Land of Ironies
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: 21st April, 2008 -

Manipur is truly a remarkable land, remarkable because the paradoxes and ironies the land and its people exhibit is something unique not found in any other places.

So while there have been protests galore in the past over the proposal of the Government to open a security post at some location or the other, a number of people have come out on the street to protest what they call the monetary demands served on them by the underground organisations.

While certain section of the people have advocated that the Protected Area Permit and Restricted Area Permit should be lifted to open the doors of the State to tourism, there is again the vociferous demand to implement the Inner Line Permit to check the entry of non-local people in the State.

A unique and paradoxical situation. The common theme that runs through all these differing and at times opposing stand is the uncertain time in which the common people have to live with, given the conflict between the armed organisations and the State forces or agencies.

To add to the confusion is the emergence of many frontal organisations of non-State actors and the emergence of these entities can be attributed to the failure of the State Government to tackle many of the hard pressing issues confronting the people.

The question today is how far have these frontal organisations been able to win the confidence and trust of the people.

As one of our more prolific columnists, Prof Amar Yumnam pointed out in his column on three Sundays, the very functioning of the frontal organisations has compromised the sanctity and credibility of these 'bodies' beyond redemption and the functionaries of the frontal organisations do not have the kind of indoctrination and grass roots preparation demanded of the 'organisations.'

This is the view of Mr Amar Yumnam, but what has left us hugely disappointed is the stoic silence of all concerned over the observation of the Professor.

A topic which could have served a good and timely topic for public debate and discussion has been quietly ignored and this again is the paradox of the land, which is known to react and respond to different situations (Read bandhs, blockades, dharnas etc).

The situation in which the people find themselves in today has many parents and chief among them is the absence of any institution or body which can be trusted implicitly and explicitly.

In fact so confusing and blurred is the line between the law keepers and those who have defiantly come out to destabilise the law, that people no longer know who to approach first to register their grievances.

Adding to the worries and anxiety of the people is also the unspoken but widely accepted fact that both the law makers as well as those against the law have been known to have assumed the role of the policemen, the Judge as well as the executioner and the daily news of killings and violence that one sees on the pages of the State dailies will testify this.

In other words, there just do not seem to be anyone for the public to turn to. A frightened people can never progress and while it is a sign of a good citizen to be wary of the established law and yes scared to the long arms of the law, it is the opposite when the people are forced to be wary and scared of the State forces.

This is the situation that the people of Manipur find themselves in today and as long as such a situation is allowed to persist, Manipur can kiss good-bye to any hope of joining the comity of Nations as a progressive people racing with the others to excel in every field.

For starters it is time for both the State agencies as well as the non-State actors to seriously introspect and chart out a new course, at least for the people, on whose behalf they are executing their 'duties'.