TSE Defiling temple of learning 20070706

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Defiling temple of learning

Courtesy: The Sangai Express 06th July, 2007

For want of a better and harder word we will settle for the term ‘Outrageous’ to describe the acts of arson in the three hill districts of Senapati, Ukhrul and Chandel in which 11 Government schools were burnt by unidentified miscreants.

We say unidentified because no one has officially claimed responsibility for it and the police too has not named anyone as suspects in the case, but logic and the state of situation in the Naga dominated districts indicate that it could be linked to the demand raised by the All Naga Students' Association, Manipur to affiliate all the schools in the said districts to the Nagaland Board of School Education.

The remains of a gutted school at Senapati and the Ministerial team inspecting the losses caused by the act of arson

However justified those behind the acts of arson may think they are, there is no way that anyone with a mind will condone their acts. What has added a more sinister design in the act of burning down the schools is the fact that the demand to affiliate the schools with the NBSE came against the background of the creation of a Greater Lim.

It is time for all the sensible people of these districts to come out and make it clear that acts like burning schools or any other educational institutions will be to the loss of the people and no one else.

It is true that this is not the first time that schools and educational institutions have been targeted by desperadoes in their pursuit of one demand or the other and we have always steadfastly opposed such destructive acts and this time too we will not change our stance and beliefs. Just what is the message that the miscreants want to convey is a question we would like to raise now.

It may be a co-incidence but the latest act of arson has come with the deadline of the cease fire between Delhi and the NSCN (IM) set to expire on July 31. Political prudence tells us that the cease fire will be extended for another period, may be for six months or for a year, but the timing of the acts of arson in the three hill districts cannot be dismissed that easily.

It is also significant to note here that no act of arson has been reported from Tamenglong district, which is again a Naga dominated district.

Maybe it was due to the fore sight of the district administration or due to the maturity of the people of this district but the fact stands that Tamenglong did not join in the ugly acts seen in the three other districts. On the other hand we would like to question why the intelligence agencies of the Government were caught totally unaware.

If we are not mistaken, the conclave held sometime back at Senapati, which was also attended by representatives of the Naga Students' Federation, dwelt on the affiliation issue and surely this should have alerted the intelligence agencies.

We do agree that the intelligence agencies cannot be expected to avert all acts of violence, but this does not mean that no questions over the efficacy and merits of these agencies cannot be raised.

It was also something of a disappointment to see the manner in which the Government responded to the situation.

Fine, an emergency meeting was convened by the Chief Minister on immediate receipt of the information, but it would have been more effective, if only the Government had convened a media conference and make its stand known loud and clear to all.

Our advice is, do not soft peddle the issue. Book the culprits, whoever they may be and let everyone know that there is a Government in place.

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