Manipur-murdering the future of its own young generation !!

Aeroshil Nameirakpam *

I remember those days when I was a high school student attending St. George High School nearly 14 years ago when we had more then 200 days of school in a year. We had very few holidays in a year and the only rare unexpected holidays we get apart from the normal national and state holidays were when there was a flood or something and the school had to close because of flooding !!! We never heard of "bund" or "blockade" and the only organization that we knew was AMSU whose members would come to our school like once a year. We used to talk about them and laugh at them because at that time they called themselves student union leaders and they didnt even look like students and they were not so confident individuals.

At school we had an environment of education and learning, we used to organize quizzes in our class and student would come up with all the new informations and findings they came across and share it with the classmates , sometimes it was pretty competitive and intense. Frankly speaking I have attended many schools and colleges in different parts of the country and abroad but never was able to inspire me to go back home right after school and open up encyclopedia searching for new things like l did in my days at St. George High school. If someone ask me right now whom I consider to be a product of all the schools and colleges I attended I would proudly say I am a product of St. George High school because the basic foundation on which I stand right now were laid in that school. All and all it was a cordial environment to study in the entire state and there was a sense of respect for educational institutions and people really gave importance to education.

What has happened to all that now ? Students out of school for 3 months continuously and noone says anything, No means of going to school because of non availability of school vans, "bund and blockade" for every petty reason, no electricity or no leisure means to relax after long day at school, cant go out and play safe and roam around with friends and the list goes on.....I simply cant imagine how the students whom everyone says the pillers of a society is coping and dealing with all these problems in the current situation.

When I compare my days at school 14 years ago to the students who are studying presently in manipur, I cant believe it when I think about it, I enjoyed more facilities then they do right now !!!! I had more school days then holidays, always had full attendance coz the school van would always arrive in time, had electricity everyday even if it not for the whole day... I had time to watch TV and watch "Video" as it was called, at my own leisure. I could roam around freely on my bicycle and would go for mountain biking with my cousin to "nongmaijing ching" and I could get any equipment for cricket or hockey or any game I wanted to play at much cheaper price and to sum it all I had a normal high school life like any other students in the rest of the country.

But what has happened to Manipur right now ? The Student community now cant even have these basic facilities to enjoy what I had as a student 14 years back in the same place !!!!!! it is a shame to every so called learned members, elders and the so called political leaders of our society. when the whole world is moving ahead towards 21st century our society is going back to the dark ages and we cant even provide these basic amenities to our students and ask them to compete with the rest of students around the world !!!! I sometimes feel so mad when some politician in some public rally calls upon to all students to work hard and tells student community as the future of the state just to get some favor and votes. My answer to them is that please dont lie in public and dont say anything if you whole heartedly dont believe in it. If you did believe in what you say you would have atleast done something to set up a cordial environment for these students to learn and grow and follow their dreams and not just give lip service. If you consider the student community the future of this state then why are you trying to ruin and murder their future.

Growing up is a stage when everything you hear and sees becomes a new experience. Whatever we hear and see shapes us in one way or another hence people everywhere around the world give importance to letting their children growing up in a positive environment. Students growing up in the company of good environment and people with good moral and ethical education surely becomes good, moral and ethical citizens and achieve great things. While growing up students need support and motivation and iconic figure which they can follow. If a student grows up in negative environment knowingly or unknowingly they absorb and inculcate those negative characters in the environment in their own lives and makes them follow a wrong direction or path and I am very sorry to say that students growing up in Manipur are in a very negative environment and they shouldnt be blamed if some of them are going towards wrong path. It the environment and situation that is supporting them to go in these wrong path.

Where the state is ruled by corrupt politicians who cares nothing about morality, ethical behaviour but runs only after just power and money, where it is ok to dominate a weaker individual by shere means of force and violence, where fairness, justice , morality and ethical behavior is suppressed, where the wrong prevails against right and where hatred is nurtured and love is suppressed...the only future of that society is death and destruction and nothing else.

And that is exactly what is happening in Manipur. The new generation of students dont have any example to follow. What they see in all these incidents from the top most discision making political scenario to lowest grass root level is nothing but injustice and corruption. The present Government that runs the state has ruined the state because of its incompetencies in running the government and utter lack of moral and ethical values which has resulted in creation of lots of ill feelings among the general public and restlessness in the state. There is a lack of trust and understanding among all sections of the society and its felt even by the neighboring state.

I would say the present situation with NSCN (IM) and the intrusion of the state affairs by an neighbouring state like Nagaland is because our state leadership is weak and incapable of handling the situation and its taken advantage by others. By weakness I dont mean military weakness, by weakness I mean the strength to face the truth and fight injustice and stand up for ourselves and others as a leader. There is no unity among our own people and has been taken advantage by others. The Burmese did it in Manipuri-Burmese war, the British did it, now the GOI and small factions of millitants like NSCN(IM) is doing it.

Why would the government of India listen to a social outlaw like Muivah and militant organization like NSCN (IM) then a publicly elected office representative of Manipur government ? Why dont the thinkers and decision makers understands this ? This is not rocket science but mere common sense. It is because GOI india thinks Muivah has more integrity and stands by his word then Mr. Ibobi Singh. It is a shame, it is a shame to our community and shame to our society for nominating such individuals to the highest post in the state.

Is this an example our so called leaders are setting up for our younger generations to follow Weakness and Incompetency and inability to take care of our own affairs, shame on them. It is very sad and very disheartening to see what is happening right now. Manipur is a very good example of how an incompetent and irresponsible leadership could ruin a state and jeopardize a state of close to 3 million population to suffer. It is high time that the new generation learns a lesson from all these things which are happening. It give us a good example on how important it is to elect honest, ethical and educated leaders to represent us and who would take up initiative like Minister Irabot singh did it. I dont mean to say we should keep our lives in line for some issue but we should be ready to raise our voices and participate in our democracy and make sure in the next election we should have a campaign to elect on the educated and honest politicians with a vision and integrity and stop taking that Rs.500/- from candidates. If we dont learn a lesson now it will be too late and everything will be destroyed.

But I do have a message for all the new young generations of manipuris studying in Manipur. Just believe in yourself, believe in your dreams and passion, even if the whole envirnment around your is not supporting , do have faith in yourself and believe that there is whole world outside that will appreciate and nurture your dreams and passion to come true. Just hold on to your dreams and keep working towards it . Take this opportunity of hardship and difficulties to forge yourself stronger and bring about your core values and make yourself stronger for any difficulties that you will face in the future when all other kids in rest of the world are busy with their video games and enjoying their lives , seize this opportunity and get yourself stronger for the battles that is ahead coz ultimately its the battle of life that you and everyone has to fight and you will succeed and come out with flying colors and that I am sure of because you are getting forged with steel and flames right now .

All the best to everyone of you.