her cry of repeal of AFSPA. The need to observe the 9/11 is to initiate discussions around such inconvenient truths. Let’s join the black day observation against the Draconian law, at Arts Faculty, Delhi University, on 9/11/2011 from 11am to 4pm. It is organized to support the world longest fast by Irom Sharmila and the cause to repeal AFSPA. Planning meeting of the worldwide protest on 5 November 2011 as Irom Sharmila is completing 11 years of fast will also be held during the observation. All the people from sections of societies are invited to join the observation.

BEERHUREKHA SAMOM
President Manipur Student’s Association Delhi (MSAD)

SERAM ROJESH
Coordinator, Delhi: Just Peace Foundation (JPF)

Contact: 9250446722, 7503689305, 9718669413,
Date 9/9/11

Introduction to Heritage Conservation

By: Kamaljit Ksh Cultural Heritage: Anything that relates culture and has been handed over to us by our predecessors. It can be Tangible or Intangible. Tangible Heritage refers to those… Read more »

By: Kamaljit Ksh

Cultural Heritage:

Anything that relates culture and has been handed over to us by our predecessors. It can be Tangible or Intangible.

Tangible Heritage refers to those examples that possess a physical form i.e. objects that could be seen and touched by us. E.g. sculptures,monuments, paintings, archaeological tools and implements, etc.
Intangible Heritage refers to that part of culture that cannot be touched as they do not have a physical form, e.g. music, dance, etc.

Q. Why to safeguard the Cultural Property?

– Every object of art has a message for the present and future generation.

Cultural property has following values attached to it:-
1.Aesthetic value

2.Historic value

3.National value

4.Scientific or research value

What is Heritage-Conservation?

Prevention is better than cure

Conservation as we know it today is a complex activity. Since the nineteenth century, it has broadened in scope, strengthened in importance and, simply
speaking, come of age. It has not always been in this way; just a few decades ago before that, it did not even exist-it did not exist as we know it: as a
particular activity, requiring special, well-trained skills, which are different from those of the artist, the carpenter or the sculptor.

Terms and Definitions:

Heritage Conservation: It is a profession devoted to the preservation of cultural heritage for the future. Conservation activities include examination, documentation, treatment, and preventive care.
Examination: It is the foremost step in Conservation of any art objects. It may be of simple visual examination using hand lens, mechanical examination using sable-hair brushes and scientific examination using Spectrometer, XRF, etc.
Documentation: It is one of the most important steps in Conservation. It is the records which comprises of history, condition of the object when found, treatment to be given etc. It is an ongoing process till all the treatments will be carried out.
Treatment: If an object has inherent vice, preventive measures may not be enough to reduce the rate of deterioration to a tolerable level. An acceptable treatment can prolong the life of an object. When an object becomes extremely fragile from deteriorating factors, appropriate treatment is a must to increase its stability and durability.
Preservation: It is the act of keeping safe or free from further harm or decay of the objects displayed in the Museum or stored in the storage by following any indigenous methods (e.g. Wrapping the Manuscript with red clothes and using neem, tobacco leaves as insect repellents) or chemical methods (e.g. Using Silica gel as Humidifier).
Restoration: There is a misconception that Conservation and Restoration are essentially the same things. Restoration can be simply defined as the act of repairing or trying to bring back to a former position or condition of the object or artefacts adopting different conservative norms. The difference? In a nutshell, Conservation is preservation while Restoration is repair.
Preventive Care: As most of the Cultural works are sensitive to environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity and exposure to light and UV light, they must be protected in a controlled environment where such variables are maintained within a range of damage-limiting levels. And it is always true that “Prevention is better than cure”, so the preventive cares is of extreme importance for preserving and checking any possible further harmful effects to the objects or artefacts.

The article was sent to Kanglaonline.com by Kamaljit Ksh. Heritage Conservation (Student) National Museum Institute, New Delhi

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/introduction-to-heritage-conservation/

VOTE FOR RESISTANCE

Our social clock is ticking faster than the rattling machine guns in these midnight hours of our collective lives, disturbing every little tranquillity that we supposedly possess as modern human beings. But the irony is, without any hope for a coming dawn, we are getting lost in the darkness — one foot on murky water, another on fleeting, listless time of a lost generation. At this critical moment, we need to make some decisive resolutions and we need to vote for resistance.

In less than a year, we will be having the general election. A festival of the unknown majority. A celebration of false political freedom. Are we going to repeat the usual mistake again? It is an error that we go to cast our vote with some squashy realisation that we live in a modern society of computers and space technology, when we are aware of the incorrigible and obvious failing of governance and administration plus the all-round grime and grunge. We have to learn to say no against bluffs. Say no against primitive living. It will be a blunder if we cannot see our own mistake even after all these elections which we have in the name of democracy, when Manipur exists as a small branch to the tree of the Great Union of India while the big tree sees us not more than a frontier area, where it is all about military and authoritarian roots.

If we are too pessimist that we are just a small branch, then we will have to continue with our miserable lives and only have to wait for a miracle that will come one fine day, when we will stop equating life with simply fighting for survival, but live and compare it with blooming flowers and limitless skies. And if we are too lethargic that we can find contentment in election fever, calling it dearly as a five-year affair that comes only once in a while, so be it. But this cannot continue forever. We know it. The decadence of values in our society is nothing but our own defect.

Our collective lives are desperate for some rationality. The only logic, if we would ever care is the idea of oneness, the belongingness to humanity. Let us stop the blame game. Let us stop going to the election campaign. Let us vote for freedom.

Our purpose is to find a way ourselves and a lesson to teach our political masters in a plain political sense: A means to get rid of the mundane anarchy which we see in our time, in a general sense, as lawlessness and disorder. But if we look at ourselves honestly and the issues and matters around us, we can see clearly we don’t have enough time in this darkness to dig deeper into the political philosophies and engross ourselves into rhetoric and deliberation. Simple put, it’s time to act. It’s time to act against the injustice and lies of our time.

When the government has failed us, when the insurgent groups have lost their plots miserably, when the authority has turned their back on us, we have only one choice: Look after ourselves. Why should we always victimise ourselves? Why should we always vote for the open-secret, illicit relationship between the politicians, contractors and militants? We must vote for resistance, not simply with a thumb impression on a piece of paper with several meaningless party symbols promising us half-baked lies, but for the real change that we aspire for and would love to see around us. The blot on our finger is a blot on humanity; nothing can be worse than this blot in our voiceless generation.

We are too naïve when it comes to election on two counts: firstly, we are gullible as well as immature to vote for the right candidate, if one exists at all; and secondly, our voices are too silent in the cacophonic mainland parliament. Overall the argument is not about the dictatorship of the proletariat or an uprising of the masses for good, but rather the rekindling of hope from the lowest strata of the society — in stoking the embers of an awareness that we are living in the 21st century and that we can expect a lot more from our collective lives, by transforming ourselves into a peaceful and just society.

Let’s talk of no reason when there is none. Our collective lives are desperate for some rationality. The only logic, if we would ever care is the idea of oneness, the belongingness to humanity. Let us stop the blame game. Let us stop going to the election campaign. Let us vote for freedom. Our society is our group. Our group is made up of individuals, thence everything depends on us, each one of us. If election is the thing we care, then the outcome is ours. Looking back, looking sideways, however, we can see there is no one who is happy with it and that each one of us long for a real change. The change is us and only us.

On hindsight — to the delight of the cynics, the pseudo-believers of democracy and the prying eyes of the sadists, all of them who are found galore in every leikai and leirak — nothing is going to change for us. But we can just give it a try. In the name of humanity. In the name of peace. In the name of liberty. We can see, yours truly believe, we are not approaching from a textbook approach, but from the most realistic idea: stop going to the election booth for a new world, to forsake the despicable society we live in today. The same cynics mentioned above would suggest an ‘action-able’ overture, like fighting face to face at the ground. But we need a starting point and this write-up only means to be the initial push-button, free of street politics and kowtowing to the dictates of the several masters: captain New Delhi, the spineless state government and the rudderless militant groups. Ironical this is again, though we are helping them by dint of our decadence and indifference while we let ourselves getting drowned in the currents of our time.

Can we have an alternative plan to the common tried-and-failed attacks with violent protests on the streets that occur once or twice every year, that explode only after a major issue? Can we have a durable agenda to find a lasting solution to the mess and maze of our neglected, battered hinterland? Can we just go beyond the freebies which come so cheaply around election time? Dispirited civil and frontal organisations here and there. The commoners everywhere. We know we are the first group, the buck can be easily passed onto, and we also know there are only two results: either we continue living the lives of the great unwashed in these filthy surroundings of blood, bombs and bullets as if we were destined to, or stop participating in the election mess while we write the stories of our lives with the help of sweat and conscience.

Fortunately, it’s only a matter of choice. We can divert our way from the local primary schools and elsewhere where polling takes place, and instead we can vote for a shared consciousness that will last long, much more than these lightless midnight hours in which we have forgotten the time, simply fighting for a piece of land and this and that, competing for how much we can amass, stealing and looting and killing, all in the name of the land. Folks, the choice is all ours.

The article is sent to Kanglaonline.com by TAOTHINGMANG LUWANGCHA, The Society of Liberal Radicals

Contact Him @ thesolirad[at]gmail.com

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/vote-for-resistance/

BOOK RELEASE FUNCTION – Tattooed with Taboos

INVITATION BOOK RELEASE FUNCTION We cordially request for your kind presence at the book release function on 9th September 2011 (Friday) at the conference hall Manipur press club, Major khul,… Read more »

INVITATION

BOOK RELEASE FUNCTION

We cordially request for your kind presence at the book release function on 9^th September 2011 (Friday) at the conference hall Manipur press club, Major khul, Imphal at 1 pm

Name of the book

Tattooed with Taboos, An Anthology of poetry by three women from North-East India

Lokendro Arambam

Retd. Prof MU

Mr Soyam Lokendra

HOD Philosophy, MU

And

Sharatchand Thiyam

Sahitya Academy Awardee

Will grace the function as the Chief Guest, the President and the guest of honour respectively

Your solemn presence is highly solicited

Yours sincerely

Chaoba Phuritshabam

Shreema Ningombam

Soibam Haripriya

PROGRAMME:

12. 30 pm: Arrival of the dignitaries and invitees

1 pm: dignitaries take chair

Formal presentations to the dignitaries

Welcome address

Release of the book by the chief guest

Speech by the poets

Speech by the guest of honour

Speech by the chief guest

Speech by the president

Vote of thanks

The above inivitation was sent to Kanglaonline.com by Chaoba Phuritshabam

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/book-release-function-tattooed-with-taboos/

Some Suggestions to Govt. of India on AFSPA

By: A Bimol Akoijam Going by the dominant views, primarily legalistic and devoid of political basis, on AFSPA amongst those who are protesting against the Act in Manipur, sometimes I… Read more »

By: A Bimol Akoijam

Going by the dominant views, primarily legalistic and devoid of political basis, on AFSPA amongst those who are protesting against the Act in Manipur, sometimes I wonder why the Government of India keeps on complicating the matter for themselves!?

They could have easily repealed AFSPA and introduce a more “humane” one by taking into account some of the criticisms such as the power to shoot has been given to the Non-Commission Officers (NCOs). Well, don’t give the power to shoot to NCOs, but give it to Commission Officers, if not JCOs! And as for the “Right to Life”, repeat the same argument given by the Supreme Court and introduce some safeguards along with Dos and Don’ts of the Supreme Court Judgment of 1997. And also, provide a rationale for the new act, beyond the “bare act” of the new “humane” legislation; Govt. of India must say, unlike what it did while introducing the AFSPA in 1958, that we have “terrorists” who indulge in “extortion” and “intimidate” and “kill” innocent people in Manipur!

But before they repeal AFSPA and introduce a new one as an alternative, make it sure that the Central leaders call people, some of the major players in the state selectively (invitation from the central leaders can instill quite a lot of “self-worth” to people who have been complaining of being “neglected”) and (this is important) Prime Minster must pay a visit to Sharmila in hospital-cum-jail and give a press conference and announce that Govt. of India has taken time to take the decision (insist in English, one cannot take a hasty decision, and that one cannot afford to follow “hou hou laobi” culture or episodic response but requires a “holistic” response etc.) as the AFSPA involves “political” issues, amongst other, issues of “national security and integrity”.

Make it sure that such an admission is followed by a statement (preferably in soft and emotionally laden tone) that “insurgents” are our brothers and sisters followed by an empathic remark starting with a BUT (make it sure that this word is stressed) that Govt of India cannot remain as a mere spectator to the suffering of the people in Manipur and allow the “terrorists” who “extort” and delay “development” to go on with their activities against “the people” of Manipur! (Note: For a cue, whoever says this must watch Indira Gandhi’s expression in an interview with BBC at the time of crisis in the then East Pakistan, why India could not remain a spectator to the human sufferings in East Pakistan in the hands of Pakistani soldiers!)

Lastly but not the least, such an announcement must be ended with wholesome praise for the Manipuris’ contributions to the world of sports, culture (theatre, dance, cinema etc) and announce some financial/development package, including plans to open KFCs and Malls!

After that, the Govt. of India don’t have to worry about a “movement” against AFSPA in Manipur and they can be sure of the moral high ground to watch the confusion and internal bickering amongst those protestors and people in Manipur for a while before it subsides ultimately!

In any case, if we go by what the Manipuris in general have understood about AFSPA as it can be seen from their slogans and articulations that reflect the way they understand AFSPA after all these year, it is unlikely that they will sense the problematic aspects of the fundamental political premise (of AFSPA and its would be substitute) that soon. After all, the alternative Act will take into account their complaints on NCOs and Right to Life etc). By that time, as such, situation would have also changed as various historical and unfolding forces would have shaped the world (including their own) differently.

Government of India must make its move; and they can expect a lovely slogan from Manipur: Jai Ho Manipur, Indian-na Yaifare!

Of course, this doesn’t mean that there will not be fringe elements that will still talk and argue against the New Act for the basic problems inherent in the political premise of AFSPA and the new Act. But Govt. of India does not have to worry about those fringe elements, precisely because they are after all “fringe elements”. In any case, intrigues against each other, pulling down one another, and killing each other IS NOT a WEAKNESS for the people of Manipur. Therefore, those fringe elements will be effectively taken care of by the people of Manipur themselves!

Meaning, accusation of Perpetrating a Colonial Act over the people ends!!!!

QED!

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/some-suggestions-to-govt-of-india-on-afspa/

NAGAS STANCE ON SADAR HILLS : A CHRISTIANITY PERSPECTIVE

By: Songthu Raymond Chongloi When Sadar Hills districthood issue begins to catch the headlines of … … some regional dailies I felt the need of understanding some of my Naga… Read more »

By: Songthu Raymond Chongloi

When Sadar Hills districthood issue begins to catch the headlines of … … some regional dailies I felt the need of understanding some of my Naga colleagues mindsets on the deadlock. The reason : several Naga organisation came in chorus warning another communal flare up in the state; like the one witnessed some two decades ago. So, without disclosing my identity in detail I approach a Naga student leader if I am new to the issue. Before going deeper on the topic we briefly chatted. In the meantime I came to know that he was an active member of the church during his stay in Imphal, and did not hide being consulted often on every subject of the Nagas there in Manipur.

Then we proceeded. He spoke a lot about the Nagas love for independence,the rich cultural and traditional heritage,the extend of territories ,the historical records. etc.etc. which I find more to do with the Angamis ,Semas ,Lothas and Konyaks. On being enquired anything worth mentioning about the Manipur Nagas contribution towards the movement,he begins with the breakup of the NSCN in the 1980s,and keep on glorifying every action taken up by Sir Th Muivah. He continued,and blame the the Indian government for the Nagas ethnic cleansing drive on the Kukis in 1993.He also fired several accusations against the intelligence agencies for fueling the war. At some point of the interaction he was almost willing to admit that the government agencies collude with the Naga outfits.

Taking advantage of his statement I went deeper referring to the involvement of intelligent agencies in 1993 clash; the license issuance of about 600 single barrel guns by the then Deputy Commissioner of Ukhrul just before the outbreak of the clash,the accusation made against Chief Minister, Shri Rishang Keishing, as on the governor’s report that time,and some more. Interestingly as expected, he strongly disapproved .Instead he blamed the media for maligning the image of the Nagas. Then without a pause, he jumped over to the Sadar Hills issue which I too find more worthy to be discussed than the bygone years. As in the case of the war,he put a heavy load on the media. Also criticize the state government attitude against the Nagas. He continued,”there are nine districts in Manipur of which five are hill districts ,and the remaining four districs are dominated by the Meiteis. Out of the five hill districts one belongs to the Kukis and the other four belongs to the Nagas. This is not a propaganda but If you need datas its with me,”he assures.

While he was totally lost on the topic I calmly opened my bag;took out a map of Manipur indicating the proposed map of Greater Nagaland, and showed to him with a wink on my eyes. With that he exclaimed:’ that’s our long cherished dream…., “he took the map and have a surprise look on it.

And next –a map of Manipur indicating Senapati district and Sadar Hills in different shades. I showed at him. As expected his mood totally change all of a sudden. He was so disappointed, yet maintains his calm. “From where did you get that,” is his query on the map to me. He continued,”we believe in respecting others sentiment. So people ought to respect ours . In the event of declaration of Sadar Hills as a full fledge revenue district without Nagas consent …bloodshed is inevitable. All to be borne by the state government there. This is all we need to understand.,”he warned. Now I put some of my queries and his replies:

Query:If Sadar Hills has been included in the proposed map of Greater Nagaland,it could still be a Naga district even if it is declared a full fledged district?Am I right?
Reply:Not so. Sadar Hills , off course ,is dominated by the Kukis . I don’t think people favour merging it with the proposed Nagaland. The Kukis have been in the forefront opposing the Nagas movement now and then. For your knowledge Sadar Hills has been much apart of our ancestral land. This is a fact.

Query: Respecting other sentiment is one that Nagas believe. So if the Nagas continue this hell-bend attitude over the district hood status,would not it amount to disrespecting ones right ,especially the Kukis?
Reply: No. Respecting others right in no way mean giving away our land to somebody. We have the right to protect our land. We must not be divide by inimical forces.

Query: Then how far would you agree and prove that Sadar Hills is the land of the Nagas? Can you point me some fact or more importantly of its history on defence against foreign invaders-the British?

With this question,it seems,he was blown out of the cold. To my surprise he smiles at his cellphone that never rings; and inquired me to repeat the question complaining the language jargon. In doing so he pleaded,”such questions need an elaborate understanding on history. He keep on with little stumbling ,”those questions are to be asked to our leaders. Its out of my knowledge”. That was how we end the discussion,which perhaps,begins lively but ended without much to appreciate on the claims and stance of the Nagas. Well. As we go through the above interaction,I believe,one may be confused over a Naga leader attitude toward their Christian brethren. Surprisingly,if a leader who claims to be so God-fearing have a warlike attitude to someone then one can easily guess the perception the general Naga population ought to posses? The reason I penned this. Now from the Christianity perspective. Some years back we have celebrated the joy of attaining a centenary-100th year of the arrival of Christianity in Manipur. It was expected that Christianity attains much maturity than before. However much against our expectation things seems to be murkier with the advancing years. The relationship one community maintains over the other is not going to wane easily. This is evident from the present crisis we face and the press statements issued against the other targeting the lesser privileged. To be little persuasive over the present demand I would like to set some record straight in the interest of all. The Manipur (Hill Areas) Autonomous District Council Act, 1971 has a provision for creation of six autonomous districts of which Sadar Hills autonomous council was one among them. Therefore, the question of bifurcating Senapati of carving parts of the district to form Sadar Hills never arise. The provision was made for administrative convenience; the same case that Senapati have. Under such circumstances Nagas communal tone over the issue is something hard to digest. Reason in defense may vary,but one may be pointed out. The sanctioned district has a mix population. No particular community could claim suzerainty over it. Off course the Kuki groups maintains the majority status with Nepali,Naga and Meitei community filling the leftover composition. But there is nothing to be so much to be alarmed off. Implanting fear to the general public is never to be encouraged. One assumption may be, Naga leader fear of similar repercussions of what they did to the minority Kukis in the areas where they hold majority two decades back! If so,the Kukis stance on Sadar hills issue till date is clear-there is no communal tone from Kuki civil organisation like Kuki Inpi , KSO etc, except KPF statement rebuking Naga civil society stance on the issue. Such is a clear indication that there is no hidden political agenda from the side of Kukis. Instead it is the general populace who wholly back the move. To keep in mind, the trend of one community dominating a district is a normal trend we have in the present day administration,yet we don’t find any ill consequences a result of such demarcation. Instead a mixed population is believe to have provided a better social environment due to intermingling of different colours. This also have proved to broadens one’s mindset to a large extend. 0

Taking advantage of the presence of a fraction of Nagas land with a scattered population of about 10%, Sadar Hills has been included in what is called the homeland of the Nagas thereby forcefully ignoring the rightful claims of the Sadar Hillites. As understood,the idea of gaining control of Sadar Hills is not a recent origin. The first open attempt came in the form of ethnic cleansing drive against the Kukis who constitute the bulk of the area, in 1993. To the disappointment of Naga leaders things could not be materialized as planned. Thank God! The second such attempt came: the present deadlock.

Never mind,our human mindsets are such that we don’t feel being bad as long as things are in our favour; but act harshly on things which deviates slightly against our wish. This type of perception full of egos –me,myself-is never to be found in the principle of the Christian faith. Rather it tells us to love our neighbor as we love thyself. Beloved Naga Christians must sense this. While we tries to grab somebody’s right to make up our dreamland-Nagalim, we don’t want an inch of Nagas land to be included in an already sanctioned district which neither means separation or secession. These are the ills that infest Naga nation. It is a society where give and take,compromise and accommodation have no meaning.

We professed to live a life on the principle of a Christian faith which encompasses brotherhood of all mankind. Often,the verbatim like forgiveness,confession,do good,accommodation,peace loving and mutual understanding became the refrain in the church which is never put into practice. While our lip service are sweet with the word of God,our hearts are filled with nothing but greed;our motives are self drive,our mindsets are preoccupied with war, bloodshed and hatred.
So ,until we develop a sense of sympathy for others we have no reason to tell the world –we are proud to be a children of the Lord. Rising up his name without upholding the principles of the Christian faith will only tantamount to insult on the Savior. The sweet motto like ‘Nagalim for Christ” has been used far and wide these days ,however, the banner has been used only to invite hatred upon the Naga society,and more importantly the church image. Let peace prevail !!

The above article is sent to Kanglaonline.com by Songthu Raymond Chongloi and can be reached at raymond.chongloi[at]gmail.com

Problems in Manipur’s Sadar Hills: Interview with General Secretary of Kuki International Forum

08 September 2011 – [CG Note: The ongoing situation in Sadar Hills District, Manipur, India has attracted attention of not only the ethnic peoples in Northeast India but also the… Read more »

Nehginpao kipgen

08 September 2011 – [CG Note: The ongoing situation in Sadar Hills District, Manipur, India has attracted attention of not only the ethnic peoples in Northeast India but also the Chins from Burma.

The Chinland Guardian has conducted an interview with Nehginpao Kipgen, a researcher on the rise of political conflicts in modern Burma (1947-2004) and general secretary of the U.S.-based Kuki International Forum (www.kukiforum.com).

He has written numerous analytical articles on the politics of Burma and Asia for many leading international newspapers in Asia, Africa, and the United States of America.]

Chinland Guardian: We have read a lot about problems arising in Sadar Hills District in Manipur, India. Tell us briefly about it.

Nehginpao Kipgen: It is a demand for the implementation of the Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council into a full-fledged district. It is an exercise of democratic rights by the people of Sadar Hills. On the eve of Manipur attaining statehood status in 1972, the Indian parliament passed the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act, 1971. According to the Act, all the hill areas were to be divided into six autonomous districts, with the ultimate goal of a full-fledged district each. The six autonomous districts were:

1. Manipur South (Churachandpur)
2. Manipur North (Senapati)
3. Manipur East (Ukhrul)
4. Manipur West (Tamenglong)
5. Sardar Hills (Kangpokpi)
6. Tengnoupal (Chandel)

Of the six autonomous districts, only Sadar Hills is left to be accorded a full-fledged district status. Autonomous district council is a sub-administrative unit of a full-fledged district that has to seek the approval of the district administration on all matters concerning executive, legislative, judicial and financial matters.

There is too much interference by the district administration. For example, the deputy commissioner of a full-fledged district can modify or change the budget passed by an autonomous district council administration. All taxes collected by the council are sent to the district administration.

The basic requirements for autonomy and self-government are lacking in autonomous district councils. On the other hand, a full-fledged district is an administrative unit headed by a deputy commissioner, a district magistrate, and a superintendent of police. The Sadar Hills district headquarters will come under the Kuki-majority urban town in Kangpokpi. In addition, Sadar Hills will enjoy all the benefits and privileges of a full-fledged district.

Chinland Guardian: Do you think this is also part of disputes and misunderstanding among tribal or ethnic groups dwelling in the area?

Nehginpao Kipgen: Unfortunately, politics in Manipur is largely driven along ethnic lines. The three major groups of people are the Meiteis, the Kukis, and the Nagas. They are of the same Mongoloid race, speaking Tibeto-Burman languages. The unbiased solution would be the implementation of the district in accordance with Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act, 1971. You cannot demarcate a district boundary based on ethnicity in a state like Manipur. For instance, you can find all the three major ethnic groups in all districts of the state. If Sadar Hills district boundary were to be drawn along ethnic line, it can engender a chain of other demands in existing districts.

Chinland Guardian: Chin people expressed their concerns over the hunger strike in India, where more than 40 Kuki women also got involved. What happens now?

Nehginpao Kipgen: The hunger strike continues. Some are hospitalized; some others are arrested and incarcerated because of refusing medical aid. Both Manipur and Indian governments should take serious note of the gravity of this non-violent form of agitation. Mahatma Gandhi, who is regarded as father of the nation and highly revered around the world, successfully led independence movement against the British with his non-violent political weapon. The government has the responsibility to protect the lives of its citizens.

Human rights organizations such as National Human Rights Commission of India and National Commission for Minorities should assess the condition of the hunger strikers and extend any possible help. Human rights campaigners around the world should speak up for these voiceless peaceful hunger strikers. The international community must ensure that the lives of peaceful hunger strikers in India are not jeopardized for a legitimate political demand, and their fundamental rights should be protected. In this regard, pressure must be put on both the state and central governments to take urgent steps.

Leading international human rights organizations, such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International should use their influence to help the peaceful hunger strikers. In this regard, I have personally spoken to a number of officials.

Chinland Guardian: How have the local and Indian authorities responded and what could be the best solutions to this problem?

Nehginpao Kipgen: As mentioned earlier, the unbiased solution would be the implementation of the demand in accordance with Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act, 1971. You cannot demarcate a district boundary based on ethnicity in a state like Manipur. The central government has advised the state government to expedite the process, but lacks concrete step. If the state government is unable to handle on its own, the central government needs to step in to resolve the problem at the earliest possible.

Chinland Guardian: Historically, it is said that Chin-Kuki-Mizo is a group of peoples with the same root being divided into different countries during the colonial times. How can the historical relationship be survived and strengthened in modern days?

Nehginpao Kipgen: We share the same root, and belong to one family. We need to focus on how and where we can work together. We should encourage on socio-cultural exchanges. Our unity can be strengthened by organizing international seminars and conferences, especially for the younger generation. In this regard, our leaders and academics should take the initiatives. We should focus on inclusive activities, and stay away from exclusive and detrimental activities. Every individual should use his or her talent and resources to promote peace and fraternity among us.

Chinland Guardian: Tell us more about a brief history of Kuki people and the Kuki International Forum.

Nehginpao Kipgen: Because of the British colonial administration, the Kuki people have been forced to live across international boundaries, notably in India, Burma, and Bangladesh. Many have also now lived around the world. The Kuki International Forum (KIF) was founded to serve as a common platform for the Kuki people across the globe. The main goals are:
(i) To safeguard and promote the cultural heritages of the Kukis around the world.
(ii) To uphold peaceful co-existence and mutual understanding with other nations.
(iii) To educate and preserve the KUKIS’ national identity.
(iv) To represent the issues of the KUKIS.
Further information on the KIF and the Kuki people, you can visit www.kukiforum.com.

Chinland Guardian: Many thanks for your time and answers.
Nehginpao Kipgen: It’s my pleasure as well. Thank you!

The above interview was sent to kanglaonline by kukiforumnews@yahoo.com. The original interview is at http://www.chinlandguardian.com

The Voice of Dissent

By: Maisnam Chanu Liklainu Liu Xiaobo ,the Nobel Peace Prize winner is one of the dissidents languishing in the Chinese jail. He was never afraid to disagree with the military… Read more »

By: Maisnam Chanu Liklainu

Liu Xiaobo ,the Nobel Peace Prize winner is one of the dissidents languishing in the Chinese jail. He was never afraid to disagree with the military might of the Chinese Communique. The voice of dissent is the most potent force.Its not easy to be different amongst those who are out to crush you.

Many a dissidents serving life sentences in this part of the globe. Their voices are crushed many a times .They have to pay the price for being outspoken. Either you are thrown in the dungeon or either you have to meet an untimely death. Its a risky proposition… They have the guts to be different, to be critical and to be objective . They have to take risk for being different…. They are sceptical,they love to question the authority even at the risk of their lives… They are the ones who do what other people dream of. They never do the predictable. They are instinstive and compulsive questioning the authority….They give a hard time to the authority….

Its time we have more spunky people to take on the powers that be…

Be it the government or the parallel government….

Lets not be homogeneous in our thinking….

Conformity will kill us….

Lets take risk…

Lets not be afraid to disagree….

We surely want a vibrant society…….

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/the-voice-of-dissent/

Sharmila, Media and Manipuris

By: Sanjib Meitei I am a staunch supporter of Irom Sharmila’s struggle against the draconian law Arm Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA). I too, always feel that mainland Indian media… Read more »

By: Sanjib Meitei

I am a staunch supporter of Irom Sharmila’s struggle against the draconian law Arm Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA). I too, always feel that mainland Indian media houses are biased while handling two Gandhians of modern India – one from a neglected and failed state called Manipur trying to make people and leaders in mainland India hear that people living here are yet to get democratic rights even though India is celebrating its 64th years of independence while the other Gandhian belongs to one of the most prosperous states of India taking up a cause called corruption which most of the people enjoy indulging it personally at various levels but problematic when others indulge it at his cost. The only similarity between the two Gandhian activists is that both of them resorted to indefinite hunger strike to press their demands. Unfortunately, the similarity ends here. Anna Hazare took the nation by storm. Central government had to bow down in front of Mr. Hazare. The whole India got to know the modern era Gandhi, Mr. Anna Hazare, whose struggle lasted for a few months and almost succeeded getting his goals. Not bad and he rightly deserves to get respect for bringing awareness among the ignorant people of the country (I hope so and I would love to live in a corruption free society). One thing is clear. The mighty Indian government is not intimidated by any person but it’s afraid of the mass who can vote
them out of power. The success of his war against corruption would not have been easy had the media houses not covered each of his moves. Credit should go to media also for making the issue reaches to common men and gain their support. For media, it was a win -win situation. They got their expected TRP besides supporting a patriotic cause.

The other Gandhian is more humble and her cause is relevant to only a fraction of Indian population although it is not less important than that of Mr. Hazare by any standard. Most of the people living in AFSPA free states never heard about the Act itself let alone support the cause. Before Mr. Hazare become famous, I came across only a very few editorials of Hindi/English dailies supporting her cause while many retired army officials and other prominent people opposed it openly saying the reasons which sound so theatrics and painful to us. Their reason for supporting AFSPA sounds more hypocrite now a days after hearing the reason for their reluctance to use the same yardstick to treat the people of Naxalite affected areas of India where the condition seem at least similar if not more worse than APSPA implemented states.

For the last 11 years, Irom Sharmila has been fighting a lone battle against the law enforcers of the biggest democratic country in the world begging our basic democratic rights other than right to vote. No media house is interested in highlighting the plight of the people of India living without democratic rights. Their reluctance may be partly due to lack of response from their audience regarding the issue and simple arithmetic is that in this big bad competitive world, money matters. For them, money is directly linked to the number of audience for each news article. I think I could understand (at least I tried to convince myself that) the reluctance of media houses to put Ms. Sharmila on headlines is nothing discriminatory but simply business related issue. During Mr. Hazare’s fast, she has been compared with Anna Hazare and as a result many people got to know her even though most of them are not interested in knowing her cause for the indefinite fast. Ignorant people even hurled insults to hercause. Some prominent columnists and so called social commentators like Mr. Santosh Desai questioned the legitimacy of her demand without trying to understand the illegitimacy of the Act. Well, it’s unfortunate to say the least. Many people seem to hate people getting basic democratic rights even though they are fully enjoying it.

As for people like Mr. Dersai, had you ever been slapped across your face just because your name sound like a name of an outlawed person by a jawan frisking you in a cold late evening when returning home after a long day at work or had one of your sisters or your wife had to go to labor in the middle of the street just because there was a combing operation going on to identify some suspected terrorists by security personals, then I think, your comments would have been
different

. It’s very hard to explain the importance of basic democratic rights which you never had to struggle for in your life. Let me give you an example. I came across the love and hate relationship between Mahatama Gandhi and then British Prime Minister Mr. Winston Churchill who is considered as one of the greatest statesman and war time leader in UK. Despite the latter’s statesmanship and leadership quality for leading UK during hard times, he was against Indian independence movement.
There were reports that he favored letting Mahatama Gandhi die as a result o f indefinite hunger strike so that British rule could be continued in India. It’s very easy to Churchill than being Gandhi. I think same is happening in India now. It is very easy to deny basic democratic rights but very difficult to acknowledge and support it for the sake of others. While trying very hard to convince myself the logical reason behind Sharmila’s cause not being on headlines with its deserved importance, there came the news regarding Ms. Sharmila’s confession for her love of a person who she believes that he is the one. My wife called me up and informed me that she just came across the news of Sharmila’s romantic tryst. I told her that it’s good thing to happen to our beloved Gandhian. After all, love makes life beautiful and in fact the world is beautiful when you are in love. I pray that the two beautiful people in this world live happily for the rest of their life. When I read the news, I was saddened by the fact that Sharmila is not happy with the way her close associates treated the man whom she loves. I feel that if AFSPA is draconian, then objecting to Sharmila’s choice of partner is much more draconian. As usual, the chaos begins the next day in Manipur. Some
people are demanding the editor of newspaper in question to come down to Manipur and apologies to the people of Manipur. Isn’t it too much?

There are two big problems

(i) the way telegraph India sensationalized the news which sounded rather insulting to the people who are suffering under AFSPA than any show of sympathy on Sharmila’s struggle per se and

(ii) the way on how people reacted to the situation by directly resorting to violence. Violent reaction on this issue demeans Sharmila’s genuine sacrifice and struggle.

It simply accelerates the deviation of the focus from the genuine issue and making it a romantic comedy. I think, our political leaders (if they genuinely felt for the plight of the people of Manipur), social activists and organizations can express their displeasure regarding the news which sounded like making a joke of Sharmila’s personal life instead of appreciating her struggle. If the news is baseless, I would appeal to social groups to sue the media house to teach them a lesson. Even if it is genuine news, we can still make our displeasure known to the media house on the way how they handled it. It should be made clear that even if the mainland media houses could not appreciate or help the genuine cause of our beloved lady’s sacrifice, they should not try to malign it by sensationalizing it by giving a negative light. The editors and reported should remember the old saying that “If you cannot help someone, then at least don’t do bad for the person”. You people have a big role to play in maintaining cultural harmony and national integrity. Instead of making the people of Manipur out of place by sensationalizing the news in a different light other than the people of Manipur expect, you can help the genuine cause of our Iron lady.

To me, I respect Mahatama Gandhi much more than Mr. Winston Churchill for the formers ideology of non violence and equality of rights even though the latter won a big war against non democratic groups. In the land of Gandhi, let us not follow Churchill’s footsteps.

The above article was sent to Kanglaonline.com by Sanjib Meitei, sanjibmeiteicha[at]rediffmail.com

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/sharmila-media-and-manipuris/