The Sentiment of hills and valley people alike

Philip Kamei *

The traditional Mera Houchongba festival re-affirming the close bond and ties between the hill and valley people was celebrated on October 12 2011 at Imphal :: Pix - Bullu Raj

In this article I would like to focus on the sentiment of hills and valley people alike. The whole population are fed up of bandh, strikes, blockages and red dress of many problems on a consideration of democratic state; many elements goes against the will / interest of the common masses and not enough platform are made available for them to address their grievances.

In fact, crux of the problems; now are rolled by few people who are said to be leaders, they starts igniting the fire and don’t know how to bring about wise and general acceptability solution. Those who stated that their causes are true and righteous were found to depend on the third parties to justify and bring solution to their causes.

This is something very irony about many existing problems in the state. One community fight against another unreasonably. Therefore, solution is far ahead, the best sentiment will be greater welfare to greater communities; that would be in fact democratic fight that sought welfare for all. The present scenario seems true that just to pacify certain community the large whole of population is left to doom.

I personally feel that democratic weapon must be as such minority cause is justified without hurting the sentiment of the masses. Also the sentiment of the masses must be back by various communities/organisation against the dictates of the Govt. / against ones’ communities.

We need to realise that our state has been set up of about 40 communities of diversity in language, culture; traditions, food habit and way of thinking etc., Therefore, there are hard principle that need to see when one raises an issue. e.g., the sadar hill issues, the alternative arrangement of UNC, the Jiribam issues etc. these issues are however true need not bring hardship to all.

In order to tackle such issues different strata of communities should get involve and must negotiates by give and take policy. And the division of land and demarcation of geographical boundary necessarily need time and space. There are diverge rays of argument for and against such touchy issues in our societies. we are people of the same state geographical setting and natural resources are not something that we can cut, copy and paste as mostly practice, someone else’s work to considered ours as some academicians necessarily do to write thesis or journal.

Even such plagiarism when caught has serious consequences similarly the emerging issues .is something like that such nature. There are no such things in the world as land possession based on ethnic identity or of one’s community alone. But the fact is that since time immemorial one communities get hold of certain geographical areas with oral and unwritten geographical boundary of each communities in the settlement areas or segment or portion of some land where no one’s ever lived or yet to be settled.

Therefore particularly most cases of the hills people in their historical account keep no proper records and systematic land record and survey of proper and distinct boundary which is never been done. Basically it is done on oral basis and passes the information down from generation to generation, few lines are often mentioned in folk song and war song of certain communities.

Land issues for hills men is something very precious and intimate to them as land being only an asset to them. Say for Instance conflict/feud between two villages of the same communities where there are element not clear about the demarcation and boundary of village because hills men does not keep written account of their I~nd. The dividing line for them is river, high peak, or rock or something that remains at the view.

When dividing and expansion due to population growth of such village indeed has some confusion yet that is solved together by give and take method or adjustment process or based on historical interpretation of the elder. In fact the prevailing issues are certainly having solution but that can be achieved when all section of the people who are affected must come together and justified the demand without hurting the sentiment of the masses. The General public must never remain idle or silent spectator from now.

Time has come to raise why? Blockade, Why? Strikes, what role is played by Govt. while confronting and tackling such probleryis? Is it reasonable or not? As a state there are immense jobs for the social organisations as well as for the Govt. to address the sentiment of people. Their duty is to direct towards creation of jobs, poverty alleviation, sanitation and improvement of heath sector, reducing corruption, emancipation of people in politics, taking care of justice towards minorities and majorities. Building social and economics infrastructures like banking system, market and improving road, transportation and communication etc.,

The need of the present eras are: were the children been given good education, is development taking place why are we lacking in comparison to the state outside and world at large? What should be the exclusive and inclusive policy of the Govt? What have we done to reduce the gaps between the rich and the poor, the gap between rural and urban?

Most importantly, emotional integration of all people together for promoting peace and development in the state. What went wrong with the environment, how do we utilised our reso,urces, is there enough electricity and portables drinking water available for hills and the valley at equal footing. Do we enjoy the freedom and liberty as an individual? Are the police and military doing their effective role? How far AFSPA has been to our state, why is Insurgency keep growing or deep rooted? Why are bombing?

Who are the people killed? All these relevant question and queries should be the agenda of the sentiment of the people for upright state and instead we see the opposite things in this very state.

Is the neighbouring state and central govt. given enough care and guidedance on laying strong democratic foundation and abide by constitutional ideal meted out to the masses. These are necessary sentiments which are left untouched in the daily activities of life in Manipur.

Sentiment of such structure and problems are confronting the whole world and society at large the game that is played in Manipur is too small and insignificant which are more or less confine with selfishness and grapping of some opportunities at the cause of other people rights.

Are such things needed to grow within us or to do away is something that often strikes my mind. Therefore let us all fight for what belongs to us. The world needs another planet; we are living in an age not to meddle in small thing. But the vision for one world one people and dignity of job and satisfaction of job along with efficient and qualify people who have every place in the world and opportunities always lies for them. The sentiment that I mean here in my article is universal goals and welfare to all.

We can be anywhere but the criteria are you and I must be qualified in whatever field we may be. As Charles Darwin has rightly pointed out rightly survival of the fittest in his theory of origin of species the weak shall be eradicated by the powerful yet that is against the spirit of Ideal democracy i.e., we all must equally survive and live as a person with full liberty that should be the goal.

Let the historical friendship and ties of hills and valley people living solemnly with each other come back to Manipur and Let our small state continues to grow.