Right time to contemplate
It is indeed a privilege to read the valuable opinions and views over the current crisis in Manipur. Quite a lot of people have written well with great thoughts and many interesting facts have also been placed. In fact we require such spaces for discourses, which we seem to lack most of the time. But the main setback in all these writings is that many seem to be in the tone of representing the ‘past’. How A and B were related and how B became C and this and that….Of course we need to be familiar with the past but contemporary problems seem to give more relevance, which has contributed to much of the conflicts. We need to address the root cause of all these problems-how these problems evolved and how can we minimize it. It’s a well know fact that the chingmis and tammis are /were associated with each other and that religion created divisions among them. Thus the chingmis (and also the Lois) were considered to be some sort of untouchables (following the infamous caste system of Hindu) and the practice continued for long time. This led to alienation and divisions amongst the people. The constant ill treatment and discriminatory practices to the chingmis led to hatred for the majority group and the reactions are here for all of us to see. Today due to the economic blockade in NH 39 and 53, the lifeline of the State, many people are getting the brunt. Life has been thrown out of gear. Educational institutions are badly affected. Although, belatedly the recent Mao incident and the territorial integrity things, has made some people contemplate over the issue of chingmi-tammi relationship.
Without doubt it is the right time to make the masses aware of the importance of existing together and not to repeat the past mistakes. Simply pondering over the ‘past’ associations won’t create much impact and the desired result won’t be achieved. We cannot deny the fact that we have become so much separated –emotionally and physically. It is the emotional truthfulness which is required first and without that everything is futile. Those people who are leading the movement for the safe guarding of the boundaries need to think over a long term arrangement so that we do not encounter the current situations in future. It is the exact time to educate the masses about the importance of existing together, through discussions and understanding. The majority group needs to understand the aspiration of other groups and learn to accommodate. Sharing resources is also another important criterion, for many of the crisis and conflicts has its roots in it. There are many sections of people who still are not ready to accept egalitarianism for all concepts and this has contributed to the further alienation of people. Wouldn’t it be pleasant to see Ema keithel with women folk from every nook and corner of Manipur sharing spaces and selling their produce? It is time for the civil society organizations to make the masses (esp. the majority group) aware of the importance of giving space to smaller groups. Ironically, many of the people who are so concerned about the territorial integrity rather than genuinely pursuing the goal seem to have some other vested interest. I have a strong doubt whether many of the so-called leaders and their followers would be ready to shed their orthodox attitude and eat or drink or intermingle together with the chingmis.
Will these people be ready to encourage their children to befriend children of other ethnic groups? Whether many of the women leaders who are the forerunners, be able to accept a chingmi ningol as a daughter-in-law is a not a mystery. This is the paradox. Actions and words never seem to match. It is due to such people and their attitudes that our society has not able to move forward and still entangled in maangba-sengba (pure/impure) obsession. And that in turn has led to major ethnic face-off and the result is present hardship. The long buried resentment and frustrations are coming apart and if it is not healed in time there will be no stopping of hatred and hostility. It is time that we retrospect and patch up our mistakes. Strike when the iron is hot, suits well in this situation. Counter blockade is not the answer to the problem. Rather it will worsen the situation and create further divisions. Neither it is time for creating ‘Heroes” and celebrating. It would have been more admiring had the people provided supplies to fellow citizens rather than blocking it. Such a small sacrifice would have made a great healing point because not all people are involved in the blockade. It is the right time to break the hurdles and to make the majority group make aware of the ill-effects of prejudice and inequality, which has backfired viciously. We need to create space for each and every person despite of differences in food habits, culture, and religion, if we truly have to keep the territory intact. We need to make the younger generations more open-minded and education can play an important task .We need to build a tolerant society. We all human beings want to live a dignified life and it is true for every group, small or big. If people do not realize the source of the present situation and act upon it, antagonism and hatred will dominate our society which will further stretch the conflict.
Showing posts with label opinion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label opinion. Show all posts
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Monday, May 11, 2009
Opinion
New directives and common people
“You can fool some people sometimes, but you can’t fool all the people all of the time……”
-Bob Marley
Yet another new decree is on the way. Thanks to the law enforcing agencies and the Government, people will have to suffer more apart from all the economic hardships and insecurities. It is not surprising that the rules which have been enforced now will fade away in few days or months. It is like a nightmare, it appears and disappears. This has often been the system of the State. A decade ago there had been instances of directing two wheeler riders to put on helmets according to a certain section of the law. The same directives were announced recently. The uniqueness this time is that the pillion riders will also have to put on helmets. But the issue here is what had happened to the earlier directive. When did that decree expired? For this simple reason one will surely be wondering how long will this new decree last. We all are aware of the fact that new statutes and laws mean an easy way of earning some quick money for some (or most) of the law enforcers. Today there will be new regulations and after few days that same will be lost somewhere after having made the common people endure the hardships and of course filling some pockets. It is also a fact that most of the traffic police manning the roads are not able to implement the rules and regulations properly. Many people break the laws by ignoring various signages- one-way, no-parking etc. It is again worse with the security agencies that can do anything at their will. Many of them park their vehicles in the middle of the road and that too when they are not in any kind of emergency situation. They hardly realize the fact that they should be the one who should set an example. And the miserable part is that the traffic police are helpless. It would have been more encouraging if the same courage and bravery the traffic police and those security personnel show to rickshaw pullers, buses, taxis and common people, can also be applied to the other law breakers. As we all hear quite often that nobody is above the law.
Another approach we can look at is whether there is a conspiracy behind all this helmet hullaballoo. There are high chances that some helmet companies/sellers are conspiring with some officials in order to get a new market to trade their products. The idea behind this unconstructive thought surfaced from the fact that the directive mentions that it will be implemented in 3 days time. Imagine around 1 lakh people buying helmet in that short span. That can be a boon for their business because most of the people in the State depend on 2 wheelers for day to day activities. Certainly many people will be overcharged, cheated by the ‘wise’ shop-owners. Instead of repairing roads and checking other unnecessary elements on the road, the Government seems to be pleased to direct all the hardships to the people. If roads were well maintained and if stray animals are strictly checked, that will have been much better and appreciative. Many people have to negotiate with all this and above that a new decree is laid down. Expansion off markets and business centers are a must in order to ease the traffic problems. The same is admitted by the Government but practically nothing is done. Of course safety is important but it is also not wise to make people go around with new rules because later on people can become immune to it and can make a mockery of the law. Some of it has already been observed.
On the other hand, when even roads are not properly maintained, the Government is talking about expansion and up gradation of the Imphal Airport. Not only is that, it is talking about night landing facilities. In a place where it is unsafe to venture out after dusk, what is all the excitement about night landing! In the Airport millions of rupees will be spend on doing such unimportant activities. It is difficult to find out the logic behind the need for an international standard airport in the state and that too for what purpose. Sometimes it’s quite entertaining to look at the policies being taken up by the Government, especially in the field of development. It seems the concept of development has been taken in a different track by the policy makers. There is a presumption that having high rises/skyscrapers, flyovers is synonymous with modernization and development, when on the other hand there is not even a single street which is free of pot-holes (although a small length in front of Raj Bhavan is preserved very well), where power supply is received for only 6-7 hours daily and there are no proper running water. Take for instance, the Government’s eagerness to create and upgrade the Imphal Airport and make way for night landing. Night landing for what purpose! Is it really necessary, even more than better road and bridges? From where will the power supply be drawn or is it that common people will be burdened more with the time immemorial system of load shedding in order to lighten the Airport. Stop these cheap gimmicks. It is time to focus on something which will be more realistic and people centric.
It is not that much necessary to have an international standard Airport as the State still does not have the required number of passengers. Neither people from outside is going to come here and take the flight. To put in simple terms it is not the need of the hour. May be these kind of stunts are useful for the politicians to praise themselves of all the empty achievements during elections. Things will come back at the same place in few moments, after resources have already been wasted. It is a trend in Manipur to start a new thing and it fades away with the passage of time rather than growing. With the new directive coming out people will be busy figuring out how to acquire a hood and among these also there are certain sections of people who are enthusiastically contesting for a better, attractive and costlier helmet. It seems that something extraordinary needs to happen every time in Manipur-from kidnapping of children to this helmet issue.
“You can fool some people sometimes, but you can’t fool all the people all of the time……”
-Bob Marley
Yet another new decree is on the way. Thanks to the law enforcing agencies and the Government, people will have to suffer more apart from all the economic hardships and insecurities. It is not surprising that the rules which have been enforced now will fade away in few days or months. It is like a nightmare, it appears and disappears. This has often been the system of the State. A decade ago there had been instances of directing two wheeler riders to put on helmets according to a certain section of the law. The same directives were announced recently. The uniqueness this time is that the pillion riders will also have to put on helmets. But the issue here is what had happened to the earlier directive. When did that decree expired? For this simple reason one will surely be wondering how long will this new decree last. We all are aware of the fact that new statutes and laws mean an easy way of earning some quick money for some (or most) of the law enforcers. Today there will be new regulations and after few days that same will be lost somewhere after having made the common people endure the hardships and of course filling some pockets. It is also a fact that most of the traffic police manning the roads are not able to implement the rules and regulations properly. Many people break the laws by ignoring various signages- one-way, no-parking etc. It is again worse with the security agencies that can do anything at their will. Many of them park their vehicles in the middle of the road and that too when they are not in any kind of emergency situation. They hardly realize the fact that they should be the one who should set an example. And the miserable part is that the traffic police are helpless. It would have been more encouraging if the same courage and bravery the traffic police and those security personnel show to rickshaw pullers, buses, taxis and common people, can also be applied to the other law breakers. As we all hear quite often that nobody is above the law.
Another approach we can look at is whether there is a conspiracy behind all this helmet hullaballoo. There are high chances that some helmet companies/sellers are conspiring with some officials in order to get a new market to trade their products. The idea behind this unconstructive thought surfaced from the fact that the directive mentions that it will be implemented in 3 days time. Imagine around 1 lakh people buying helmet in that short span. That can be a boon for their business because most of the people in the State depend on 2 wheelers for day to day activities. Certainly many people will be overcharged, cheated by the ‘wise’ shop-owners. Instead of repairing roads and checking other unnecessary elements on the road, the Government seems to be pleased to direct all the hardships to the people. If roads were well maintained and if stray animals are strictly checked, that will have been much better and appreciative. Many people have to negotiate with all this and above that a new decree is laid down. Expansion off markets and business centers are a must in order to ease the traffic problems. The same is admitted by the Government but practically nothing is done. Of course safety is important but it is also not wise to make people go around with new rules because later on people can become immune to it and can make a mockery of the law. Some of it has already been observed.
On the other hand, when even roads are not properly maintained, the Government is talking about expansion and up gradation of the Imphal Airport. Not only is that, it is talking about night landing facilities. In a place where it is unsafe to venture out after dusk, what is all the excitement about night landing! In the Airport millions of rupees will be spend on doing such unimportant activities. It is difficult to find out the logic behind the need for an international standard airport in the state and that too for what purpose. Sometimes it’s quite entertaining to look at the policies being taken up by the Government, especially in the field of development. It seems the concept of development has been taken in a different track by the policy makers. There is a presumption that having high rises/skyscrapers, flyovers is synonymous with modernization and development, when on the other hand there is not even a single street which is free of pot-holes (although a small length in front of Raj Bhavan is preserved very well), where power supply is received for only 6-7 hours daily and there are no proper running water. Take for instance, the Government’s eagerness to create and upgrade the Imphal Airport and make way for night landing. Night landing for what purpose! Is it really necessary, even more than better road and bridges? From where will the power supply be drawn or is it that common people will be burdened more with the time immemorial system of load shedding in order to lighten the Airport. Stop these cheap gimmicks. It is time to focus on something which will be more realistic and people centric.
It is not that much necessary to have an international standard Airport as the State still does not have the required number of passengers. Neither people from outside is going to come here and take the flight. To put in simple terms it is not the need of the hour. May be these kind of stunts are useful for the politicians to praise themselves of all the empty achievements during elections. Things will come back at the same place in few moments, after resources have already been wasted. It is a trend in Manipur to start a new thing and it fades away with the passage of time rather than growing. With the new directive coming out people will be busy figuring out how to acquire a hood and among these also there are certain sections of people who are enthusiastically contesting for a better, attractive and costlier helmet. It seems that something extraordinary needs to happen every time in Manipur-from kidnapping of children to this helmet issue.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Opinion
THE PHENOMENON OF MOB JUSTICE
“The more one analyses people, the more all reasons for analysis disappear. Sooner or later one comes to that dreadful universal thing called human nature.”
-Oscar Wilde
We often come across mob violence and particularly lynching of individuals by an angry mob. People often believe it as a form of giving justice. Lynching can be defined as an extrajudicial punishment meted out by a mob. Lynching is an illegal act and a crime. It is a crime against humanity. We need to give a thought as to why people indulge in mob violence and especially punishing a person for a petty crime like theft. One of the obvious reasons is that people do not have the faith in the system. They feel justice should be done right at the moment by themselves. It is also a fact that most of the people in a mob are normal people who are driven away by the anger and frustration of a mischief. That this perverse anger leads to the loss of life hardly comes in their mind. There are also instances of mob indulging in arson and destruction of houses and properties of an accused in an offense. This does not sound wise for the fact that the properties do not belong to the accused only. The family members of the accused might not have been aware of his/her crime. For example, when a person commits rape and the whole is punished for his crime, either by ostracizing them or by destruction of properties. That is a mere foolishness and an inhuman act. How do the family members have the prior knowledge of his crimes so that they could have prevented him for doing such a grisly crime? The family consists of children, women and even elderly persons also. Is the mob right in delivering justice where they are in turn committing offense against the other innocent people, who by chance happen to be related with the accused? It will be extremely incorrect to presuppose that all the relatives of an accused are responsible of the same crime. If a person is a sex-pervert, it will not imply that the whole family has this trait. If so, than the neighbors and other acquaintances of the accused can also be held responsible. In that case rest of the people of Manipur should ostracize the Leikai and acquaintances of the accused. Justice for a few people in anger will be injustice and sufferings for innocent lives. Here arises the need for the law to take its course, thus finding out the guilty.
We also need to consider whether a person has no right to correct himself for the crimes he/she committed. Of course no one should go unpunished for the crimes he/she ever committed. But it is for the law to judge what actions can be taken .A person should also be given the chance to correct himself and prisons and rehabilitation centers are meant for that. A person being done to death for minor crimes like stealing a bicycle or a gas cylinder is not a rare incidence. No person with a sound morality will appreciate it or term it a civilized act. It is as if the day to day killings are not enough. And the miserable fact is that the real “big thieves” are out of reach for the people or the mob. People also need to be conscious of the fact that this kind of violence can also lead to serious problems like communalization. If the person is being killed by a mob happens to be from a different community than it can pave a way for a grave crisis.
Has our society become so much intolerant that we are not at all concerned of a single life? Have people lost the sight to view things in a civilized manner. Another aspect we can dwell upon is that, whether the day to day killing which encircles people has had a psychological impact and thus indulging in such acts. The first finger to be appointed is against the law enforcement agencies and especially the police. People have absolutely lost their faith in the police and also the judiciary. If the police had taken actions in time many lives could have been saved. The lacksidal attitude of the police has made the place lawless land. Morally the police have become so corrupt that they only look for profit in every aspect. Thus it becomes normal to charge people for an FIR and the “rate” varies as per the policeman and the station. Policing has become a way of earning only and duty to safeguard people has become an illusion to them. Thus it is obvious that people will surely lose their faith in them. Either there is a flaw in the way they are trained or with their idea of policing. The consequence of losing trust in the judiciary is that people take law in their hands. It is astonishing as to why law never takes any action on any of the violence. If at least once some kind of action were strictly taken than no doubt people will restrain themselves and thus have faith in the judiciary. The lack of wisdom with the Government, politicians and police has even made the Central paramilitary force and army mock at the judiciary of the place and thus engaging in blatant abuse of civilians.
It is apparent that law and order has totally failed but people must also not go back to medieval ways of giving justice, for we are now in a modern era. People need to be morally strong and act with great restraint and effort should be made in saving life and not taking it.
“The more one analyses people, the more all reasons for analysis disappear. Sooner or later one comes to that dreadful universal thing called human nature.”
-Oscar Wilde
We often come across mob violence and particularly lynching of individuals by an angry mob. People often believe it as a form of giving justice. Lynching can be defined as an extrajudicial punishment meted out by a mob. Lynching is an illegal act and a crime. It is a crime against humanity. We need to give a thought as to why people indulge in mob violence and especially punishing a person for a petty crime like theft. One of the obvious reasons is that people do not have the faith in the system. They feel justice should be done right at the moment by themselves. It is also a fact that most of the people in a mob are normal people who are driven away by the anger and frustration of a mischief. That this perverse anger leads to the loss of life hardly comes in their mind. There are also instances of mob indulging in arson and destruction of houses and properties of an accused in an offense. This does not sound wise for the fact that the properties do not belong to the accused only. The family members of the accused might not have been aware of his/her crime. For example, when a person commits rape and the whole is punished for his crime, either by ostracizing them or by destruction of properties. That is a mere foolishness and an inhuman act. How do the family members have the prior knowledge of his crimes so that they could have prevented him for doing such a grisly crime? The family consists of children, women and even elderly persons also. Is the mob right in delivering justice where they are in turn committing offense against the other innocent people, who by chance happen to be related with the accused? It will be extremely incorrect to presuppose that all the relatives of an accused are responsible of the same crime. If a person is a sex-pervert, it will not imply that the whole family has this trait. If so, than the neighbors and other acquaintances of the accused can also be held responsible. In that case rest of the people of Manipur should ostracize the Leikai and acquaintances of the accused. Justice for a few people in anger will be injustice and sufferings for innocent lives. Here arises the need for the law to take its course, thus finding out the guilty.
We also need to consider whether a person has no right to correct himself for the crimes he/she committed. Of course no one should go unpunished for the crimes he/she ever committed. But it is for the law to judge what actions can be taken .A person should also be given the chance to correct himself and prisons and rehabilitation centers are meant for that. A person being done to death for minor crimes like stealing a bicycle or a gas cylinder is not a rare incidence. No person with a sound morality will appreciate it or term it a civilized act. It is as if the day to day killings are not enough. And the miserable fact is that the real “big thieves” are out of reach for the people or the mob. People also need to be conscious of the fact that this kind of violence can also lead to serious problems like communalization. If the person is being killed by a mob happens to be from a different community than it can pave a way for a grave crisis.
Has our society become so much intolerant that we are not at all concerned of a single life? Have people lost the sight to view things in a civilized manner. Another aspect we can dwell upon is that, whether the day to day killing which encircles people has had a psychological impact and thus indulging in such acts. The first finger to be appointed is against the law enforcement agencies and especially the police. People have absolutely lost their faith in the police and also the judiciary. If the police had taken actions in time many lives could have been saved. The lacksidal attitude of the police has made the place lawless land. Morally the police have become so corrupt that they only look for profit in every aspect. Thus it becomes normal to charge people for an FIR and the “rate” varies as per the policeman and the station. Policing has become a way of earning only and duty to safeguard people has become an illusion to them. Thus it is obvious that people will surely lose their faith in them. Either there is a flaw in the way they are trained or with their idea of policing. The consequence of losing trust in the judiciary is that people take law in their hands. It is astonishing as to why law never takes any action on any of the violence. If at least once some kind of action were strictly taken than no doubt people will restrain themselves and thus have faith in the judiciary. The lack of wisdom with the Government, politicians and police has even made the Central paramilitary force and army mock at the judiciary of the place and thus engaging in blatant abuse of civilians.
It is apparent that law and order has totally failed but people must also not go back to medieval ways of giving justice, for we are now in a modern era. People need to be morally strong and act with great restraint and effort should be made in saving life and not taking it.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Digital Impact!
There has been considerable growth in the production of digital Manipuri films during the last 3-4 years. Many people are also investing huge sum of money in this particular industry. The budget for an average film range from 3 to 5 lakhs and sometimes it crosses 10 lakhs.The films have also contributed to the economy of the State to a certain extent. Movie theaters that were on the verge of extinction are doing good business although some have vanished while some others have been converted into commercial shops. The fast growth in the digital films is due to its low budget and short duration it takes in making such films. Fewer resources are also needed. Anyone who has the right amount of capital can produce a film. Many people have taken interest in producing films, some for financial gains and some for the sake of getting name and fame. Apart from this the producers have a direct influence on the film. In almost all the films there is a lack of professionalism. The stories have a good beginning but weird and lousy ending. There are certain films which totally sidetrack away from the main storyline. Something is wrong! It is also well known that almost all (90%) of Manipuri films are based on romance and family issues. Films are basically meant for entertainment but it also confers an impact in society. A film with an excellent storyline and a good social message is worth. It is not that the films don’t carry any message but many of them need to be discussed upon.
The script writers (story writers) of Manipuri films seem to be very fond of conservative ideas, emphasizing on religious practices and reminding women about their roles. There is a regular attempt to put the orthodox ideas of purity and impurity, while people are trying hard to come out of this dilemma. In films one would see the elderly folks doing this entire act. This creates a risk in society like ours, where there is a disjunction between the hill and plain people, on the basis of religion (one following the orthodox principle of Hinduism).On the other side, there is tendency to show women confined at home doing the household chores, “serving” the husband. This thing legitimizes the suppression of women, which is mainly due to the influence of conservative ideas of “outside” culture. Films and their scripts should not be based on enforcing such ideas. Films based on love stories has an adverse effect on the psyche of the youths especially the teenagers who get drown into a dream world without knowing the reality. We often take notice of youths committing and attempting suicide for not fulfilling their certain demands. Domestic violence is also rising, which people have a tendency to ignore.
One would also find that some films try to portray a distinction between people of urban and rural areas-one cultured and the other non-cultured (civilized-non-civilized). In simple term it generates a sense of “Lawai-Imphal” sentiment. Social tensions breed in the midst of such division. In our society we have lots of problems and issues which need to be looked upon and start working on it. There is still a lack of sensitiveness among the majority of the film-makers. One will find lots of unnecessary errors in the films which are completely because of unprofessional approach. It will be wise to recall that the Manipuri films use to make its place in the National and International arena in the early phase. All that glory appears to have faded away. There is a need to focus seriously and not to make film-making a child’s play. If the present approach of making films on such stories and scripts persist than the future is very bleak. Instead of advancing ahead we will get back to primitive mode of existence. It will also be good if we can come up with different techniques of making films and without imitating others. There is no need of going to Bangalore, Delhi or “Phoren” land for shooting films. We have enough settings and it’s wastage to spend money in some other place only for the purpose of pulling audience.
It’s a long way to go for the Manipuri films to attain maturity but we can avoid all those small blunders if we are more insightful and cautious. People and specially the film-makers need to be more logical in whatever they are up to. A careful study or research is necessary before presenting anything. That way professionalism will develop.
The script writers (story writers) of Manipuri films seem to be very fond of conservative ideas, emphasizing on religious practices and reminding women about their roles. There is a regular attempt to put the orthodox ideas of purity and impurity, while people are trying hard to come out of this dilemma. In films one would see the elderly folks doing this entire act. This creates a risk in society like ours, where there is a disjunction between the hill and plain people, on the basis of religion (one following the orthodox principle of Hinduism).On the other side, there is tendency to show women confined at home doing the household chores, “serving” the husband. This thing legitimizes the suppression of women, which is mainly due to the influence of conservative ideas of “outside” culture. Films and their scripts should not be based on enforcing such ideas. Films based on love stories has an adverse effect on the psyche of the youths especially the teenagers who get drown into a dream world without knowing the reality. We often take notice of youths committing and attempting suicide for not fulfilling their certain demands. Domestic violence is also rising, which people have a tendency to ignore.
One would also find that some films try to portray a distinction between people of urban and rural areas-one cultured and the other non-cultured (civilized-non-civilized). In simple term it generates a sense of “Lawai-Imphal” sentiment. Social tensions breed in the midst of such division. In our society we have lots of problems and issues which need to be looked upon and start working on it. There is still a lack of sensitiveness among the majority of the film-makers. One will find lots of unnecessary errors in the films which are completely because of unprofessional approach. It will be wise to recall that the Manipuri films use to make its place in the National and International arena in the early phase. All that glory appears to have faded away. There is a need to focus seriously and not to make film-making a child’s play. If the present approach of making films on such stories and scripts persist than the future is very bleak. Instead of advancing ahead we will get back to primitive mode of existence. It will also be good if we can come up with different techniques of making films and without imitating others. There is no need of going to Bangalore, Delhi or “Phoren” land for shooting films. We have enough settings and it’s wastage to spend money in some other place only for the purpose of pulling audience.
It’s a long way to go for the Manipuri films to attain maturity but we can avoid all those small blunders if we are more insightful and cautious. People and specially the film-makers need to be more logical in whatever they are up to. A careful study or research is necessary before presenting anything. That way professionalism will develop.
Pliz! Know your duty
Today, in this 21st Century the world has become a global village. Technology has made all these things possible. Man has explored moon and is still in the pursuit of other new things. It will not be impossible for humans to settle on other planets in the near future. In this case, the settlement in Mars is a possibility. Man is distinguished from other animals for his ability to think rationally, so also to act. Education has made man to follow the path of progress, and it is one of the important tools for rationality or rational thinking. Good Governance is also an important feature for the countries in our contemporary world. A good Government is needed for all round development of a country or any Nation. In India at the National and State level the Government is expected to carry out certain task for the welfare of the people- health care; education; housing; road and transportation; communication etc.Inorder to create new policies and chalk out new plans the Government has administrative bodies. We have the Government employees-doctors; engineers; police; teachers and other civil servants. The Government is fully dependent on these parts. If they cease to function then there will be no progress.
We frequently hear reports regarding the lack of basic amenities from far flung and remote areas of Manipur. This phenomenon is not only of the interior/remote areas. Some places which are not so far from the Capital of the State i.e.Imphal are also facing the same problem(even the condition in Imphal is no better….I am just making a comparison).People faces lots of difficulties due to the lack of medical facilities; they die of hunger. No one gives attention to their plight especially the Government. The only attention they get is when there is some serious situation, an epidemic of a sort (that too of a large proportion).Many people especially children remain illiterate due to lack of proper education. We have cases of schools of schools having no students at all but the teachers do get their salaries and in some instances even the school doesn’t exist but the teachers does and they are teaching “somewhere” else .Same is in the field of health care and also the administrative units. There’s a total lack of Governance in many places, there are no motor able roads leave aside electricity and medical facilities.
Large numbers of students are aspiring to become engineers; doctors; police officers; teachers and other administrative officials. There is a tough competition to get into these professions. For instance, thousands of students compete for MBBS entrance exam and the competition is growing with increasing population. After getting through the test and after some years of training a student becomes a professional doctor, Dr.He /She is ready to serve the people as the profession is meant to be. But when it comes to the question of serving people in the interior or backward areas, a doctor or for that matter any professional gives a second thought. They feel that they have been have been discriminated and feels that it’s a punishment of a sort. I am not talking about all the people who are into these professions. There are many who are very sincere and I’ve a deep respect for them. If you really like to serve people, it doesn’t matter whether you are sent to Mt.Everest or the Thar Desert. You have to have the will and the passion for work work.It is also your duty and you are paid for it. In most of the cases we hear these people saying that there are no proper security and there is a lack of transport and communication system, I feel that no one is going to anyone who is working good for the people, sincerely. As far as the infrastructures are concerned until and unless people who are responsible for development are not present there how is it going to develop. Sometimes I think that there’s some misunderstanding or rather misinformation among the people with regard to various professions. For instance, people seem to have the notion that a doctor is suppose to work in some “big” hospitals only which are located in cities and big towns. Same is with other professions too. It is time to clarify that notion and especially to the younger generations. We should make our younger generations more responsible. If each and every people take their responsibility seriously the evils of corruption will also be lesser or it won’t be there. We will be able to built a transparent society.
Stop thinking that I should be working only in urban areas or some nearby places. Be rational and know your duty. People need you. If you feel that you are not capable why wasting your precious time and energy, go and find out some suitable job. Doing your work with interest will give you satisfaction in life. I know there are certain political constraints, but you can’t always blame on it and avoid your responsibility. Just give a thought.
“Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
We frequently hear reports regarding the lack of basic amenities from far flung and remote areas of Manipur. This phenomenon is not only of the interior/remote areas. Some places which are not so far from the Capital of the State i.e.Imphal are also facing the same problem(even the condition in Imphal is no better….I am just making a comparison).People faces lots of difficulties due to the lack of medical facilities; they die of hunger. No one gives attention to their plight especially the Government. The only attention they get is when there is some serious situation, an epidemic of a sort (that too of a large proportion).Many people especially children remain illiterate due to lack of proper education. We have cases of schools of schools having no students at all but the teachers do get their salaries and in some instances even the school doesn’t exist but the teachers does and they are teaching “somewhere” else .Same is in the field of health care and also the administrative units. There’s a total lack of Governance in many places, there are no motor able roads leave aside electricity and medical facilities.
Large numbers of students are aspiring to become engineers; doctors; police officers; teachers and other administrative officials. There is a tough competition to get into these professions. For instance, thousands of students compete for MBBS entrance exam and the competition is growing with increasing population. After getting through the test and after some years of training a student becomes a professional doctor, Dr.He /She is ready to serve the people as the profession is meant to be. But when it comes to the question of serving people in the interior or backward areas, a doctor or for that matter any professional gives a second thought. They feel that they have been have been discriminated and feels that it’s a punishment of a sort. I am not talking about all the people who are into these professions. There are many who are very sincere and I’ve a deep respect for them. If you really like to serve people, it doesn’t matter whether you are sent to Mt.Everest or the Thar Desert. You have to have the will and the passion for work work.It is also your duty and you are paid for it. In most of the cases we hear these people saying that there are no proper security and there is a lack of transport and communication system, I feel that no one is going to anyone who is working good for the people, sincerely. As far as the infrastructures are concerned until and unless people who are responsible for development are not present there how is it going to develop. Sometimes I think that there’s some misunderstanding or rather misinformation among the people with regard to various professions. For instance, people seem to have the notion that a doctor is suppose to work in some “big” hospitals only which are located in cities and big towns. Same is with other professions too. It is time to clarify that notion and especially to the younger generations. We should make our younger generations more responsible. If each and every people take their responsibility seriously the evils of corruption will also be lesser or it won’t be there. We will be able to built a transparent society.
Stop thinking that I should be working only in urban areas or some nearby places. Be rational and know your duty. People need you. If you feel that you are not capable why wasting your precious time and energy, go and find out some suitable job. Doing your work with interest will give you satisfaction in life. I know there are certain political constraints, but you can’t always blame on it and avoid your responsibility. Just give a thought.
“Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
Antagonistic or protectionists??
"A strong community is a prerequisite for a healthy economy because it alone produces social trust."
-Jeremy Rifkin.
The excerpt given above hints on the need for trust and faith among people in order to bring overall development. It is an open-secret that there is a growing division among the various ethnic groups in the North-Eastern region. And Manipur is not lagging behind in this phenomenon. We have witnessed major clashes between different ethnic communities in the recent decades and these antagonisms instead of subsiding are more breeding up day by day. Every community is apprehensive of the other. The question of reconciliation has become a fantasy and out of context. In this era of globalization-which professes the idea of Global village-people of this region are engaged in asserting their rights(with respect to one another) and are constantly trying to create a border line with each other. Everyone is anxious with of their own community and doesn’t seem to look past. The mentality of the people has been completely diverted away from the perception of growth and development.
Manipur faces a very gloomy situation. Each major community in the State is divided along communal lines. If one looks at the distribution of population of population in the State, one would find that most of the districts are divided along ethnic lines (except for few districts but in that case also there is usually a majority group).The Tammis dominate the valley districts, while Chingmis make up the hill areas. Few chingmi villages are located at the valley districts, as well as a sizeable population of chingmis are found in urban areas of Imphal. Migration of people from one place to another rarely happens. In another sense people are less mobile. Few people do migrate to towns looking for better oppurtunities.There is no good census record on migration within the State (among the local people).The main reason contributing to less mobile character of the people is due to the existence of certain Acts with regard to land..I will not delve into those Acts. Some of the Acts forbids people from the valley or non-tribals to acquire land in the hill areas. This is also a major contributor to the growing antagonisms and misapprehensions between the people. The notion of “outsider” and “insider” is created automatically. People from the hill districts have moved into valley districts in significant numbers and quite a many of them have settled down permanently.This contributed, to a certain extent, in bridging the gap. People began to share their feelings and there is a transition from “us” or “them” to “we” feelings. People are more drawn each other. By existing together people promote tolerance and ignorance slowly fades away. On the contrary, very few people from the valley (Tammis) move to the hill areas (those who are there don’t settle down permanently).
The perception of people is that if a person is a tribal or chingmi he/she surely doesn’t belong to valley and this is the case with a tammi. Suppose if a Tammi is asked where he belongs to and if he responds, say from Tousem or Phungyar, people will be shocked and it would be unbelievable.But, this situation is not impossible either. The point is, if we have to appreciate the diversity and plurality of our society, of our region, we need to understand and value each other. Let people move freely from one place to another to be aware of each other. Confining oneself in one group leads to abhorrence of the other group. One is an easy prey to antagonism. The Acts may have been created to protect the tribals but it has also sown the seed of hostility and enmity between the people especially between the Chingmis and Tammis. Exploitation of people should be prevented at any costs. Equal opportunities are a must for each and every individual irrespective of race, gender, religion etc. We need to constantly work toward achieving an egalitarian society through uniform law.
Trade and commerce is an important characteristic for growth and development. And this also has the influence of bringing people closer. Montesquieu foresaw this in 18th Century, “The natural effect of commerce is to lead to peace. Two Nations that trade together become mutually dependent, if one has an interest in buying, the other has in selling; and all unions are based on mutual needs”. This clearly explains the need of the hour. Until and unless people interact with each other there is less chance of peace to descend in the region. There is also one interesting remark, European Nations whose conflicts in the past lead to two World Wars are now brought together by monetary union. In this context, Thomas Friedman has coined what he called the ‘global arches’ theory, that no two countries who have a McDonald’s have ever fought a war against one another.
Everyone is aware of the fact that the incursion of alien culture and religion lead to separation among the people. It is time to lay to rest the past. Digging the past will only lead to increase in resentment and bitterness. People can utilize the diversity and plurality of language, of culture by co-operation and creating a mutual trust. But, it also imperative that the majority group or community be more tolerant and make space for others, especially the smaller ethnic groups to get in. Ignorance need to be come over because it is one of the major factors for hostility, prejudice and distrust between the various communities. Jonathan Sacks in The dignity of Difference, has stressed the concept of covenant.Covenant, according to the dictionary implies, (law) formal agreement that is legally binding. Sacks, points out that Covenant is an answer as to how we can establish relationships secure enough to become the basis of co-operation. It is an attempt to create partnership without dominance and submission.
It is absolutely sensible to realize or acknowledge that each ethnic community is different. But it would be more so if we appreciate the diversity and work towards achieving the common goal i.e. peace and development.Cosmoploitan nature can be built up in the entire State or the North-eastern region as a whole. It’s time to critically think about the laws and Acts, which are more of an antagonistic than protectionists in nature.
-Jeremy Rifkin.
The excerpt given above hints on the need for trust and faith among people in order to bring overall development. It is an open-secret that there is a growing division among the various ethnic groups in the North-Eastern region. And Manipur is not lagging behind in this phenomenon. We have witnessed major clashes between different ethnic communities in the recent decades and these antagonisms instead of subsiding are more breeding up day by day. Every community is apprehensive of the other. The question of reconciliation has become a fantasy and out of context. In this era of globalization-which professes the idea of Global village-people of this region are engaged in asserting their rights(with respect to one another) and are constantly trying to create a border line with each other. Everyone is anxious with of their own community and doesn’t seem to look past. The mentality of the people has been completely diverted away from the perception of growth and development.
Manipur faces a very gloomy situation. Each major community in the State is divided along communal lines. If one looks at the distribution of population of population in the State, one would find that most of the districts are divided along ethnic lines (except for few districts but in that case also there is usually a majority group).The Tammis dominate the valley districts, while Chingmis make up the hill areas. Few chingmi villages are located at the valley districts, as well as a sizeable population of chingmis are found in urban areas of Imphal. Migration of people from one place to another rarely happens. In another sense people are less mobile. Few people do migrate to towns looking for better oppurtunities.There is no good census record on migration within the State (among the local people).The main reason contributing to less mobile character of the people is due to the existence of certain Acts with regard to land..I will not delve into those Acts. Some of the Acts forbids people from the valley or non-tribals to acquire land in the hill areas. This is also a major contributor to the growing antagonisms and misapprehensions between the people. The notion of “outsider” and “insider” is created automatically. People from the hill districts have moved into valley districts in significant numbers and quite a many of them have settled down permanently.This contributed, to a certain extent, in bridging the gap. People began to share their feelings and there is a transition from “us” or “them” to “we” feelings. People are more drawn each other. By existing together people promote tolerance and ignorance slowly fades away. On the contrary, very few people from the valley (Tammis) move to the hill areas (those who are there don’t settle down permanently).
The perception of people is that if a person is a tribal or chingmi he/she surely doesn’t belong to valley and this is the case with a tammi. Suppose if a Tammi is asked where he belongs to and if he responds, say from Tousem or Phungyar, people will be shocked and it would be unbelievable.But, this situation is not impossible either. The point is, if we have to appreciate the diversity and plurality of our society, of our region, we need to understand and value each other. Let people move freely from one place to another to be aware of each other. Confining oneself in one group leads to abhorrence of the other group. One is an easy prey to antagonism. The Acts may have been created to protect the tribals but it has also sown the seed of hostility and enmity between the people especially between the Chingmis and Tammis. Exploitation of people should be prevented at any costs. Equal opportunities are a must for each and every individual irrespective of race, gender, religion etc. We need to constantly work toward achieving an egalitarian society through uniform law.
Trade and commerce is an important characteristic for growth and development. And this also has the influence of bringing people closer. Montesquieu foresaw this in 18th Century, “The natural effect of commerce is to lead to peace. Two Nations that trade together become mutually dependent, if one has an interest in buying, the other has in selling; and all unions are based on mutual needs”. This clearly explains the need of the hour. Until and unless people interact with each other there is less chance of peace to descend in the region. There is also one interesting remark, European Nations whose conflicts in the past lead to two World Wars are now brought together by monetary union. In this context, Thomas Friedman has coined what he called the ‘global arches’ theory, that no two countries who have a McDonald’s have ever fought a war against one another.
Everyone is aware of the fact that the incursion of alien culture and religion lead to separation among the people. It is time to lay to rest the past. Digging the past will only lead to increase in resentment and bitterness. People can utilize the diversity and plurality of language, of culture by co-operation and creating a mutual trust. But, it also imperative that the majority group or community be more tolerant and make space for others, especially the smaller ethnic groups to get in. Ignorance need to be come over because it is one of the major factors for hostility, prejudice and distrust between the various communities. Jonathan Sacks in The dignity of Difference, has stressed the concept of covenant.Covenant, according to the dictionary implies, (law) formal agreement that is legally binding. Sacks, points out that Covenant is an answer as to how we can establish relationships secure enough to become the basis of co-operation. It is an attempt to create partnership without dominance and submission.
It is absolutely sensible to realize or acknowledge that each ethnic community is different. But it would be more so if we appreciate the diversity and work towards achieving the common goal i.e. peace and development.Cosmoploitan nature can be built up in the entire State or the North-eastern region as a whole. It’s time to critically think about the laws and Acts, which are more of an antagonistic than protectionists in nature.
Begging business
Imagine the following scenario: -A child with one of his arms or legs missing, begging in the busy streets of Imphal. -A limbless person in a market, pulling your leg asking you for alms. -A woman with a baby clinging in her arms, asking every passerby for a penny or so. These features are almost an unknown facet to the people of Manipur. It is an unthinkable act. But not anymore. One will find this if one passes by the streets of Khwairamband market in Imphal, particularly around the ‘magnificent’ flyover. If one takes a stroll in front of B.T. Park and one would certainly experience it. It has become a reality. It is no more a phenomena of big cities and metros. Thanks to the Government agencies for making such things to happen.Atleast our children won’t have to get upset on seeing such things when they step outside the region. The gravity of the situation is that those who are into begging in the streets of Imphal are non-Manipuris.Now that makes one speculate if the people of the State are so affluent and prosperous that attract such people or whether they thought that the people are usually generous so they can be overcome by their sentiments. In our society, begging in the streets is non-existent (was non-existent).Of course we do hear people talking about ‘Chaak-nibas’ or people begging for food. But not for money.Sometimes, we see few people with ragged clothes and with unusual attires (which people refer to as Angouba), but one will never see them begging .They are just urban nomads, searching for divine tranquility! It is only few people who are begging in the streets now. But it won’t take long time for such people to flock this place because they are aware of the prospects. One can personally take a look or examine the bowl of a beggar at the end of the day. For them to come to this place where there is threat lurking evrytime is not a mater to be of much apprehension. They are happy as long as they can survive through begging. They are homeless, landless people who have been driven out of their habitation. It is also quite intriguing and surprising how they got in Imphal given the travel expenses one has to bear. Should we presume this as an element of globalization? The other side of the story is that the Manipuris are very much prone to this particular practice of begging. Local People in no time will start to emulate the practice as people will realize that it is one effortless way of getting money or earning an income. It has also been observe that some/many people in Manipur want to earn quick money without any hard work or without sweating. And for them it will be a godsend. So there is no doubt that this practice will be transmitted to the local people in few days to come, unless it is stopped. From Chaak-nibas, no doubt there will be hordes of Sel-nibas and it won’t be any unusual sight anymore. The circumstances given above will become more and more evident and that too involving the local populace. But here also it needs to be seen whether the non-Manipuris will dominate it. In India, laws related to begging are a State subject and not a Central one. There is no Central Act ‘regulating’ beggary. So there is the he Bombay Prevention of Begging Act (BPBA) which is already enforced in Delhi. There is no question why the Government of Manipur cannot enforce such law. Begging has become a major social problem in major cities .There are organized crime who force people and specially children into begging. Many children are kidnapped and made physically disabled to be able to perform the trade properly.So it’s a business. It has created a lot of social ills and crimes which are beyond belief .We cannot assume that these things will not happen in Manipur. There is a need to check this problem immediately before it goes out of hand. Today it is only in the streets of Imphal who can guarantee that it won’t spread to other towns as well. Rather than focusing excessively on insurgency dilemma and defending cruel and inhuman acts like AFSPA, the Government needs to create laws and strategy to curb other social problems. Civil society organizations can take up this issue as well. Too much expectation from the Government will be waste of time. It’s time to realize the enormity of this particular problem.
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