Editorial – Page 61 – Manipur News

Clearing Mountain with Toothpicks

It is heartening to hear that the Manipur government has finally eased the procedures for seeking an appointment with the iconic human rights activist Irom Sharmila. Though the source is unofficial, Sharmila who is currently lodged at a special security ward at JNIMS Hospital would now be accessible as any other undertrials. The major shift in the state’s government policy has reportedly been necessitated in observance of the recommendation by the National Human Rights Commission to remove the restrictions on access to Irom Sharmila. The commission had remarked that the solitary detention of Sharmila was a way for the state government ‘trying to break her spirit through this enforced isolation, for which there is no judicial mandate’ and had directed the state government to immediately remove the restrictions. Many suspect the doggedness and authority of the NHRC, but we can rejoice that it had served the visitors of Sharmila, who was earlier compelled to go through the official rigmarole to gain the green signal from the state home department.

The four-member team from Amnesty International, India was one of the first beneficiaries of the new policy on meeting Sharmila. According to its press statement, during their swiftly accomplished meeting on December 16, the delegates led by national chief executive G Ananthapadmanabhan shared details of its ‘Free Sharmila Campaign’ with her. Admittedly, even with its vast network spreading to every nook and corner of the globe, the Nobel Prize winning organisation knows fairly well its limitation in rooting out the draconian AFSPA, which Sharmila’s struggle is about, not only from Manipur but every inch of land in India where it is applied. For the political heads and top echelons of state bureaucrats, the meeting with the Amnesty team was a fairly routine boardroom affair where they have to merely sit through. Not for the first time, the power that be in the state repeated why AFSPA is in the national interest and dreadful consequences of freeing Sharmila to a visiting team.

Throwing out AFSPA will not be easy task, understands the Amnesty team too. But the battlefield cannot be abandoned due to the size or prowess of its enemies. In all rationality, and more so after the spiritless discussions during the last couple of days, the team is clear of the disinterest the state has in freeing Sharmila or making any commitment on extending the repeal of the draconian Act to the rest of the state. The only way to destroy the Act is not to wait for a miracle but for everyone to contribute its bits. Just as the directive from the NHRC did. The Amnesty India International can promise to use its international presence and brand popularity to highlight the cause of Sharmila and the evilness of parts of the Act. The fight for removal of AFSPA is Himalayan and let us have no doubt about it. The support for scraping of the Act had come from the mouths of Union ministers, the law makers and the judiciary. Yet, all had succumbed to the might of the wishes of the Indian Army. We are all trying to mow down a mountain with tooth-picks in our hands and a nauseating sense of impotence. But, in the words of Amnesty founder Peter Benenson ‘Yet if these feelings of disgust could be united into common action, something effective could be done.’

Disco Route

The indefinite bandh of the Old Cachar Road was lifted yesterday following the assurances from deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam and engineers of the state Public Works Department. The route beside its historic importance is a vital organ for development of Tamenglong district, particularly the villages in Khoupum valley and adjoining areas and those along the most ancient national highway of Manipur. This time round, we hope the government will show sincerity and take up concrete measures for actuation of its promises for starting work for modernization of the route, particularly after the chief minister made a fresh pledge to bring development of hills at par with the valley.

The problems faced by the residents of the villages along the route is manifold, part of which can be attributed to the total indifference of the administration to the renovation of the route for decades altogether and ironically, the emphasis put on the need for its development. The significance of the route can be drawn from the fact that the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh has declared twice that the Centre has agreed in principle to take up repair of the road on December 2, 2006 and December 3, 2011. The road was for once the only route linking Manipur with the rest of India until the British developed the two main national highways. Afterwards, the Old Cachar Road or Tongjei Maril was forsaken for ages, specially in recent past, and the last major renovation reportedly took place more than four decades ago. Due to the dreadful road conditions, the passenger vehicles had hard times traversing across and this has led to increase in fares and earned itself the epithet of Disco Route, indicating the plight of the passengers who are thrown in all directions during the journey due to the bouncy and undulating road. Ultimately, for scores of villages lying on the route, besides the increase in price of essential items it meant aggravated inconvenience in movement of sick villagers needing advanced and intensive medical care in Imphal and traders desperate for faster transportation of their degradable fruits and vegetables. The condition of the route can make or break the future of thousands of people residing in villages along this ancient highway. For the records, Gaikhangam, whose native village of Gaidimjang is nestled in Khoupum valley, has repeatedly pushed for revival of the age-old route, asserting that a new wave of development would come forth once the road becomes functional.

According to villagers of Khoupum valley, though they have learnt that the North Eastern Council had invested Rs 147 crores for development of the route, they have not witnessed any conspicous result of the flow of money so far. It is anybody’s guess what has happened to the fund sanctioned and the fate of the road on which depends the future of thousands of villagers of Tamenglong district. At the same time, the PWD has for reasons unexplained chose to maintain silent on why the road has not been modernized even though a minister has verified the allocation of fund. On the other hand, the department had criticized the maintenance of the NH-53 by the Border Road Organisation and made desperate bids to convince the Centre to entrust the work to the department, though all in vain. If the PWD is so self-assured about its skills and technology on bettering the BRO in safe-keeping the national highway, it should give a fitting illustration of its capability by transforming the Tongjei Maril to stake a authoritative claim for entrustment of maintenance work of NH-53, as a major section of the two routes lies in Tamenglong district.

Adieu Mandela

Nelson Mandela was laid to rest at his home town of Qubu at a state funeral where the mourners vowed to carry on his struggle for equality and justice. His widow Graca Machel, ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, family members and around 450 selected guests consisting of dignitaries and famous personalities from all over the world including Prince Charles and Oprah Winfrey watched Mandela’s casket being buried at his family plot. His funeral marked the end of the final chapter of one of the most towering figures that the world had ever seen.

The Manipuri society is deeply fractured with almost all major components having their own political aspirations. All the major communities have powerful forces within that can sway the decision of the collective leadership and resorts to disruptive activities to push their agenda, manifesting their one track mind rather than push forward the common welfare of Manipur. Mandela used all his strength and ability to live up to the expectations of the world and outlined the future of South Africa free from the segregation and discrimination on the grounds of races. From the worst racial hostilities, he ensured that a calm and tolerant atmosphere prevailed and set the tone for bright beginning of trust and cooperation among its varied citizens and most of all he eradicated with efficacies the feeling of betrayal felt by the indigenous people against the new settlers who ruled mercilessly over them.

His ideals can help our state which has vast differences but with a rich variety of culture and traditions to come together to share a common destiny. The inability to bring unity among ourselves could be ascribed to the absence of leaders with his courage and moral fortitude. The political leaders of Manipur should also care to learn from Mandela’s struggle on how to effect the changes needed to overcome the inter-community friction prevailing at the moment. Manipur needs people at the top to have ideals to serve the people like a leader as well as a servant, not one above the others – like Mandela. He was a leader who used all his strength and ability to live to the expectation of the people. And after showing the way, and after his first term as president of South Africa, he gracefully retired and hand over the rein to the younger crops of leaders within his party. This showed that he encouraged the idea of collective leadership so that the county can survive its fortunes and reverses skillfully. Such attitudes are rare in our state where political leaders will hang on to their chairs and care less about the party sinking to the bottom of the sea.

Disengaged Youth

Leader Writer: Ksh Sopen The youths are becoming disengaged from social lives. Their relationship with at the neighborhood level is not good and they watch more television than ever. In general, they do not care about their immediate environment. Social … Continue reading →

Leader Writer: Ksh Sopen

The youths are becoming disengaged from social lives. Their relationship with at the neighborhood level is not good and they watch more television than ever. In general, they do not care about their immediate environment.

Social engagement relates to a wide range of ways in which youths can engage in their community. Volunteerism to community social services, attending public meetings, or writing a letter to a public official or to an editor of the newspapers of the state expressing the grievances of the community concerned etc are all ways among other that we typically think of to be socially engaged.

A broad scanning to various location of the state in this regard reveals that these activities are happening less and less in today’s society. Moreover, the local clubs are not working to its full potentials due to lack of support from the youths of the locality other than the club functionaries. The youths are sitting idle under the shadow of a tree or other convenient places of their locality while gallons of water of the various rivers of the state are streaming down towards its destination by serving the people.

Broadly speaking, youths have a lot of potential. That is why various thinkers and policy makers said that the future of a country lies in the hand of the youths. In this regard, Swami Vivekananda once termed the youths as untouched and non smelling flowers. These untouched and non smelling flowers should be explored. This exploration definitely necessitates a well planning and necessary budget of the union government of India.

Coming to the reality of the situation in the state of Manipur, let us discuss on the issues and what are the factors responsible for disengaging the youths from social life?

It reportedly said that one important factor which encourages the youths of the state socially disengaged is the presence of militarization of both state and non-state actors. In that situation, the youths begun consuming drugs and intoxicate items so as to avoid themselves from the view of the security forces that are empowered by Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 by withdrawing from social engagement and other related youth activities.

And another factor which reportedly fueled to it is the emergence of private schools which are mushrooming and its consequent weathering of government schools in the state. As the government schools are functioning in name sake, parents opted to admit their wards to the private schools of reputation.

The private schools enroll as maximum as possible students considering their profit and future expansion of school building without considering the teacher student ratio and necessary space for each and every students. One report said that a student needs three square feet of space in the classroom.

The respective school authorities across the state, considering their board exam performance, unselect the week students in the school exams in a time the students become adolescence. This situation provides a chance to the students withdrawing from school education. These sections of students later establish among themselves a habit of disengaged from the society.

In order to contend the rising situation, an academic research by competent authority or university should be made as, according to 2011 census, India exceeds 1.21 billion populations and the country has more than 50% of its population below the age of 25 and more than 65% below the age of 35. It is expected that, in 2020, the average age of an Indian will be 29 years, compared to 37 for China and 48 for Japan.

Graveyard of Innocence

As the complaints lodged at the Manipur State Commission for Women showed over 100 complaints of rapes were reported in the state during the last couple of years. Experts have estimated the number of unreported cases to be treble the previous figure. The patterns of rapes vary and include grotesque cases when adults rape their minor relatives or neighbors or physically or mentally handicapped girls or freakish ones when the victim was a sexagenarian woman. But our apprehension is also drawn to another type of rape which have been linked to the existence of the ill-reputed restaurants of Manipur. We are talking about the drug-assisted rape whose wide prevalence is beyond argument but there is little in terms of policy or system to stop it. In this type of sexual assault, the predators plans in advanced, three-four days or even weeks earlier, about how to actuate the rape. He takes his girlfriend (victim) to a quiet, private and romantic ambience, aptly provided by the ‘restaurant’ and executes his hours of planning to perfection.

The investigation in this form of rape is very hard to progress a notable distance without pointing the fingers of accusation on the victims at one time or the other. Maybe, the victim took the drugs or intoxicants voluntarily. But afterwards she lost control. That she participated willingly in the beginning is very hard to tell to the police or anyone else as it might dilute the crime. But, imagine the victim sitting in a drug induced stupor. Now, in that state pressurizing the person into taking more of the drugs is not going to be difficult. Random thoughts of what might happen next cross the person’s mind. Because, the drugs have uninhibited the person and you say and do things you do not do normally and you lost the sense of fear. Talking becomes easier and there is openness about all kinds of personal matters. The woman can see the attack coming but then she is powerless. At the end, she remembers about half an hour of a five hours ordeal. Now, you can see what comes into view.

Recent statements by legal experts are indicators that soon tough laws to persecute such types of criminal will be in the offing in Manipur too. In recognition of the destructiveness of such cases, the Judge while pronouncing the sentences of the two rapists in the TG School student rape case advised an enquiry into the regulations overseeing the operation of the infamous restaurants of the state. Further, while addressing the anniversary of MSCW, state Director of Prosecution Ng Tejkumar pronounced these restaurants as the graveyard for young innocent girls and supported its eradication.

Deeper Introspection

MPCC chief Gaikhangam has implied that the Congress Party in north-eastern states will not be affected by the rout the party suffered at the recent Assembly elections. In fact, another Congress leader hailing from the south, chief minister of Kerala, Ooman Chandy echoed the same views. Does that mean that the need for deeper introspection within the party as felt by leading voice of the party Sonia Gandhi will not be applicable in the regions? Definitely, it should be.

We have to grant it to Gaikhangam that the just finished elections were held in the northern areas of the country, which is considered as the strong hold of the BJP. It is relatively weak in the south and north-eastern regions and emulating the same performance here during the Parliament elections will be hard. But all the same, the results have thrown up facts that forebode dim prospects for the Congress at the next Parliamentary elections. First of all, when BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi was hitting the right notes with the voters, the heir-apparent of the Congress leadership, Rahul Gandhi failed to make an impression in discussing the issues that were crucial to voters. Also, there were clear indications that the voters are fed up with the policies of the UPA government and the struggling economy. We have to keep in mind that the opinions are a nation-wide observation and not restricted to north India alone. Also, despite the reservation over his close association with hard-core Hindu groups, Narendra Modi has been regarded as an efficient administrator, pro-business and one of the best man to bet for on increasing the development and quality of governance in India. There is a huge section of people who firmly believes that a political change which will be strong enough to alter the high inflation and tight monetary policies of the UPA and bring investments in could happen if the BJP and Modi prevail at the next Parliamentary elections. Immediately after the announcement of election results, the share market and rupee responded positively and both soar higher.

The Manipur Congress chief and his colleagues in other north-eastern states will need to be wary of history and how hard it is to prevent the wind of change blowing in the mainland from entering the region. Moreover, the regional Congress leaders cannot be confused on the fact that the BJP is not their only adversary and be bewared by the success of poll debutant Aam Admi Party that pushed the party to the third rung in Delhi. The Congress party has risen from the ashes again and again. But, now is definitely not the time for the state unit of the Congress for letting complacency to creep in. Sonia message for deeper introspection is indeed a well-timed call with a bearing on every Congress workers in the country. Because, if there was a message that connects the poll verdicts in four out of the five states is the sense of estrangement from the UPA government felt by the voters and their growing anger with the Congress.

Mission 272 Begins

BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi tweeted right after the last of the state elections result was announced that the victory in nearly 70 percent of the total 589 seats at stake in the four states took place was a wonderful beginning towards success of Mission 272 and for fulfilling the dream of a ‘Congress Mukt Bharat’. The impression of grandiosity in his statement apart, under his leadership the BJP has indeed put up a superlative show at the Assembly elections. It achieved colossal victories at Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and is in position for staking a claim to the government in Delhi becoming the single largest party despite a valiant show from the debutant Aam Admi Party. The result is a resounding proclamation that under his leadership the BJP is on its way to wrest Delhi at the next Parliamentary elections. But, not so thinks the battered Congress.

This is despite the fact that the Congress faced one of its worst humiliating elections defeats. In Rajasthan, it managed to grab a meager 21 seats, its worst show in the state beating the previous low of 41 it bagged in the post-Emergency elections of 1977. In the states of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, it has been kept out of power for the third successive time by its nemesis, the BJP. Further, the party has been decimated in Delhi (eight seats) and only the presence of the one-year old AAP prevented the BJP from snatching a majority. The humbling results notwithstanding, it is desperate to downplay the role of Modi in bringing its ruins. Top Congress leaders have magnanimously congratulated the BJP’s local leaders in the states including Raman Singh, Harsha Vardhan, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Vasundhara Raje but has stressed that the defeat was not the result of a “Modi Wave”. Participating in debates on television channels Congress spokespersons had offered scandalous explanations to save their top leaders and the shocking losses did not stop them from heaping criticism on Modi. But, the resistance among the Congress leaders to accept the contribution from its presumptive PM candidate is unlikely to cause heartburns to the BJP now. Instead of wasting time on worthless counterclaims, the saffron party who has observed the powerlessness in the Congress camp will prefer to focus on something significantly rewarding like the Parliamentary election. The results on Super Sunday have validated the confidence of the party on Modi. To the cadres and the leaders alike the massive victory portends a return to ruling the country again. Moreover, the strong show will attract neutral political parties as its allies and improve the prospects of being noticed as a force by regional parties. The magnificent victory of the BJP should be attributed to the popularity of its chief ministerial candidates and the Prime Minister candidate.

Checking the Unbridled Insanity

Leader Writer: Wangkheimayum Bhupendra Singh

And yet again, we stand at the fag-end of another tumultuous year. If there were no record-breaking bandhs or blockade this year, the series of bomb blasts and increasing spate of violence especially against women and children more than made up for it. With just less than a month left, before the year-end, there is still no let-up in the frequency of events bordering unbridled insanity that we get to witness on a daily routine, much to the chagrin of both the government and the public. The onus to ensure a fulfilling and promising environment in the state lies with both the state and its people. Violence against women and bomb blasts, by and large, occupied much reporting space in 2013. While, police action has been prompt in certain cases, there were also instances when the police were found wanting in both sensibility and enthusiasm. There is a growing apprehension among the general public on whether this unresponsiveness of the police could be attributed to the reported involvement of its personnel in several serious cases.

Amidst such a scenario, the public seem to have its own interpretation of justice, mob justice, which a right minded individual could only define as unbridled insanity. How else could one explain the presence of a mob and its justice after almost every violent incident in the state if not in all cases? 2013 also witnessed an unaccounted rise in the number of such insanity, when the mob took the law into its own hands and sometimes even attacking the law enforcers. Unless this insanity is put under control when it is still possible, there is every possibility that it could get more and more threatening, and defeat the very foundation of democracy if allowed to grow unchecked. There is a visible aloofness between the police and the public growing, which has led to the rising of the popular belief that the trust of the people in the police is at the down at the moment, and subsequently to the rise of such unwanted mob violence. It is evident enough from this popular belief that the key to any answer to any issue lies in the co-operation between the public and the state, especially with the state police. Any answer to issues confronting the society lies in the co-operation of the public and the state.

Amidst such popular feelings, the assurance of the new state DGP to put winning public confidence as his top priority comes in as a much awaited respite. Change also means new promises and surprises, and so, what better timing for the police department to work on the commitment for a healthy and better relation. As much as the public would like to see the police chief work on his commitment, there is no denying, he would himself like the full co-operation of both the public and his force in realising his enterprise.

A couple of weeks later, everyone will be so engrossed in the festivities and planning for the new-year ahead that all would be forgotten. While the advent of a new-year calls for celebration, it is also the time for all to retrospect on the ending year, and make the new year all the more promising and industrious.

Mending Fences

The direction from the Union Government to the Border Road Organisation on Thursday to stop fencing works along the Myamarese border right away will calm a lot of unsettled nerves. We can make a derivation that the Centre has acknowledged that the present situation merits more facts digging and rummaging through old history and geography manuscripts and that the line of fencing is not as clear cut, contrary to its earlier assumptions. Co-incidentally, the Union home minister SK Shinde who had earlier cautioned the state government from reacting in any way to antagonize the Myanmarese government was the one to send the directives to the BRO.

It was gratifying to note that the Centre treated the issue with gravity. Besides the officials of the Home Ministry and the state team, the other representations at the talks were from the BRO, the Surveyor General of India and the Assam Rifles, which has been watching the 1624 kilometer long Indo-Myanmar border. All the sides that participated at the decisive discussion on Thursday will be represented during the spot verification of the fencing work and disputed border pillars on December 7 and 8 as well. The Centre has reflected its seriousness on rectification of the fencing by its deeds over the last two days including the pledge from the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on protecting every inch of land belonging to Manipur. His words will be the anchor on which the whole campaign for restoration of the rightful boundary of Manipur will rest.

The latest development should not be taken as a timer for a short break but as the sharp sounding of the bugle to brace ourselves for the long and taxing tasks ahead. We should not be led to overlook the demand in the memorandum to the Prime Minister for total dismantling of the erroneous border fencing. Moreover, dozens of border pillars pushed deep into Manipur territory has to be retrieved to its original places and fencing stopped along the 35-km stretch of unsettled boundary. Everyone agrees with the assertion of the all party delegation that the clarification that the ‘fencing were security fencing not border fencing’ was not merely unconvincing but provocative. The conglomeration of political parties should neither relent on its demand for involvement of the Manipur government as an essential party in all issues pertaining to the India-Myanmar international boundary lying within the jurisdiction of Manipur state.

No doubt, the crusade for justice on the border row has received the much needed fillip. Many noteworthy events had transpired since the issue snowballed into a major controversy warranting the direct involvement of the Prime Minister of India. However, there are still many grey areas that need to be resolved. The BJP and MPP chose not to board the flight to Delhi this time owing to sharp differences, mainly on the ‘dubious’ role of the Congress Government and the Chief Minister O Ibobi regarding the surrender of state’s land for the Yangoupokpi-Lokchao Wildlife Sanctuary. Hidden facts if any need to be brought to the surface and engaging in mudslinging exercise and verbal duels will not be helpful in this direction. The all party delegation has succeeded in projecting an orientation for the next step and it is desirable that BJP and MPP join the trip on December 7 and 8 and ennoble themselves.

Unkept Promises

Maybe it is time to appraise the worth of a promise made by the state government, say on matters related to alleviation of the day to day sufferings of the public. New problems continue to crop up on a daily basis asking for fitting solutions. But with perplexing consistency, the administration has been engaged in a policy of temporarily appeasement to get rid of the complaining parties only to follow it up with slackness and reluctance in carrying out their promises. Many times this lackadaisical attitude of the government has been the major factors for the growth of disenchantment and chagrin among social organizations and people from both hills and valley districts. When these people approach the government to apprise their grievances and suggestions they bring along hope that the latter will pursue their problems in earnest. Initial satisfaction at the assurances and commitment given by the ministers leads to gradual draining of trust, disillusionment and ultimately enragement, driving the affected parties to tread destructive paths like calling bandhs. We cannot support bandhs and blockades or other forms of agitations that disturb our daily routines. But the moot question is whether government’s apathy is partly to be blamed for many of them.

Since the middle part of this year, the Jiribam units of AMSU, MSF, DESAM and KSA called for the intervention of the government in filling up the shortages of teachers at the schools in the subdivision. After getting satisfied with the assurance from the Education minister O Okendra and officials of the education department, the first round of agitation was scrapped. However, following the inaction of the administration the stir was re-launched leading to a second round of talks in middle November. As the fallout, on November 18, 2013, the department of education (s) posted 31 new teachers for the schools at Jiribam. The matter could have drawn to a close here but for the heartbreaking turnaround when just two teachers signed up for their new postings. Until the end of the month the rest of the teachers have shown no interest to take up their new jobs. Apparently, the government never took up fitting actions to compel the recalcitrant teachers to turn up and allay the fears of the agitating students. Yet again, the abject failure of the government to tackle a normal local situation has led to its escalation sending waves of fear to the rest of the state. The stir has begun mildly on Wednesday and was concentrated on locking up of government institutions in the sub-division. However, there is no guarantee that tempo of the stir will not be turned up in the following days. In the last two instances, the agitation spilled to the national highways. Many vehicles were damaged and the route was closed, at once affecting the flow of essential commodities towards Imphal. We appeal to the government to satisfy the legitimate demands for filling up the protracted vacancies of teachers in the sub-division and in the meantime enter into negotiation with the students to convince the latter to restrain themselves from taking up harsh measures while both parties identify new routes for sorting out the problem amicably.

PPP Model

Just after assumption of power, new DGP of Manipur Shahid Ahmed has swayed the interest of the public by promising to prioritize the establishment of trust between the police and the citizens. Although, it is too early to pass any judgement on the veracity of the statement of the new police chief or the firmness of his plans, nobody can fault the people who had reacted with conviction to his pledge as they can relate with whatever the DGP meant to mend. Not just the public, but the administration and the law enforcement are equally fatigued with the estranged relationship between the common man and the men in Khakis spanning many years. Public perception of the state police and the security forces in general has undergone drastic changes over the last two decades and sadly in a negative way. The process of change has been marked by a steady yet continuous decline of mutual trust between the men in uniform and the citizens. On one hand, the public have developed an awkward feeling of discomfort at the sight of the ‘ferocious looking’ security personnel and forbid themselves from getting to close to exclude the possibilities of being the next collateral damages of a militant attack. On the other hand, security force is wary whether the law breakers or militants are in the midst of the unassuming civilians around them or indeed one of them and thus scales each and every one of them with the same yardstick. The irony is that despite the rift both sides are desperate for restoration of normalcy in their ties and eager to try out any remedy thrown at them. Because, at the end of the day both realized that in this modern society the existence of one is dependent on the other.

Here, we need the police department to develop new concepts (turning back on the basic practices of policing should qualify as one), to depart from the unmovable mindset of strengthening its arsenal and size, and spare some resources on improving communication with the citizens for the purpose of solving the common problems besetting them. In this undertaking, the first task ahead of the DGP is to present the police personnel as public servants. Portraying the security force as humans and its acceptance is vital in rebuilding the fragile bond and establishment of good faith. Such a condition will open the door for interaction between the police and the public on a regular basis. Further, the higher tiers of the police department should hold sensitization programmes to endorse the importance of the involvement of civilians in police works. In this way, they can understand that their power and effectiveness are linked directly to the support they receive from the citizens. When and if the public-police-partnership model started to bear fruit, it will usher in the best form of democracy.

Stolen Childhood

After spending months in appalling conditions, yet another group of children who were entrusted by their parents to ‘Good Samaritans’ hailing from developed states of India in the hope of arranging a gateway from their impoverishment, were rescued from their captivity. Local police and units of child welfare committee of Bengaluru in Karnataka managed to free the group of 36 children from an illegally run children home. Before that we have heard similar tales about the ordeals of children recruited from the state who were eventually liberated from their bondages in illegal children homes and private houses located in Kerala, Rajasthan and Delhi among others. Besides subjection to tortures and forcible means to make them carry out rigorous tasks which are considered as unbearable even for adults, these children are victims of sexual violations, malnourishment and physical deformations. We are overjoyed on their new-found freedom and pray whole-heartedly for their prompt and complete rehabilitation. However, the celebration will be short-lived as long as we are haunted by the thoughts that many other innocent boys and girls from the state might be undergoing the exact sufferings and involuntary servitude right this moment and that their childhood had been snipped in the bud.

We need to leave out past laxities behind and execute concrete measures to stop the trafficking of children from the state. As part of pre-emptive steps, hectic programme to raise awareness and mobilization to change social attitudes in vulnerable areas specially Ukhrul and Churachandpur districts and the state in general should be launched to persuade the villagers from pursuing the damaging habit of placing blind faith on outsiders (and local middlemen) who poaches for susceptible families with the lure of providing better education and employment. Also, pro-activeness on part of the state government is needed to take up punitive actions against the perpetrators. Both, the police and concerned department are aware of the modus operandi of the child traffickers in recruitment and harboring their victims and that should provide them headway in solving the cases. With the help of intelligence inputs and physical support from their colleagues from other states, whose help have been very forthcoming so far, the state police should not leave any stone unturned to take the cases to the legal conclusion. Justice will not be truly served until the child traffickers are punished and this despicable form of modern slavery is crushed, so that every child will be free to realize their God-given potential.

Single Choice

Come November 30, 2013, and the State Cabinet has to update the status of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in the seven Assembly constituencies in Imphal municipality. After the series of bomb blasts in Imphal recently where human fatalities occurred, the state administration had made veiled threats that the escalation in violence will be damaging to its case in defense of keeping away the Act from Imphal municipality. The follow-up public statements given by political heads of the state tried to give the false impression that it is succumbing to steady pressures applied from the Centre to review its decision. At the same time, a proscribed organization created more frenzy to the debate on the possibility of re-introduction of AFSPA while making a claim that the series of bomb blasts was orchestrated by the security forces to create a suitable atmosphere for drawing a conclusion that the ‘disturbed tag’ was justifiable in the seven Assembly constituencies of Imphal as well. In retrospection, the public did receive the whole episode in a casual manner. They did not perceive the dangerous prospect of the return of the draconian law and rightly so. In many ways, using the series of bomb blast as a justification for re-introduction of AFSPA in the seven ACs will be illogical. One of the reasons is that the recent violence was not restricted to the areas from where the Act had been lifted. The menace of bomb blasts has cast its shadow at Ukhrul and Bishnupur among other places where the Act is very much in force.

Moreover, the re-introduction of AFSPA will lead to an instantaneous rejuvenation of the anti-AFSPA movement which seemed to have hit a small bump following the squabble involving the Just Peace Foundation. Public unrest and violence and a massive challenge for the whole apparatus of the administration is predictable. In all probability, the Cabinet meeting will go through the motion of discussing the pros and cons of extension of withdrawal of the Act from the constituencies. However, there is unlikely to be polarization of opinions or long-drawn discussion owing to lack of consensus or even indecisiveness in drawing a decision. The topic of the spurt in violence in the seven constituencies will indeed be touched. But the decision on November 30 will be pretty straightforward. Nobody can fault the Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues for sticking to the existing state of affairs, not even the Centre. The foreboding of violence will be the savior for the Cabinet.

Blood Donation

Leader Writer: Vedajit Yumnam In Manipur blood donation sessions take place at various places such as health centres, local community centers, clubs, educational institutions etc so as to generate awareness among masses and to promote voluntary blood donation. Mega blood … Continue reading →

Leader Writer: Vedajit Yumnam

In Manipur blood donation sessions take place at various places such as health centres, local community centers, clubs, educational institutions etc so as to generate awareness among masses and to promote voluntary blood donation. Mega blood donation camps are also held on special occasions and special days like World Blood Donor Day, Red Cross Day, and Independence Day and on festivals besides the camps on the regular daily basis. World Blood Donor Day which is recognized by The World Health Organization falls on June 14 each year to promote blood donation. Karl Landsteiner who discovered the ABO blood group system was born on June 14. The tenth anniversary of World Blood Donor Day (WBDD) was celebrated on June 14, 2013 on the theme “Give the Gift of Life: Donate Blood”. Factories cannot make or produce blood so awareness of blood donation needs to be raised and there is a necessity for generous blood donors to contribute towards the society and save precious lives. The short shelf life of most of the components of blood used for transfusions leads to a persistent problem. Organizing blood donation camps is indispensable for fulfilling the demand for the continuous supply of blood.

People who want to donate blood have to meet some criteria. Certain formalities have to be gone through before potential blood donors give blood. They – the blood donors – must be, in short, healthy persons. The blood which is collected is more often than not stored in a blood bank. Blood is a vital component of the body that the loss of an excessive quantity of blood can lead to death and it is the fact that human blood has no substitute and blood donated by blood donors can save precious human lives. And it is imperative to motivate people to give blood and save human lives. Tens of thousands of units of blood are required on the daily basis to save life. Perhaps sickle cell patients need repeated blood transfusions throughout their lives. As many as 100 units of blood can be required by a single vehicle accident victim. Blood donation is one of the noble and commendable contributions you can make. Blood transfusions are necessary for surgery and for the treatment of vehicle accident victims, sickle cell patients and so on. Only human beings can donate and provide blood for transfusing into human beings. The blood donor-you are appreciated. Donate blood to save life; life is beyond price.

Pony in Perils

The state government’s plan to develop a sanctuary for Manipuri ponies at Heingang Marjing Khubam might bring cheers to many dejected faces. Under the project, the government aims to provide the much needed patronage to the famed equine breed with a rich history but presently staring at the face of extinction. During an inspection trip to the site, Chief Minister Ibobi unveiled the fancy plans for preservation of the Manipuri ponies, their breeding and sheltering of abandoned animals and also the consequent upgradation of the sanctuary into an eco-friendly tourism destination. Greeting an apparently earnest move by the government with cynicism will be rude and preposterous. But attempts in the past over the last two decades for rehabilitation of the unfortunate Manipuri ponies have invariably ended in shambles, despite the aplomb marking the beginning. The disastrous ending could be traced to a pathetic lack of vision and sincerity on part of the officials in charge. The heartbreaking news is since the early 1990s when the need to take steps on a war footing to save the Manipur ponies was already felt, their numbers have dwindled continuously from around two thousands to a meager 700 at present. In fact, in the likelihood of the trend continuing and barring something extraordinary happening, the ponies will soon become showcase items at the museums for foreign tourists and polo enthusiasts.

Time has changed when the horses were domesticated because of the values of their multiple services and treated with reverence like family members. People now find it more profitable to raise cattle and poultry instead. On top of that, the shrinking open fields and large scale crop cultivation have virtually pushed them into the streets and reduced their dignity to the level of alley cats. Maimed and infested ponies scavenging for leftovers and seeking temporary shelters from pouring rain are an avoidable sight in the streets of modern Imphal. And if reports are true, over the last three years the state government budget for welfare of the ponies has been totally scraped.

The dwindling population of ponies is mostly linked to premature deaths from consumption of polluted materials and plastics while foraging in the open for food and lethal injuries inflicted by humans for trespassing into private fields. Many of those deaths were preventable with proper and timely care and treatment for the sick animals. Ideally, we require a modern veterinary clinic first of all to provide quality medical and surgical care with facilities for clinical examination and nutritional consultation among others.

Promotion of polo clubs in Manipur has been established as another way for ensuring the welfare of the ponies. More than half of the two dozen polo clubs in the state are fighting for survivals. The government’s rehabilitation program should span to investment of money to these clubs that are interested in breeding and rearing of the ponies. Further, the program should spread its wing to other places than the twin districts of Imphal like Bishnupur, Thoubal etc.

Risks of Social Media

Social media was invented with the noble intention of easing the process of sharing information with our friends, colleagues, relatives and family members. But, the world as a whole faces a new set of problems stemming from the proliferation in the misuse of the same social media. The unquestionable connection between rise in crime and abuse of social networking has gained universal acceptance and the trepidation and circumspection with which our friends and acquaintances exchanges opinions about the profane side of Facebook, SMS has established that our attitude on this issue cannot be segregated from our brethren elsewhere.

It has become very common to hear about married man and woman among our social circle making online friends with strangers and carrying an illicit relationship offline, clandestinely in the back of their spouses. The youths also are devoting disproportionate amount of time online with their friends engrossed in private chats. The privacy guaranteed by online correspondence sets up an ambiance for open discussion often culminating in sending or receiving of sexually explicit, or suggestive images or messages. But things are more or less under control if the sharing is mutual. Perverts send friend requests to strangers and proceeds to solicitation of obscene conversation. To them, online friendship is just a means for satisfying their immoral lust. Legal actions must certainly be existing in the law books but we seldom heard about anybody being booked or punished by the law enforcers despite the flagrant occurrence of such cases. However, we find solace in the fact that such depraved behaviors have been exposed in the public by local organizations and civil bodies, who also award the perverts punishment based on the gravity of their crimes.

Though abuse of social networking transverse age differences and gender, as caretakers of the younger generations, society must do something so that the uncontrolled victimization of the innocent youths are stalled. A growing number of adolescents in a relationship are prone to receiving obscene pictures or messages, or being pressurized to send such pictures themselves. Parents and senior members need to educate themselves about the social media to identify the ways their young sons and daughters used it and learn about the common risks. Studies found that risky online behaviors by the youths can be countered if parents talks to them. Such activities also raise awareness about online safety and lessen the chances of forwarding personal information or contentious pictures with friends, partners and strangers and talking or meeting with people they only met online.

Striking the Strikes

Manipur and its neighbor Assam have suffered for decades under a bandh culture that had brought about unmentionable sufferings to the common man and incurred losses worth thousand crores of rupees to the states. Over the last few years, the two states have been forced to contemplate strong legislations in order to pre-empt bandhs which political parties, students’ groups and other organizations imposed without impunity.

After a series of debilitating bandhs and blockades from 2004 to 2007 that robbed the state exchequer of roughly Rs 1200 crores, Manipur government decided to ban bandh and even went a step ahead by filing suits against the some organizers of bandhs in order to recover the losses suffered to the state. However, the whole plan crumbled like a house of cards as the administration was too weak to efficiently execute it. Moreover, a huge deficiency in manpower resources and logistic support were noticed. So far, any serious attempt for rectification of the shortcomings is not within sight. Moreover, despite several arrest warrants there was no record of any persons being actually booked. The end result is any Tom, Dick and Harry can called for bandh on petty issues without any hindrance and bring the state to a grinding halt as there is apparently none to take steps to defy the imposition. The organizers can count on the public to stay at home, shops to close and buses and passenger vehicles to stay off the road.

In light of the unfortunate situation in Manipur, the draft law prepared by the Assam Government, The Assam Prevention of Unconstitutional Bandh Act, making bandhs an offence inviting punitive action and fines, ought to be welcome with warm embrace. According to the draft, violators invite two years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 per day. Blockades, causing partial closure of economic activities, are liable to punishment of one year in jail and fine of Rs 5,000.

However, two issues which are unlikely to be resolved soon have surfaced before the Assam government. The first is directed from journalist and media workers’ bodies of the state who has termed Act as censoring media or curbing the freedom of expression in the name of controlling the bandh culture asserting that it will affect the democratic structure of the society. Moreover, the draft is also silent on how the government intends to tackle bandhs called by militant groups, a common occurrence in the state. Unfortunately, many people will be caught between militant strike calls and the government’s law against bandh.

Building a Hazard

The roof of a newly built block at a government college, the Manipur College, collapsed on Saturday. This happened almost immediately after a similar incident at an exclusive ward of RIMS Hospital, the premier hospital of Manipur, where the occupant … Continue reading →

The magnitude of the damages in both instances is too lackluster to warrant an adverse judgement let alone stir up a public outcry, as evident from the reaction of the desensitized public and the authorities that matters. Nonetheless, the cases have yet again casted doubts on the sincerity and ability of the respective departments and our contractors to provide satisfactory products while carrying out public undertakings.

We are already plagued by a historical lack of accountability and a general complacency that have surfaced conspicuously in such time of misfortunes. It is worrying if the absence of activities marking condemnation or regrets over the bizarre incidents is an indicator of the manner in which the negligent actions will be treated by the administration.

From the outside, the failures looked avoidable if professional attention and guidance had been observed. The first case was apparently a result of construction flaw and if portion of a new building disintegrates so quickly then questions should inevitably be raised whether it was constructed in a workman like manner and whether the building was indeed meant to be fit for its intended purpose. At the same time, the RIMS incident can be attributed to the engineering section overlooking the degradation taking place due to aging and urgent want of renovation.

In both cases, the contractors or sub-contractors in charge of construction works had pledged statutory warranty that the work will be completed according to the standards. If there was any defect observed in the execution of the works, then the contractors should be held strictly liable, at least until it is proven whether the suppliers or engineers or manufactures of another party is at fault. It will be unwise to bear sub-standard construction and let the responsible persons escape without penalties as it will be akin to summoning a catastrophe to happen, maybe at another building. To set the ball rolling, the government should rush its best investigators to promptly examine the collapse and document the cause and extent of the losses and take up proceedings for negligent actions. Notwithstanding the small damages (luckily), the episodes should not be swept under the carpet for any reason whatever.

For More Smiles Tomorrow

Leader Writer: Paojel Chaoba Enemies may become friends and friends may become enemies, they say that there is nothing permanent like change. And what we need today is change for the better. We as Manipuris have seen a fair share … Continue reading →

Leader Writer: Paojel Chaoba

Enemies may become friends and friends may become enemies, they say that there is nothing permanent like change. And what we need today is change for the better.

We as Manipuris have seen a fair share of irrationality and vexing issues since attainment of Statehood back in ‘72. Before that, the historical background also is replete with war mongering and dispute amongst the royal lineage or rather-we have a ‘bad history’. Some problems still continue to persist in one way or other till date and someone or something always have always taken advantage of that disunity.

We as a public who are still living in the shadow of the AFSPA, had suffered enough, have sacrificed enough and still hear the lament of the children and women. Would we ,who have borne ethnic clashes, suffered month long economic blockades, suffered atrocities from both state and non-state actors , thwarted the greater Nagalim agenda with blood, and putting aside corruption and AIDS, are really concerned about a border fencing issue or an Inner Line Permit system for real! Would the daily wage earner and the underprivileged majority worry about a border pillar or are they more concerned on getting the money for paying the admission fees of their child?

The answer though depends on the individual capacity and experienced wisdom of those carrying a movement forward. But, it was the farmer, the daily bread earner or the simple man who took to the streets when Manorama was raped. It was ordinary women and not the ministers or officers who had the courage to shed their clothes in front of Kangla gate; saying enough is enough and shaming the Assam Rifles to hand over the key of Kangla to the public.

Things change continually and who would have thought that the Ava raiders who decimated Manipur back in 1819 and responsible for the ‘Seven Year Devastation’ and viewed as arch enemies of Manipur at some point of time, are now welcomed as full-fledged guests of State. If one was to still hold a grudge for what happened then, would we be called progressive? It is not the identity of a sound mind to dwell on the ‘ill history’ but to rather bring developmental change and in another way of putting it- ‘Looking East.’

It is the iron-willed woman who cries out now on television, that people want her to be martyred and to not live a normal life. She laments of not wanting the AFSPA issue to be her ‘sole responsibility’ alone, but rather to be a collective effort to purge the draconian act.

Well! It is within her own right to stop fasting as she has starved enough for those, those who at a rumor run helter-skelter to buy up salt stock. Imagine, nose feeding for a dozen years and we are worried about salt procurement! It is high time that we let her do what she wish and we as a public, take her place at the fasting table instead. To negate this is to say that AFSPA is not ours to protest, but is Sharmila’s lone fight.

What opportune time then for the rallies and strikes to be held en masse with banners of “Remove AFSPA” when Manipur has opened its doors to the world and the so called first international flight has landed?

A true revolution is always needed to rectify the ills affecting a society, though the revolution may come in myriad forms and the revolutionary may be dressed a rickshaw driver, a clerk sitting at a desk, a teacher with his chalk and not reserved solely for armed men. A revolutionary may be the aged man telling moral stories to the grandchildren to imbue the children with honesty, love for his fellow human beings and to fight for the truth, thus paving the ground for an ethical generation.

For a revolution seeking to overthrow an oppressive regime, it is known that without the support of the masses, there has been no successful revolution yet. More, it would not be practical for the revolutionary to think for the people, but he should rather think with the people. Otherwise, the revolution may be termed as one carried out by the revolutionaries, for the revolution- but only for a few leaders. The point is that a collective effort, physically and mentally from the masses is needed for bringing about change. And to seek co-operation from the public, the revolutionary should make himself be loved and epitomized by the masses rather than eliciting the hate and fear exuded by pseudo-revolutionaries. If the pulse of the public is not felt by the revolutionaries, then factually, the revolution will not march forward and become an emasculated one.

Conclusively, whether it be workings of an oppressive government, Irom Sharmila’s hunger strike, peace talks, ILP, ethnic demands of homeland, Look East policy and revolutionary movement, ultimately we must have change. But for change, we have to be truthful and also be unafraid to voice it unitedly.

The hope to bring about more smiles in people’s faces tomorrow if unable today, is not a vain wish and working towards it without fear is the ‘raison d’être’ or one’s reason for existence. It is time for the mute Kangla-sha to roar and for the public to wake from the zombic state and let loose a feral howl.

Trust or no Trust?

The ‘honor killing’ episode generated by Irom Sharmila had failed to settle down even after a week. Sharmila’s overtures to her trust, the Just Peace Foundation Thursday by exonerating its members from the charges she allegedly leveled in the contentious news report of NDTV might have just bought an appeasement with the foundation. But will it be enough to erase the disrepute that the foundation insisted they had suffered. Not quiet, it seems. While appreciating the iconic human rights activist for her clarification, the trust has announced that it is hell bent on suing the news channel and overruling her request to drop the defamation suit.

Even if Sharmila had felt disappointed over the lack of support from the JPF, it is worth pondering whether her emotional outpour was necessary. It would have been fairer if she had sought to sort out the differences with the foundation (or family members) on a personal level rather than waiting for an interview. The public castigation of her supporters will be hurtful to all including herself.

Sharmila enjoys the affection of the people of Manipur. The whole state has been following her campaign for years. What she says and do matters to lakhs of Manipuris, whether she is aware of it or not. If she commands, her trust will be overflowing with public donation. In other words, should she wish to make contribution for alleviation of humanity and their sufferings around the world she should not have felt disheartened so easily so as to go public, especially through the national media who has little empathy with the sentiments we share as proven from time to time. One cannot just pour out his heart, risk the reputation of others and still expect total compliance without expecting others to defend themselves. Everyone should measure their words if it means putting a public campaign at jeopardy.