Tag: Articles/Opinion

var addthis_product=’wpp-252′;var addthis_options=”Google+1″One of the strongest and most admired pillars in the country’s constitutional edifice is the Supreme Court. Despite some rare egregious…

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var addthis_product=’wpp-252′;var addthis_options=”Google+1″By RS. Jassal Please read on – One young man from Manipur (Meitei origin) fell in love with a girl from Nagaland (Chakesang origin),…

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var addthis_product=’wpp-252′;var addthis_options=”Google+1″Dear Brothers and Sisters, Assalamu Alaikum. I want to INFORM you through the words of a sister, why and how hijab (Islamic code of dress)…

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var addthis_product=’wpp-252′;var addthis_options=”Google+1″By R.K. Birjit Singh Water hits the headlines of print and electronic media under two conditions. Number one, when there is not enough of…

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By: Dr. P. Narendra, MD (Medicine)

Hepatitis B and C affects one in every twelve people and kill one million people every year. World Hepatitis, Day, observed on July 28, aims to raise global awareness of hepatitis B and hepatitis C and encourage prevention, diagnosis and treatment. It was launched by the World Hepatitis Alliance in 2008. In May 2010, the World Health Assembly passed a resolution on virai hepatitis which, together with viral commitments on prevention, treatment and patient care, made World Hepatitis Day an official WHO awareness day. The 2011 theme for World

Hepatitis Day is “This is hepatitis …… Know it. Confront it. Hepatitis affects
everyone, everywhere.” This is an opportunity to raise awareness and improve disease prevention and improve access to diagnostic testing and treatment.

Hepatitis is an inflammatory disease with a variety of causes. Among the most important causes are the hepatitis viruses; hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), the HBV associated delta agent or hepatitis D virus (HDV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV). All of these five viruses can cause acute hepatitis. Blood borne types (HBV, HCV and HDV) can cause asymptomatic and unapparent to fulminant and fatal acute infections common to all types, on the one hand, and from subclinical persistent infections to rapidly progressive liver disease with cirrhosis and even hepatocellular carcinoma. Among the important non viral causes are alcohol, autoimmune diseases and drugs.

Hapatitis B and C can be transmitted by transfusion of blood products, other percutaneous routes such as injection drug use. In addition, these viruses can be transmitted by occupational exposure to blood and inadequately sterilized medical instruments, unhygienic tattooing practices. Hepatitis B can also be transmitted via body fluids – most notably semen and saliva and can also be transmitted from mother to child at birth.

Persons at risk for hepatitis B and C are those with multiple sexual partners, intravenous drug users, healthcare professionals, those patients on hemodialysis and haemophiliacs receiving blood products.

Acute viral hepatitis usually cause constitutional symptoms of anorexia, nausea and vomiting, fatigue, malaise, arthralgias, myalgias, fever and headache among others and may precede the onset of jaundice by 1 – 2 weeks. Dark urine and clay colored stools may be noticed by the patients from 1-5 days before the onset of clinical jaundice i.e. the yellowish discoloration of skin and conjunctiva.

Chronic hepatitis B develops in approximately 10% of those affected with this virus, while 50 to 70% of those affected with hepatitis C develop chronic hepatitis. These patients with chronic jnfection are at risk of developing progressive liver injury, cirrhosis of the liver and hepatocellular carcinoma (cancer). Chronic hepatitis may be asymptomatic or have minimal symptoms until features of liver failure develop.

These viral infections can be detected by various blood tests, many of which are rapid and cost effective. Those who are at risk or have been inadvertently exposed should avail to these tests. An effective vaccine exists for hepatitis B and India has a policy of universal vaccination for hepatitis B virus. No vaccine exists at present for hepatitis C virus. Both these infections can be prevented to a large extent by avoiding high risk behavior, such as using condoms, voluntary exclusion from donation of blood by those with high risk behavior, avoiding professional blood donors at blood banks and following universal precautions by health care professionals.

Treatment of acute hepatitis is usually supportive and in certain groups of patients, treatment with Interferon alpha and antivirals can be considered. Chronic hepatitis B can be treated effectively with antivirals. Chronic hepatitis C is treated with a combination of pegylated Interferon alpha and ribavirin with acceptable responses.

In conclusion, hepatitis B and C are “silent assassins” which require detection and appropriate management. Thus detection with recommended tests is the most important first step in tackling this global menace of hepatitis.

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By: G.S.Oinam

Social log-jam means a difficult situation in which you can’t make progress easily because there are too many difficult things to do carefully and systematically in society. We need a collective and collaborative effort to motivate people. Motivation, exercise, and mind control i.e. meditation— which can enhance individuals and social moral value and ethics. That is why we often say about” Knowledge Body,” has to be implemented effectively in the state. But nobody business—Manipur will be very late to realized the importance of knowledge body. In the state, one may ask oneself- why should you wasting time and energy and unnecessarily risk when everybody remained silent— what benefits will you get for cleansing social logjam. Instead, earn big money, enjoy your life, and then you will get a place in the society! Obviously, we are all fallen in delusive potency.

Unfortunately, state political leaders dare to care nothing other than election, power, and money. Or, had they incline to do anything for social change and social chaos even election time is near? Of course, their workers do contract workd in their respective constituency. They think that they can win election by money and muscle power and will do everything good after they get power. Do you agree with it? Unusual to see their hairs —sometimes black and sometime white—can’t manage their make up when the election time is near. Ooh! A new fashion- black and white mixed hair style! But no wonder, her/his loyalist MLA size will larger from 60-80 L to 80-100L. Smile for new code!

So, prepare a new formula related to election campaign— how to fight money and muscle power verses what and who? If there is a will there is a way. You will get benefit— candidates will like you. What monkey knows the test of ginger?” (Bander kya jane adrak ka swad).

Brand Yourself—Upload your presentation what you ought to be after you become MLA—for society, constituency and state as well. Showcase your profile, objective, strengths, experience, qualification, skills, trait, leadership capability and team management capacity along with key features. Don’t say—I have done this construction work from my local area development fund, I have build community hall, bridge, road repairing, medical PHC from the government account. And, I have appointed many people as government employees. These are all unfair. MLA local area development fund is not your own pocket money. Whatever central government schemes implemented in your constituency can not be your credit. Remember, MLAs are drawing salary and perk from poor people money. Government money is public money and it has share for majority poor people. You are only managing public fund as a representative of the people. Don’t take advantage to get richer your family and deliver ash to the people. And, you must not speak to individuals— I will give you a government job; I will give you contract work. These are all called nepotism and corruption.

His Shaolin Master says “Destroy the image of your enemy first before you attack for last bout.” Fight must be serious in every step—give emotional punch; don’t think but feel. New election campaign must be prepared. Design must be unique, something extra ordinary to win the heart of people— emotion, physically and crowd pull. Money for nothing!

Behind many fears is the fear of loss, pain and death. Having experienced our immortality, our fears begin to dissolve. What sad news —the numbers of young widow increases from 5000 to about 11000 in the state within few years. Who will care for them and their children? None of us would consciously injure our own body, because we know it would be painful. Similarly, we must feel the pain of other people to be our own when the realisation dawns in us that everything is pervaded by the same consciousness Use and throw method- “SAY GOOD BYE SEE YOU AGAIN ON NEXT DECADE ELECTION”. Or, they will do the same to the people after once these black tinted netas declared elected. Wish you all never come back in the coming assembly election.

Beware of Animal— worse, it asks for money, for power; it wants to be the president of the country, the prime minister of the country. The animal has strange ideas and strengths to be fulfilled! They want all the women of the world; they can’t be satisfied with one— you cannot expect understanding from them. Don’t believe that it will be calmed just by giving it some cigarettes and ice cream — don’t be so simplistic. It will go on demanding new things and more things, and there is no end to its demanding. You will need great insight into the animal, you will need great acquaintance with it; become deeply aware of its working. Digest it slowly, gradually, so that one day the animal becomes part of your being.

You will feel the energy to the degree your mind is attuned. If you blanket your mind with the elements of the unsettled, the non-sacred, the mundane ,and carry your anger and impatience with you, the energy plays hide and seek, and you return without being recharged, even doubting the energy of these places.

Demonstration is another type of advertising, publicity and achievement. Pretty men will follows only after they saw, know the benefits, then like to imitate and learn from their experience. In the same manner, State government will do it only after demonstration by somebody or other states and centre. Because, state is govern by masters having second hand knowledge. Therefore, people will have probably 2nd and 3rd class mentality and 2nd class citizen. Gujarat, Kerala, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka etc. are using first hand knowledge (innovative)—therefore, these states have comparative advantage than other states.

Second, how the state planning is going on? Planning commission will provide them guide lines prior to state planning. State planning department will simply fill up the formats, get sanction money and summit utilisation certificate. They don’t know how to prepare innovative projects because they don’t know how to prepare project without guidelines; and projects submitted by state NGOs to the ministry of women and child welfare are all rejected last year- because there was no innovation in their respective projects. Annual plan—MLA concerns will submit requisition proposals like community hall, road and drinking waters plan as they think fit for their constituency for discussion on plan meeting chaired by CM, finally minister concern will make a call to the concern MLA” hello, your requisitions has be included in annual plan budget, enjoy yourself .Or, will you treat a party?’ This is called state planning; however, within the department three/four tigers always ready to fight one another, will put together to
work. Fortunately, development seminar in the state under the sponsorship of DoNER for direct interaction with people and state government to fill up the gaps of basic infrastructure under SPA and NLCPR is an initiative to progress.

There is certain thing we have to learn and correct ourselves for about relationship, human behaviour and management skills. Motivation is the way to enhance our moral. Most common problem in the state is “I don’t trust you; I don’t care you; how dare you speak? How can we believe an unknown man?” These questions are all correct but the answers are sometimes lack of reasoning. Conquer your fear and express freely what you want. Knowledge, motivation, inner strength (courage), truth and will power can conquer your fear. In one part of Ramayana epic – Lord Ram requested Maharaj Sugriva to give his opinion as to what should be done when Vibhisana came to take shelter under Sri Ram. Sugriva said—Lord; the Raksasas (demon) are very deceptive by nature. Who knows with what intention he has come—whether as a spy or with any other motive? When a favourable opportunity presents itself, a Raksasa may cause us injury. That is why, in my opinion, he should be treated as a prisoner.” There upon, the lord replied—Friend! What you say is not doubt very judicious; but a man possessed of a wicked heart can never approached me. If he has come as a spy, even then we have nothing to fear, for Lakshmana (brother of Ram) possesses the power to exterminate in a moment all the Raksasas of the world. And if he has come to seek refuge out of fear, then the rule I follow is “my vow is to destroy the fear one, who surrenders himself to me.” This form of knowledge of the divinity understands the truth of God.

Communication is totally failed in the state- a person will change his mobile phone number for every month. Only one way of communication —they can call you but you can’t call them back on the next day. This is a form of deceptive. Remember, hot, cold and sweet, long conversation lovers in mobile phone never last relationship. This is a flirt of wildness and he will text you 10 times in one night, and will never ask for her interest and work—which are all surprising sign of “he will never marry you”. (Experts comment on relationship).Addictive nature—in drinking and eating, relationship with women, drugs, phone call, driving etc. should be avoided. This addiction (bad habit) can be control by exercise, motivation and mind control i.e. meditation. .All things are good if we used them according to manual, set of rules in proper time and place. A knife used by a murderer and a surgical knife used by a surgeon are both knives and cuts but the intention of the former is to kill while that of the latter is to save life. So, we must keep our intention always good while doing all kinds of action. Or, your favourite hot wheels (bike/car), perhaps, a coffin for you.

Our relationship goes to give and take—when somebody can get advantage then he will say you are good; when somebody get less advantage, he will say you are bad. In my perception, this is called buyers and sellers market but not the actual human relationship. A wise man could easily understand from one sentence you speak about the relationship you have with your friends and new tricks you prepared to do. You break up relationship very soon because you and s/he do not share idea, feeling and wide difference in opinion and way of life. There is no ground of compromise—can’t convince one another and just for time pass. Don’t trust man at first but give your honest positive comment on his idea, concept and behaviour and try to share—finally, will come understanding i.e. relationship— which may eventually enhance your love chemistry. But one way relationship is not good. Relationship must be reciprocal. Men failed their promises many a times due to lack of skills, determination, time and opportunity – finally, people lost trust to him. Neither do people give good suggestion to achieve his goal? Remember—success is bastard it has many fathers; failure is orphan nobody own it.

Doing good work is the precondition for being good simply because we cannot be good unless we do good job at the first place. Even the so called bad people can become good if they start doing good actions. Doing good karmas (cause and effect) is, not only good for the next life, but also good for the present life to enjoy the happy existence on earth.

Satsanga (association of holiness) tells- no enemy in the world can cause even the least harm to a person who is equipped with the weapons as veracity, non violence, forgiveness, equanimity, contentment, simplicity, endurance and renunciation etc.

The mind in an animal is of a rudimentary character. As humans, we have the play of intelligence. Intelligence frames concepts and ideals, plans means for realisation. Most beautiful thing on earth is our gratitude to divinity. In the inner world everything is beautiful. Divine love and divine beauty are inseparable. Love is the flower, beauty is the fragrance. They go together and inseparable. A flower is an object. But the flower has to offer its quality, that is, its fragrance. Only when you come near a flower will you see and appreciate its beauty. But even when you are far away, its fragrance can permeate the air.

If a flower does not have any fragrance, half its divinity is gone. Beauty comes forth from the flower which is love. When, earth’s cry and heaven’s smile are meeting, beauty’s perfection dawns. Joy is a bird that we all want to catch. It is the same bird that we all love to see flying. What is the difference between pleasure and joy? Pleasure is followed by frustration, whereas joy is always followed by peace and more joy. There’s a subtle difference between inner and outer joy. We feel that the possessor of outer joy is somebody else, not ourselves. Very often we want to snatch this joy from others. Inner joy is not like this. When we meditate or contemplate, at that time we feel that we are the soul of joy. This joy that we possess inside is like a fountain; it comes spontaneously. Inner joy has no fear. It can, if it wants, transform our human nature in the twinkling of an eye. If we can experience true inner joy even for a second we will feel that the world is totally different.

The concept of the New World Order (NWO) is composed of three terms, each of which is indispensable for understanding the concept of history, culture, and society. The first is order. The question of order is indeed the fundamental question of political and social theory. Social life and collective organization requires some sort of order regulating the behaviour of individuals in society. Order is a fundamental condition for the possibility of society. Bah’u’llh says that human beings have been created noble and so they are not inherently violent or selfish.

Speaking about the social and political approach to the establishment of order in society, he says: “In truth, religion is a radiant light and an impregnable stronghold for the protection and welfare of the peoples of the world, for the fear of God impels man to hold fast to that which is good, and shuns all evil. Should the lamp of religion be obscured, chaos and confusion will ensue, and the lights of fairness and justice, of tranquility and peace cease to shine.” Religion should be a cause of spiritual and social advancement and the progress of humanity.

The Baha’i view is that very decade has its own problems and needs, and, therefore, religious teachings should also be renewed in each new stage of human cultural advancement. The will of God is in accordance with this dynamic advancement of the human journey toward an ever increasing unity and progress. Hence, importance is given to progressive revelation. Social order should be guided by religious teachings and divine guidance, but the teachings of religion should itself be renewed by a new revelation, which would correspond to the conditions and needs of humanity in its new stage of development.

Order and progress go together. Religion becomes a dynamic and not reactionary force. Since society and culture are dynamic phenomena, and because the form of spirituality, culture, and social order should correspond with the stage of development of humanity, the present social order must assume a global character. Any solution to problems confronting humanity is dependent on the adoption of a global approach and method of problem solving. Nationalistic and militaristic solutions are inadequate for solving the fundamental challenges we face today.

We need to be aware of our interdependent connectedness. Baha’is affirms three principles for the regeneration of a just and advancing social order. Material and spiritual culture should be harmonised. Both material and spiritual aspects of culture should be dynamic and progressive, corresponding with the stage of human development and the concrete needs of humanity at each stage of its civilization.

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By Iboyaima Laithangbam

Bhutan, the cleanest Himalayan kingdom is the only country in the world where the people do not wear caps or any headgears. The simple hearted Bhutanese explain without rancour to the inquisitive tourists that as it is the king’s prerogative to wear a cap the commoners cannot emulate him. A decree of the king is the law and nobody dares to question it.

For tourists with money to splurge there is the international airport at Paro where there are regular flights from India But the backpacking wanderlusts who want to enjoy the drive along the meandering mountain roads there are brand new taxis from the Immigration office adjacent to North Bengal to Thimphu, the capital. The Immigration office prepares the documents and undesirable elements and journalists cannot travel to the country The Bhutanese prefer to remain in solitude and secrecy. The world has not heard much about this kingdom and its political system even after the “democratic elections” underpinned by India. News filtering out of this kingdom is very sketchy. Despite their plastic smiles and warm hospitality the people are extremely cagey and a visitor cannot learn much of their politics, role and clout of the venerated king.

The mountain road from the Immigration office to Thimphu, about 5 hours’ drive in the taxi, is well constructed and maintained, the like of which we Indians do not find almost in all states. The construction and repairing works are done by the BRTF. Lilting Bhutanese songs which are heavily superimposed by the Nepali songs are played softly during the drive which never exceeds 40 KPH. The Hindi speaking taxi drivers donning the traditional Bhutanese dress are conditioned never to utter a word unless spoken to.

The mountains which are bereft of greeneries are very high. There are some lay bys en route where the tourists halt for light lunch at the eateries. For aperitif there are mini bars inside the hotels where measures of alcoholic drinks are sold at reasonable prices. There are mouth watering dishes of rice, fried chicken legs, buffalo wings and stewed vegetables. Strong mountain wind blows from all directions unfurling the window screens and threatening the loose dresses of the women tourists. These are scenes to be photographed for memory and if you do not have the cameras these should be stored in some recesses of your brain.

As the cavalcade of the taxis cruise somewhere midway of the road there is the final checking point to verify the tourists including head counts. This is to ensure that some sleazy characters do not vanish in the thin air. In the past militants from the NE India had opened camps in the mountains and forests of this kingdom. There had been joint military operations by the Indian army and Royal Bhutanese army.

There are expensive and luxuriantly appointed lodges in the capital. For the backpackers and those on package tours there are clean rooms with attached bathrooms in hotels and chalets at affordable amounts. One remarkable feature that will strike the Indian tourists is that the capital and all market towns are clean and no rubbish litters. The office buildings, residential houses, shops, public houses are constructed in the unique Bhutanese architecture. Rupee and Ngultrum which have the same value are freely circulated and accepted.

One should not miss visiting Paro, about 50 km from Thimphu. It skirts the airport and as one travels along the serpentine road one sees the rabbit warrens at the far mountain slopes which are mostly covered with snow. Monks stay in these warrens for years for penance. The ditches and mountain slopes along the road are covered with snow and all stations are picnic spots. Paro is a moderate town where hotels, shops showcasing various items are there. The people are well behaved and courteous. Food and drinks are moderately priced.

A little distance from the Paro town there is a hillock where there stands of the prison of the yester year. The prison cells are constructed in such a way that it was impossible for the prisoners to have escaped. Tourists do not miss this prison and they get photographed with it in the background for memory. Most of the 1.7 million people in the kingdom are directly or indirectly benefitted by the ever expanding tourism. Consumer items are brought from Nepal and India by truckloads. One kg of cabbage (organic) is sold at Rs 130 whereas the inorganic one is available as cheap as Rs 18. Smoking is strictly banned in the kingdom. Some kiosk owners clandestinely keep cigarette packets for the Indian tourists. It is sold at Rs 100 per packet as against Rs 20 in India. One kg of pork is sold at Rs 350 and mutton Rs 600. Despite these high prices there is no beggar or dilapidated house in the kingdom.

Apart from the colourful dances they have popular sports like archery and throwing of multi-pronged darts. The people mind their business. They are so law abiding that police are conspicuous by their absence. Officials say that it is once in a blue moon that there is a serious crime like murder or rape. Long after returning home an Indian tourist will see the beautiful landscapes in his mind’s eyes and the melodious songs will haunt him for a long time.

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“In families, localities and the society at large, women themselves often look down upon their counterparts. When the son indulges in an unwanted behaviour outside the family, no mother bothers seriously. But when the daughter-in-law does a tiny mistake in family, the mother-in-law scolds and even ostracise her, as if the former has committed an irreparable mistake in life. Women exclusion are not wholly the perpetration of the opposite sex, women themselves depower their own folks.”
By: Neken Seram

As discrimination is a human nature, everyone or every group everywhere feels excluded in one or the other way either mentally or physically. Human beings, in various situations, are excluded politically, socially, economically, religiously or ethnically from existing social entities in different forms for one or the other reason. Social exclusion is a multi-dimensional process of progressive social rupture, detaching groups and individuals from social relations and institutions, and preventing them from full participation in the normally prescribed activities of the society in which they live. Dissatisfaction of certain individuals or groups in matters of co-existence may be referred to as social exclusion. Among the many facets of social exclusions prevailing in Manipur, the most commonly encountered is the gender-based exclusion of women.

When a married woman indulges in illicit extra-marital sexual relationships with other man, she is ostracized by the family, relatives, locality and society at large. However, in case the same thing happens to a man, he is accepted by the society. Even if the man brings home second wives to the family, the society does not resort to punish him. Hence, no matter the act committed is socially sanctioned or not, the treatment meted out to women is much more contradictory to that done to men.

The mother, a woman, who prepares food in the family, always attaches priority in feeding the husband and the sons. When the boys finish their dinner, the mother will eat with the daughters the rest of the items – no matter it is enough or not for them. Most women have the mentality to treat girls as inferior to the boys. Feeding, clothing, educating and health care for women or girls are often considered as secondary tasks as compared to those for men. In this regard, Educationist Konika Khuraijam commented that women in Manipur face exclusion in almost all sectors. Issue of women exclusion has to be dealt with right from ‘Chaga Chaba’ (eating the unwanted over-baked rice) to ‘Aremba Chaba’ (eating the remains) in the traditional Manipuri families; she said adding that the society has wrongly modeled a picture of good women as submissive women.

Paonam Thoibi, a Clinical Psychologist gives her opinion that there is the male preference in every walk of life starting from expecting a new baby to decision making in the family. The society even relies on a mentally unsound man rather than on a cautious woman. Solution lies in encouraging participation and empowerment, according to her. Male folks should also be empowered to enable them to swallow their pride and accept the need for equality with women. Another woman activist, Anita Sougaijam pointed out that when a man and woman together do something which is against the social norms; fingers are pointed more to the woman even though both are part of the act. Women are often discriminated in decision making process although her role is considered important in it, she lamented.

According to Liklainu Chanu Maisnam, a young government employee, women in Manipur have become more assertive nowadays. However, women are under represented politically. We need to produce more women engineers, scientists, astronauts, rock climbers etc. in order to break the male-bastion in this domain. As we often hear of women discrimination in the work place, women should be fully equipped to meet the challenges, she suggested.

It is said that the status of women in Manipuri society nowadays is considerably improved. Ladies role in important seminars, workshops and functions which was generally limited to badge-pinning of VIPs, bouquet presentations and tea distribution, has now widened to participation in discussions and deliberations with the appearance of a number of women intellectuals, journalists, social workers, politicians and responsible officials. The picture, however, is not all rosy everywhere. There are still reports of domestic violence, coercion, rape and atrocities against women. Most Manipuri women face hardships in earning, feeding and serving families. Many women are still living under coercion of their husbands. Women are always victims, if their husbands indulge in immoral activities. There are also men who forcibly take money from their wives to use drugs and to have drinks and also men who live with second wives out side families.

More disheartening is involvement of woman in perpetrating violence against another woman. In families, localities and society at large, women themselves look down upon their own counterparts. When the son indulges in unwanted behaviour outside the family, no mother bothers seriously. But when the daughter-in-law does a tiny mistake in family, the mother-in-law scolds and even ostracise, as if the former has committed an irreparable mistake in life. Women exclusion are not wholly the perpetration of the opposite sex, women themselves depower their own folks.

Women and children infected with or affected by HIV are the most discriminated in our society. In her personal observation of the issue, Ms. Binobala Nongmeikapam opines that the taboo affected women and children have to live with is traumatic and lifelong. In spite of many awareness campaigns, not much justice is done for them. She observes that amid repeated mental or physical harassment, the society at large sees women as something not to be forgiven and not to be supported. It is only in paper that status of women in Manipur is penned as better off nowadays, but in reality it is different.

The mysterious killing of an HIV-positive woman, Moirangthem Ongbi Rasheshwori (33) wife of M Ibomcha of Seijang Mayai Leikai in Manipur in June last stands testimony to the fact that the magnitude of gender-based stigma and discrimination related HIV and AIDS is still high amidst the long hands of statutes and active policies on the disease. She was allegedly killed by her husband for keeping her HIV status concealed.

“The worst discrimination women face in Manipur is that of HIV afflicted widows whose husbands gave them the virus and died, leaving behind kids, either HIV positive or otherwise, only to be fed and groomed by the women. Meanwhile, people particularly the male folks started to raise fingers on their chastity” commented Chanam Urmila, a woman columnist of Manipur.

In a recent interaction session held at Imphal, a 15 year old girl who lost her father to AIDS eleven years back shared her ordeal in the most emotional tone as “I am on second line ART (Ante-Retroviral Treatment) now. My father died in the year 2000. Four years later, my mother left us to live with another man …………” The HIV positive girl along with three other sisters is struggling to survive today. Her elder sister of 22 years takes tuition and works in an NGO to earn their living. The hapless girls do also make soft toys to supplement their income. A number of affected girls either orphans or living with single parents, are facing the most notorious form of social exclusion in the state.

An HIV affected widow in her early thirties, on condition of anonymity, revealed that many acts of oppression on her and a host of other women of her stature are committed by the opportunist male folks in the workplace, sometimes even at the health service centres, only because of their hapless status. Such types of discrimination, victimization and oppression are not uncommon in Manipur society.

Discrimination of HIV infected people in Manipur society is not a new story. The stigma and discrimination attached to HIV infected people are due to ignorance about the disease by the general people. When the ignorance and misconception surrounding the HIV and AIDS menace is removed, when we all realize that HIV virus is not transmitted via social gatherings, we will not discriminate infected people. When we avoid the thinking that HIV and AIDS are behaviour related ailment, we will not stigmatise the HIV infected people. In spite of having the AIDS policies at national and state levels to prohibit any kind of discrimination against HIV AIDS infected or infected people, there are still cases of exclusion of the affected.

The solution to the age-old gender-based exclusion prevailing in the society lies in framing and implementing an Inclusive Policy solely to prevent gender discrimination. Besides the related government departments; the civil society organisations, intellectuals, journalist community, NGOs, CBOs, religious leaders and law makers need to collaboratively devise an Inclusive policy locally suitable to Manipur situation. All the existing policies and programmes for uplift of women community are required to be monitored to ensure their reach to real beneficiaries. When the women are empowered economically, politically and socially to meet the hardships of gender biases, the mindset of the people – both men and women will change to the better.

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By Jubilate Kazingmei

In appreciation of your editorial 5, 6 and 8 July I wish to write this rejoinder to build mutual understanding. Socio political blame game is the worst game in society because it offers no remedy to any ailment that stunts the societal growth and harmony. In an ethnocentric politics of a state like ours it is easy to blame, envy and ridicule one another as we are not above narrow ethnic emotions and because we owe loyalty to our respective ethnic group irrespective of what profession we are in. unfortunately beyond cosmetics of language often expressed in media it is not difficult to see such emotions that makes readers view it with close mind. Media is other wise one that plays a vital role in making all of us feel as part of the whole. But in Manipur even our esteemed Human Rights activists are bound by such narrow ethnic emotions and that is how our honourable CM father figure of all communities in the state also glorified the violent 18th June uprising. So they say, “what would be expected of iron when even the Gold rust?” It is rather important to understand each other’s position.

The Hindu caste system and the practice of untouchability was largely responsible for the socio cultural and emotional disintegration between the hills and valley. But it may be wrong to entirely blame the valley people for the misfortune of the hill people. Rather democracy being rule of the majority it is inherent in the system that it is difficult to adequately safeguard the interest of ethnic minorities and that is happening in the whole of NE causing a violent awakening of ethnic nationalism in the entire north east. By the scheme of Provincial Autonomy enacted by Govt. of India in 1919 and 1935 the tribal areas of NE was scheduled as excluded area and the longtime administration insulation by the British was responsible for our backwardness. The British who wanted to retain the tribal areas in the north east as imperial colony did everything they could to check emotional integration between the two.

But after India’s independence Jawaharlal Nehru brought hill people of the NE into Indian dominion and in order to win their confidence and promote their closer contact and intercourses with the non tribals, moved the historic objectives resolution in the Constituent Assembly in 1947 which shaped the making of the Indian constitution. This Resolution proclaimed that India would be an independent sovereign democratic republic wherein inter alia “adequate safeguards shall be provided for the minorities, backward and tribal areas depressed and other backward classes”. The constitution makers therefore recognized the necessity of a separate political and administrative structure for the tribal areas of the erstwhile province of Assam by enacting the sixth schedule in the constitution guided by three major considerations; (i). the necessity to maintain the distinct customs, socio economic and political culture of the tribal people of the region and to ensure autonomy of the tribal people and preserve their identities, (ii).the necessity to prevent their economic and social exploitation by the more advanced neighboring people of the plain and (iii). To allow the tribal people to develop and administer themselves according to their own wisdom and geniuses.

Therefore the “Alternative Arrangement” demanded by the UNC is constitutionally legitimate. Now therefore, when one says “not an inch of Manipur territory will be acceded” one is simply making a statement of power relationship between the dominant over the dominated.

Demand for political self determination is not a crime, it is rather legitimized by the United Nations and you will agree this is Birth Right of very people in the world big or small. I’m sure the anti merger lobbyists of the valley will share this view.

When the tribals protest against development disparity it is wrongly perceived as an issue of inequality as ridiculed in your editorial. I wish to remind you Sir, and others who has the same perception about it that it is not an issue of “Equality” but “Equity” that we are not receiving our due share. For instance in all assembly constituencies except two the valley has twenty thousand plus electorates whereas, in almost all assembly constituencies in the hills except six we have thirty thousand plus to fifty thousand, yet. Delimitation was prevented by virtue of being majority community thereby depriving our right to more representation of tribals in the assembly. Competent tribal officials are denied the right to hold official position of Chief of Govt. departments and are placed as OSDs.

True, Imphal is the state capital but does that mean every institutional opportunities should necessarily be concentrated in the valley alone and run educational services in the hills merely to maintain literacy rate in the state? Our job opportunities are deprived, that is how valley people died in Gargil war as tribals, that is how many Ahmeds & Muhamads are recruited as primary school teachers in the hills and protected by authority. It is not the material wealth of the valley people we envy about and complain, but the chauvinistic attitude! Identifying the valley alone as Manipur. For instance “Kangleipak” I guess means only the valley.

True, tribals also live in the valley and in fact? I have been here for the past 16 years, one fine morning my neighbor on the left said “Tangkhuls should not be spared” and he made it sure that I hear it, on another day another neighbor on my right said “Tribalsingna Tampakda laaklaka peishaa daalaka aphao shai”. A few years ago some people went around Dewlahland, Nagaram, Tangkhul avenue and Chingmeirong with blaring loud speaker announcing Tangkhuls should not be given house rents in the valley. Essential commodities should not be sold to them. I understand these things were emotional reaction against offences committed by a few rascals. However with all such happenings we definitely don’t feel at home and we are equally insecure for that matter even in Nagaland, as you rightly pointed out that in such a situation “madness is only a step away”. Empathizing rather than intellectualizing the issue may be more practical to reconcile the issue.

Radical movement on both sides apart, the autonomous district council and the sixth schedule was a gift of Indian Constitution to the tribals of the NE for self governance and reconciliation, the inclusion of which in the Indian Constitution was not without protest even those days in the constituent assembly by the representatives of the plain people in the erstwhile Assam state. However, the sixth schedule has failed to satisfy the aspiration and expectations of the hill people for reasons that is does not confer real autonomy as the word implies. The ADCs have to depend on their respective state governments in matters of financial allotments and assistance. Mere increase of political power or autonomy without reference to financial autonomy and feasibility is considered no good solution. In the event of reorganization of states in North East India in 1971 a number of developmental functions were conferred on the ADCs but even this was considered a fragile arrangement as it did not have statutory support and the ADCs had to depend on the changing political relations with the state leadership. The development activities of the ADCs depends on the political party or leadership that runs the state administration. Even on subjects conferred to ADCs, state could make laws and override legislation made by the ADCs. It can even be suppressed and suspended by the state.

In Manipur the ADCs are not yet given sixth schedule. Sixth schedule is a constitutional mechanism for devolution of power to the hill people for self governance but this constitutional provision require collection of revenues to run the ADCs. Therefore, the hill people are sensitive about their rights particularly over land and forest. There is also the provisions of paragraph 3 (i) (g) of the sixth schedule which requires the ADCs to regulate appointment and succession of Village Chiefs and Headman which is strongly objected by the tribals as it violates their tradition of of heredity. More powers particularly power of access and control over resources are demanded but without converting tribal land into revenue land. There is therefore, confusion among the hill people themselves, while one group demands sixth schedule another group rejects it and in between the state makes no move to solve the deadlock. However, the state cannot be blamed for the stalemate entirely. Rights and responsibilities are two sides of the same coin. If the hill people want more financial power it is fair to realize we also have financial responsibilities to fulfill at least for self governance and it should also be fair for the Nagas to reconcile their own confusion as one group accepting ADC as status quo, second group demanding devolution of more power to the ADCs through sixth schedule, third group demanding alternative arrangement and the forth group demanding sovereignty, all at a time indicates we have no demand at all.

Read more / Original news source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Kanglaonline/~3/ZzcVOaDvank/

By Jubilate Kazingmei

In appreciation of your editorial 5, 6 and 8 July I wish to write this rejoinder to build mutual understanding. Socio political blame game is the worst game in society because it offers no remedy to any ailment that stunts the societal growth and harmony. In an ethnocentric politics of a state like ours it is easy to blame, envy and ridicule one another as we are not above narrow ethnic emotions and because we owe loyalty to our respective ethnic group irrespective of what profession we are in. unfortunately beyond cosmetics of language often expressed in media it is not difficult to see such emotions that makes readers view it with close mind. Media is other wise one that plays a vital role in making all of us feel as part of the whole. But in Manipur even our esteemed Human Rights activists are bound by such narrow ethnic emotions and that is how our honourable CM father figure of all communities in the state also glorified the violent 18th June uprising. So they say, “what would be expected of iron when even the Gold rust?” It is rather important to understand each other’s position.

The Hindu caste system and the practice of untouchability was largely responsible for the socio cultural and emotional disintegration between the hills and valley. But it may be wrong to entirely blame the valley people for the misfortune of the hill people. Rather democracy being rule of the majority it is inherent in the system that it is difficult to adequately safeguard the interest of ethnic minorities and that is happening in the whole of NE causing a violent awakening of ethnic nationalism in the entire north east. By the scheme of Provincial Autonomy enacted by Govt. of India in 1919 and 1935 the tribal areas of NE was scheduled as excluded area and the longtime administration insulation by the British was responsible for our backwardness. The British who wanted to retain the tribal areas in the north east as imperial colony did everything they could to check emotional integration between the two.

But after India’s independence Jawaharlal Nehru brought hill people of the NE into Indian dominion and in order to win their confidence and promote their closer contact and intercourses with the non tribals, moved the historic objectives resolution in the Constituent Assembly in 1947 which shaped the making of the Indian constitution. This Resolution proclaimed that India would be an independent sovereign democratic republic wherein inter alia “adequate safeguards shall be provided for the minorities, backward and tribal areas depressed and other backward classes”. The constitution makers therefore recognized the necessity of a separate political and administrative structure for the tribal areas of the erstwhile province of Assam by enacting the sixth schedule in the constitution guided by three major considerations; (i). the necessity to maintain the distinct customs, socio economic and political culture of the tribal people of the region and to ensure autonomy of the tribal people and preserve their identities, (ii).the necessity to prevent their economic and social exploitation by the more advanced neighboring people of the plain and (iii). To allow the tribal people to develop and administer themselves according to their own wisdom and geniuses.

Therefore the “Alternative Arrangement” demanded by the UNC is constitutionally legitimate. Now therefore, when one says “not an inch of Manipur territory will be acceded” one is simply making a statement of power relationship between the dominant over the dominated.

Demand for political self determination is not a crime, it is rather legitimized by the United Nations and you will agree this is Birth Right of very people in the world big or small. I’m sure the anti merger lobbyists of the valley will share this view.

When the tribals protest against development disparity it is wrongly perceived as an issue of inequality as ridiculed in your editorial. I wish to remind you Sir, and others who has the same perception about it that it is not an issue of “Equality” but “Equity” that we are not receiving our due share. For instance in all assembly constituencies except two the valley has twenty thousand plus electorates whereas, in almost all assembly constituencies in the hills except six we have thirty thousand plus to fifty thousand, yet. Delimitation was prevented by virtue of being majority community thereby depriving our right to more representation of tribals in the assembly. Competent tribal officials are denied the right to hold official position of Chief of Govt. departments and are placed as OSDs.

True, Imphal is the state capital but does that mean every institutional opportunities should necessarily be concentrated in the valley alone and run educational services in the hills merely to maintain literacy rate in the state? Our job opportunities are deprived, that is how valley people died in Gargil war as tribals, that is how many Ahmeds & Muhamads are recruited as primary school teachers in the hills and protected by authority. It is not the material wealth of the valley people we envy about and complain, but the chauvinistic attitude! Identifying the valley alone as Manipur. For instance “Kangleipak” I guess means only the valley.

True, tribals also live in the valley and in fact? I have been here for the past 16 years, one fine morning my neighbor on the left said “Tangkhuls should not be spared” and he made it sure that I hear it, on another day another neighbor on my right said “Tribalsingna Tampakda laaklaka peishaa daalaka aphao shai”. A few years ago some people went around Dewlahland, Nagaram, Tangkhul avenue and Chingmeirong with blaring loud speaker announcing Tangkhuls should not be given house rents in the valley. Essential commodities should not be sold to them. I understand these things were emotional reaction against offences committed by a few rascals. However with all such happenings we definitely don’t feel at home and we are equally insecure for that matter even in Nagaland, as you rightly pointed out that in such a situation “madness is only a step away”. Empathizing rather than intellectualizing the issue may be more practical to reconcile the issue.

Radical movement on both sides apart, the autonomous district council and the sixth schedule was a gift of Indian Constitution to the tribals of the NE for self governance and reconciliation, the inclusion of which in the Indian Constitution was not without protest even those days in the constituent assembly by the representatives of the plain people in the erstwhile Assam state. However, the sixth schedule has failed to satisfy the aspiration and expectations of the hill people for reasons that is does not confer real autonomy as the word implies. The ADCs have to depend on their respective state governments in matters of financial allotments and assistance. Mere increase of political power or autonomy without reference to financial autonomy and feasibility is considered no good solution. In the event of reorganization of states in North East India in 1971 a number of developmental functions were conferred on the ADCs but even this was considered a fragile arrangement as it did not have statutory support and the ADCs had to depend on the changing political relations with the state leadership. The development activities of the ADCs depends on the political party or leadership that runs the state administration. Even on subjects conferred to ADCs, state could make laws and override legislation made by the ADCs. It can even be suppressed and suspended by the state.

In Manipur the ADCs are not yet given sixth schedule. Sixth schedule is a constitutional mechanism for devolution of power to the hill people for self governance but this constitutional provision require collection of revenues to run the ADCs. Therefore, the hill people are sensitive about their rights particularly over land and forest. There is also the provisions of paragraph 3 (i) (g) of the sixth schedule which requires the ADCs to regulate appointment and succession of Village Chiefs and Headman which is strongly objected by the tribals as it violates their tradition of of heredity. More powers particularly power of access and control over resources are demanded but without converting tribal land into revenue land. There is therefore, confusion among the hill people themselves, while one group demands sixth schedule another group rejects it and in between the state makes no move to solve the deadlock. However, the state cannot be blamed for the stalemate entirely. Rights and responsibilities are two sides of the same coin. If the hill people want more financial power it is fair to realize we also have financial responsibilities to fulfill at least for self governance and it should also be fair for the Nagas to reconcile their own confusion as one group accepting ADC as status quo, second group demanding devolution of more power to the ADCs through sixth schedule, third group demanding alternative arrangement and the forth group demanding sovereignty, all at a time indicates we have no demand at all.

Read more / Original news source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Kanglaonline/~3/ZzcVOaDvank/

By Iboyaima Laithangbam

Manipur is experiencing a bizarre democracy which was never visualised by the political thinkers; Aristotle must be crawling in his grave. In fact the mechanics of politics is in a cleft stick though the tipping point is for Okram Ibobi and his close associates. Gaikhangam noted for his plain speaking cannot be at fault for shouting from the housetop that Manipur is bereft of opposition parties. The impotent protest by some persons who were blushed in front of their children with a farrago of half truths was an exercise in futility

The MPP which had once formed a Ministry was regarded as the alternative to the Congress which is impervious to the local issues and everything is remote controlled from the office of Sonia Gandhi. One had expected that it would champion the cuase of the people by discharging its watchdog duty. However the people were crestfallen when its fire spitting MLA praised K. Ranjit on the floor of the House for merely discharging his duty as the works Minister. In a democracy one would have expected exposes of the malpractices and the sub-standard constructions. After some days this MLA once again spoke like Manmohon Singh or Sonia and praised the SPF Ministry for implementing developmental works in the state. Imphal is of the size of the market town of a big state and as such it is comparatively easy to put two and two together to make four.

Other MLAs of the party are also conspicuous by their dismal failure. The mind boggling but easily understandable political blunder was the abstention from the IMC elections at a time when it could have bagged comfortable number of seats. There is no explanation for it. People have a right to ask whether this party should continue. In a vibrant demcoracy like UK the rank and file of the party would have made the leaders accountable for this shameful action and all of them would have deserted the sinking ship if there is no plausible and tenable explanation. But then it has been observed that in Manipur this kind of political immorality does not create ripples. It is a big question whether this party will field any candidate in the forthcoming elections. There is not even the perfunctory requiem for this party which has committed the political harakiri.

The NCP leader contends that his party will be the major player during the Ministry formation after the next elections. Ranjit had torn the self deception of the NCP President asunder by saying that even a single IMC counciller was not elected from the constituency of the NCP President. Ranjit pointed out that the NCP President is merely nursing a pipe dream. Before joining the coalition Ministry the CPI had some credibility. There is no gainsaying the fact that it is at the lowest ebb now. Bijoy Koijam had flayed the CPI for sticking to the Congress like a limpet for political gains. It is a shame that the CPI as a whole could not defend its position. The political strategy of Okram Ibobi who does not have to depend on the political crutches of the CPI is incomprehensible and inexplicable. In every election the CPI will attack the Congress as if it were a sworn enemy. But people know that they are in the same boat and this kind of mud slinging leaves a bad taste in the mouths of the poeple.

New entrants like the Trinamool Congress and the Naga People’s Front are hoping to secure enough seats to rattle Ibobi. However these are yet to be seen. Meanwhile the new music arrangers named “social workers” have been providing the much needed comic relief to the people. This new breed with the unparallelled connotation is found only in Manipur. With the unbridled pre-election splurge by these “social workers” many of them are likely to be elected. This is giving sleepless nights to the Koijams. The elder Koijam had exhorted his henchmen to get prepared for the unlimited expenses and this drew flaks from some sections. Being in the opposition or having fallen from grace the Koijams cannot expect pork barrel fundings ahead of the elections from the mighty one.

To cut of along story short, the opposition parties cannot tip the political balance in the next elections. All towering politicians were castrated, hamstrung and segregated from the political upstarts with the result that they cannot pose any threat to Ibobi. Nothing can stop him from becoming the Chief Minister after the next elections. And those second rank politicians who have proved their mettle will be inducted in the Minsitry. There is always a scramble among them to be in the good books of Ibobi. But then Jyoti Basu had been the Chief Minister for a much longer time.

Is it in the people’s interest and a healthy democracy that one should monopolise state politics so ? Opinions differ. The public debate would have been fruitful in an advanced country like UK. In Manipur Rs 500 notes are all that matter on the day of polls. It was never contemplated that a back bencher like Ibobi would become the Chef Minister. On the eve of swearing in ceremony there was a front page cartoon about Ibobi solioquizing from within his mosquito curtains about his becoming the Chief Minister. It goes to his credit that in the 10 years he has cemeted his position, marginalised his enemies and pinpointed the weaknesses of his friends and foes. But the Opposition MLAs should tell the people whether it is in the interest of the people to have a Chief Minister for several terms.

Ibobi has crossed the Rubicon and the political pigmies cannot stop him now. Aristotle must be weeping inside his coffin.

Read more / Original news source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Kanglaonline/~3/rY6sPSxEW7E/

By Iboyaima Laithangbam

Manipur is experiencing a bizarre democracy which was never visualised by the political thinkers; Aristotle must be crawling in his grave. In fact the mechanics of politics is in a cleft stick though the tipping point is for Okram Ibobi and his close associates. Gaikhangam noted for his plain speaking cannot be at fault for shouting from the housetop that Manipur is bereft of opposition parties. The impotent protest by some persons who were blushed in front of their children with a farrago of half truths was an exercise in futility

The MPP which had once formed a Ministry was regarded as the alternative to the Congress which is impervious to the local issues and everything is remote controlled from the office of Sonia Gandhi. One had expected that it would champion the cuase of the people by discharging its watchdog duty. However the people were crestfallen when its fire spitting MLA praised K. Ranjit on the floor of the House for merely discharging his duty as the works Minister. In a democracy one would have expected exposes of the malpractices and the sub-standard constructions. After some days this MLA once again spoke like Manmohon Singh or Sonia and praised the SPF Ministry for implementing developmental works in the state. Imphal is of the size of the market town of a big state and as such it is comparatively easy to put two and two together to make four.

Other MLAs of the party are also conspicuous by their dismal failure. The mind boggling but easily understandable political blunder was the abstention from the IMC elections at a time when it could have bagged comfortable number of seats. There is no explanation for it. People have a right to ask whether this party should continue. In a vibrant demcoracy like UK the rank and file of the party would have made the leaders accountable for this shameful action and all of them would have deserted the sinking ship if there is no plausible and tenable explanation. But then it has been observed that in Manipur this kind of political immorality does not create ripples. It is a big question whether this party will field any candidate in the forthcoming elections. There is not even the perfunctory requiem for this party which has committed the political harakiri.

The NCP leader contends that his party will be the major player during the Ministry formation after the next elections. Ranjit had torn the self deception of the NCP President asunder by saying that even a single IMC counciller was not elected from the constituency of the NCP President. Ranjit pointed out that the NCP President is merely nursing a pipe dream. Before joining the coalition Ministry the CPI had some credibility. There is no gainsaying the fact that it is at the lowest ebb now. Bijoy Koijam had flayed the CPI for sticking to the Congress like a limpet for political gains. It is a shame that the CPI as a whole could not defend its position. The political strategy of Okram Ibobi who does not have to depend on the political crutches of the CPI is incomprehensible and inexplicable. In every election the CPI will attack the Congress as if it were a sworn enemy. But people know that they are in the same boat and this kind of mud slinging leaves a bad taste in the mouths of the poeple.

New entrants like the Trinamool Congress and the Naga People’s Front are hoping to secure enough seats to rattle Ibobi. However these are yet to be seen. Meanwhile the new music arrangers named “social workers” have been providing the much needed comic relief to the people. This new breed with the unparallelled connotation is found only in Manipur. With the unbridled pre-election splurge by these “social workers” many of them are likely to be elected. This is giving sleepless nights to the Koijams. The elder Koijam had exhorted his henchmen to get prepared for the unlimited expenses and this drew flaks from some sections. Being in the opposition or having fallen from grace the Koijams cannot expect pork barrel fundings ahead of the elections from the mighty one.

To cut of along story short, the opposition parties cannot tip the political balance in the next elections. All towering politicians were castrated, hamstrung and segregated from the political upstarts with the result that they cannot pose any threat to Ibobi. Nothing can stop him from becoming the Chief Minister after the next elections. And those second rank politicians who have proved their mettle will be inducted in the Minsitry. There is always a scramble among them to be in the good books of Ibobi. But then Jyoti Basu had been the Chief Minister for a much longer time.

Is it in the people’s interest and a healthy democracy that one should monopolise state politics so ? Opinions differ. The public debate would have been fruitful in an advanced country like UK. In Manipur Rs 500 notes are all that matter on the day of polls. It was never contemplated that a back bencher like Ibobi would become the Chef Minister. On the eve of swearing in ceremony there was a front page cartoon about Ibobi solioquizing from within his mosquito curtains about his becoming the Chief Minister. It goes to his credit that in the 10 years he has cemeted his position, marginalised his enemies and pinpointed the weaknesses of his friends and foes. But the Opposition MLAs should tell the people whether it is in the interest of the people to have a Chief Minister for several terms.

Ibobi has crossed the Rubicon and the political pigmies cannot stop him now. Aristotle must be weeping inside his coffin.

Read more / Original news source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Kanglaonline/~3/rY6sPSxEW7E/

By H. Bhuban Singh
THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE PORTUGUESE
Towards the end of the fifteen century around 1486, the Portguese King John II sent three vessels under the command of Bartholomew Dias to discover the southern limit of the African continent. Dias was the navigator to double the Cape, where the tempestuous weather, he encountered, led him to designate it as “The Cape of Storms”; but his delighted sovereign, hoping to reach India by this route called it “The Cape of Good Hope”. (Please refer “History of India” by John Clark; Arkansa Publication House; New Delhi).

Eleven years elapsed and King John II was succeeded by King Emamuel and in 1497, he sent here vessels, in the hope of finding a way to India. Of course, they (Europeans) knew about the existence of a fabulous country called India by land route through Persia, now Iran, the reality of Persian Gulf and the conquest by Alexander the Great upto India, when he conquered Syria, Phoenicia and Egypt in 333 B.C. and established the city of Alexandria in Egypt.

When Alexander defeated King Porus of India, and captured the Indian King, mediaeval history revealed that Alexander the Great asked Porus how he liked to be treated. Upon this, Porus replied “Like a King, of course.” The surprised Alexander just did that.

Going back to para (2) above the fleet of three vessels was led by Vasco de Gama and left Lisbon on the 8th July 1497, amidst the acclamation of the King, the Court and the people. He landed at Calicut in the Malabar Coast in May 1498, after eleven months of sailing and brought the enterprise to a glorious end.

The Hindu ruler, styled the Zameorin (King) like Nizam, Nawab, Gaikwad, Maharaja, Raja etc. gave the Portuguese commander an honourable reception and at once granted him the privilege of trade in his dominion. However, Asian traders from Arab countries and African traders from Egypt informed the Zamorin that Vasco de Gama was a pirate and thus Vasco de Gama had to return to Portugal after an absence of twenty six months on 29th August 1499. Before returning to Europe, Vasco de Gama conquered Goa, Daman and Diu.

Currently, Goa is a State of Indian Republic, whereas Dadra and Nagar Haveli also Daman and Diu are Union Territories.

The wealth which Portugal had acquired in the 15th century by trade with the east raised an earnest desire in England, to obtain a share of it.

COMING OF THE BRITISH
In 1583, Mr. Fitch and three other British adventurers travelled the length and breadth of the unknown continent of India and the account they brought home of the opulence of its various kingdoms and the grandeur of the cities, opened a lucrative vision to the English nation.

At that time, the Greatest Mughal Emperor Akbar was ruling India, from Afghanistan on the west, to Bengal in the east and from Jammu and Kashmir on the north, to Berar and Ahmadnagar in the south. The report of the visit of Mr. Fitch and his three companions transmitted an eagerness to do trade with India.

BIRTH OF BRITISH EAST INDIA COMPANY
Having learnt about the richness of India, the grandeur of its cities, five young enterprising people met at a dingy first floor room of a hotel in London and discussed about ways and means of doing trade with India. Their discussion started on 31 Dec. 1599 evening and continued till daybreak of 1st Jan 1600, possibly to celebrate New Year also. The five persons were merchants, iron – mongers, clothiers and other men of substance and subscribed a sum of 30,333/- for the purpose of opening trade to the East.

Next year (1600), Queen Elizabeth the First, granted them a Charter of Incorporation under the title of East India Company.

VISIT OF SIR THOMAS ROE
Sir Thomas Roe arrived at the Court of Jehangir in 1615 as ambassador from King James the First, and obtained concessions for East India Company.

His accounts revealed that the Emperor sat on a low throne, covered with diamonds, pearls and rubies and had a great display of gold plates, vases and goblets set with jewels.

Sir Thomas Roe also presented some Sheffield-made swords and spears to Jehangir. Indian iron-mongers copied those weapons in their exact replica and found these Indian made ones, equal in quality and every aspects that it was found difficult to be differentiated from the British made ones. (A Brief History of India by Dr. R.C. Majumdar, M.A., Ph.D., former Vice-Chancellor, University of Dacca).

FORMATION OF DANISH AND FRENCH EAST INDIA COMPANIES
The Danish East India Company was founded in 1616 and the French East India Company in 1664. The Danish East India Company did not progress well and died soon in India.

GROWTH OF BRITISH EAST INDIA COMPANY
The British East India Company obtained a footing on Indian soil in spite of opposition by the Portuguese. Emperor Jahangir was not favourably disposed towards the Portuguese, who were brutish in behavior.

So, Emperor Jahangir granted an Imperial firman (decree) in 1612, authorizing the establishment of a British factory at Surat in Gujarat. The Danish (Dutch) East India Company did not progress well enough and died its natural death. However, they fared better in the far-east like Indo-China, Cambodia, Sumatra etc.

DESTRUCTION OF PORTUGUESE POWER IN BENGAL
In 1632, the Portuguese power in Bengal was destroyed by Emperor Shahjahan. In 1651, the British East India Company established a factory at Hoogly and obtained the right of trading duty-free in Bengal, in return for payment of an annual subsidy.

In 1639, the English established their factory at Madras and built Fort St. George to protect it. In 1661, Bombay was given to Charles II, the then British King as dowry of his would – be-Queen, perhaps when Emperor Shahjahan (1628-1658) received an invitation for attending the Royal wedding at far –off London. Such was the prevailing style of magnificence by Emperors during those days.

In 1690, Job Charnock founded the city of Calcutta and built Fort William. Thus in less than a century, the East India Company founded three important ports and settlements in India.

DECLINE OF THE PORTUGUESE IN INDIA AND THEIR EVICTION
Though Vasco de Gama discovered India for trade, the Portuguese mixed conversion into Christianity with trade. Those who objected /opposed to conversion were ill-treated and brutally beaten up. Thus, the Portuguese power could not expand. They were pushed out of India long after Indian Independence by Indian Army in 1961. In fact, they were kicked out gracefully after fifteen years of Indian Independence. All the Portuguese Prisoners of War (POW) were allowed to sail away from India elegantly.

GRANT OF INDEPENDENCE TO INDIA BY BRITAIN
We all know that Britain granted independence to India on 15 August 1947, by creating two Dominions known as India and Pakistan. The cordial atmosphere was so friendly that India joined the British Commonwealth of Nation comprising of Great Britain, Ireland, Scotland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand etc.

DEPARTURE OF FRENCH
Learning from the honourable departure of the British, the French also gave up their Chandarnagar (West Bangal) and Pounduchery (now, Puduchery) by around 1949. Whereas Chandarnagar got merged into West Bengal, Puduchuchery is now a Union Territory ruled by Government of India, through a Lieutenant Governor, with a Council of Ministers.

Read more / Original news source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Kanglaonline/~3/tJxhZaqVpT8/

By Dr. Thamsing Lamkang
It’s important to win if you never make it to the finish line! ‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith’ BIBLE.

“To win in life one must reach the finishing line, but it couldn’t be that simple as you thought”. In today’s world many people are trying to reach the finishing line but took the wrong steps. People follow hundreds of different paths in order to find meanings to their lives. People are more lost than ever in the 21st Century. Mankind has created a meaningless culture in its paintings, music, sports and sculpture….much modern art is based on unrecognizable images, abstract forms and deafening sounds.

The men and women of today don’t find meaning in their lives. They can’t fill the hole that exists in their hearts and no amount of art, music, science literature, or other form of communication can fill it. Despite all the advances and new opportunities that we have these days, the percentage of violence, depression, frustration, addictions, rape, killing and even suicide, rises from day to day.

Men and women of today find themselves in a situation in which no-one listens to them, no-one loves them, no-one comforts them…no-one understands them. Humanity is embarked upon a desperate search for intellectual meanings, love beauty, understanding and freedom; and that search will never come to an end because God is the only one who can fill that emptiness-and most people do not want to look to HIM for the solution of the problem.

Charles Olmen, from Haiti, participated in the 10, 000 meter race in the 1976 Montrael Olympics. He was not just the last to finish the race but arrived 1 hour and 14 minutes late after the pen-ultimate runner. Everyone had just about gone home while he was still running.

In the race he was leading but suddenly he got nerve sprained and he fell down. Though he tried to continue but he couldn’t. The other runners ran past him. Now he had no hope of winning the race, but he was determined to finish the race and his challenge was, “I am here to finish the race, and I must complete it.” With that decision he continues to walk, limping slow and steady till the stadium.

But back at the stadium the race was over and the medals were already awarded to the champions. When people were about to leave the stadium, he walked limping inside the stadium. It surprised some people; he went straight and crossed the Finishing Line. There was only one media person to show he finished the race. He asked him, why he didn’t give-up the race. He responded, “Why should I give up, I am not here to easily give up the race, but to finish the race.”

My country didn’t send me to give-up the race but to finished the race, and bring glory and laurel to my country. In the same manner God made us and sent us here to do well, and live an undefeated life till the end. One should always learn to persevere and be consistence so that one can accomplish and achieve the goals of their life. But why is young people today give-up so easily without much trying through Christ, in Christ and with Christ. God didn’t make us to live a defeated life but rather fight back and try to live undefeated life in order to be victorious.

There is no single case in history of someone who finds they have been deceived by trusting in God. When we place Him as our finishing line, we find love, beauty, freedom, so that our existence makes sense on earth.

Where are you going? What efforts are you making to complete the finishing line? Have you ever stopped to think maybe you’re searching in the wrong direction? What about your religion to your believe? There will be so many surprises after death! There will be nothing more terrible than hearing these words from God himself; ‘I never knew you’!

Many people make a mistake to what they believe. You cannot be a Christian for being born and brought-up in Christian family. The same goes to other religions too. When you think about God what does your heart says, and how do you really know he is God? We believe in God because God hears you and you hear God. Do you know him or did he know you? God must be divinely felt and experience in your spiritual life. What does your instinct says to your believing heart in gods?

We cannot be fool by a mere gods or idols made by hands. We shouldn’t make mistakes of worshiping the god choose by our own primitive people, they worshipped god out of compulsion (in olden days).

“I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me. For God so loved the world that whosoever believes in me should not parish but have Everlasting Life” BIBLE.

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by G.S.Oinam
A bunch of flower arranged in an attractive way is an art and the most beautiful ones are always carried in a ceremony or presented as a gift to dear sweet heart, our honourable chief guest or God for prayers. Oh Yes! God likes sweet smell bunches of flowers. In such a manner, different, different section of people if arranged in a proper manner will be the most beautiful country in the planet. The word ‘Unity Is Diversity ‘will be unique and the spirit of national integrity and strength will be stronger. A,MERI’KA— every citizen is proud of being citizen of United States of America—Perhaps, origins of India, Spanish, France , British , Native American, Black American etc. India—is the united states of 550 princely states and it has large tribal belt. More variety of people with her unique culture—can be arranged in more beautiful spirit than A,MERI’KA.
Bouquet of Knowledge is a technique of knowledge management –missing point in today’s society for spreading knowledge and skills of communal harmony and feeling of oneness. No matter, our leaders are changes from time to time –weak or strong. You can not hold them. You can’t control other people’s actions, but you can stay true to yourself. Think about ways to feel your best — and your strongest point. Exercise is one way to feel strong and powerful. Be a good Social Driver—asked yourself what you can help for the government? What you can help for the society and country? Be a Social Parental—only weak people expected something from their leader and government. Our problems—we know, we saw but we failed to solved (Khangna- khangna, Una una thee netpa).Anger to our leaders did not served any purpose—you feel helpless? If you give more and more pressure beyond their limit, the situations will be worsen—finally, leaders will become naughty men (Ahan ningai phataba).
Freedom Isn’t Free. It has a price for us all. Those prices earn us our rite to freedom. We work hard everyday. We train, we live, we love, and we grow up. We do this for us, as well as for others…Yet, all do not do this. Our days need information, direction, love, work and learning advancement. It will be all too soon that we grow and come to know our adult strength. We grow into strong, intelligent beings. We have the attitude that all class of society can learn, and overcome their problems—big or small .Thus opening a whole new world for families to enjoy. Looking at the whole picture, true self reflection, fighting through all the little battles, reaching calm, developing our language, finding communication, instilling our virtues, finding our inner strength, letting go of our past, creating connection, leaps of faith. While embracing the future that we will create for ourselves…..
We dream of the good life, we push for the relationship we want. We picture how it will be and take the steps to get there. We journey together, pushing past each others shortcomings, solidifying each others successes. We work every day, as hard as we can that day. Our lessons become habit. Our life begins to fill with style…..
Sound like a lot—- It seems the world has forgotten how to live with different, different section of the society, what it takes to raise a well balanced, well adjusted and trustworthy member of society. That takes time and energy. Ultimately you get what you give. Our generation is not born knowing what is expected of—we have to teach them.
Our world is very unnatural and alien to our ignorance, if we don’t teach our young generation what their role will be, as well as the basic skills needed to survive in our “Human” world, it is easy for them to find themselves in trouble. It is us who do, that suffer for society’s unwillingness to step up to the plate form.
Helping to keep the pendulum of balance swinging, and insuring our youngsters’ know they are doing what we expect they should, and for doing what we ask of them, we will reward them for a job well done with the joy of PLAY.
Create a higher quality life providing with awareness, self management, relationship skills and responsibility and while teaching them to be respectful, loving, discipline and gracious toward all other living things…
Through training with fun, we will build a better form of communication, and in doing this will greatly improve the over all relationship you have. By establishing a solid “foundation” of training, you set the rules of general life for your companion. Training is set up as an individual, case by case basis. Methods may be very in each individual and must be decided by evaluating what will best fit his/her needs.
We learn how to work as one. Accept our part in the big picture. It all comes together, the sun shines down on them and we are witness yet again to the simple beauty of a family who puts in the work, and lives the good life. Must be taught rite from the start, must be laid down in every aspect of life for them…
Our future generation will have land no boundary (global village), only one common religion called spiritual and only two casts called rich and poor. But, the gaps between rich and poor can be bridge by so called empathy and compassion. Your lives will batter than God. Lord Jesus Christ’s life was full of sorrows and suffering. Lord Jesus was crucified. Lord Krishna was born at jail and kept his identity secret for many years. Lord Ram was sent to spend his life in jungle for 14 years and fight war against Ravan.
New generation people respected rich people very much but nobody asked how they had become rich. Or, what do you expected from rich one? Money is not every thing. Do you like the life style of Guru Ram Dev, Sathya Sai Baba, Guru Ravi Shankar— they have rupees thousand crore of assets in the name of their respective trusty but their living style is very simple—saffron and white colour cloths (dhoti), simple vegetable food. One should not make the life much expensive. The lives of sagas and hermits were not expensive. A much expensive life makes man a slave to money and other persons; consequently, he has to commit many a sin and has to resort to wiggery.
Knowledge is increasingly important as a source of wealth at all levels of an economy and society to live in harmony. Most new jobs and wealth creation are fuelled by the international competitiveness of new knowledge-based societies. In fact, knowledge may soon be the only source of competitive advantage for an organization. These knowledge assets reside in many different places such as: database, knowledge bases, filing cabinets and people’s heads and are distributed right across the organization. All too often one part of an organization repeats work of another part simply because it is impossible to keep track of, and make use of knowledge in other parts. Knowledge is undoubtedly an indispensable resource to create value for the next generation of society, Industries, companies and government as well. Those who want to think and act in integrated, creative ways and solve complex problems need rich, integrated, up-to-date knowledge management environments to support them. The gulf between traditional and knowledge-driven organizations is growing as knowledge-driven organizations concentrate not only on present success but their own evolution so they can better take advantage of the new knowledge-intense environment.
The New Knowledge Economy is a period of rapid change – a paradigm shift – for librarians and libraries. It can be viewed as either the beginning of a new “golden age” for the profession, or the point when librarians and information professionals became marginalized, and perhaps made irrelevant, by the rapid advances in digital computer and telecommunication technologies and the networking power of the Internet, intranets, and extranets. Economic success is increasingly based on upon the effective utilisation of intangible assets such as knowledge, skills and innovative potential as the key resource for competitive advantage. The term “knowledge economy” is used to describe this emerging economic structure. A formal definition of a knowledge economy as one that creates, disseminates, and uses knowledge to enhance its growth and development. A knowledge economy uses data as raw materials and transforms it using technology, analysis tools, and human intelligence into knowledge and expertise.
The Knowledge Base Society is a larger concept that just an increased commitment to R&D. It covers every aspect of the contemporary economy where knowledge is at the heart of value added – from high tech manufacturing and ICTs through knowledge intensive services to the overtly creative industries such as media and architecture.
Effective use of knowledge in any country requires appropriate policies, institutions, investments and coordination across these four pillars. Increased university-industry partnerships to translate research into applications can yield economic value. Lifelong learning programs can be used to meet the learning needs of all, both within and outside the school system, including using community education technologies to expand access to and the quality of formal education .KBS proposed an analytical framework consisting of four components: the economic incentive and institutional regime, education, information and communication technologies (ICT), and finally the innovation system.
Knowledge Management is a concept in which an enterprise gathers, organizes, shares, and analyzes its knowledge in terms of resources, documents, innovation and people skills. KM involves data mining and some method of operation to push information to users. Knowledge management can also be a business process that formalizes management and leverage of a firm’s intellectual assets. KM is an enterprise discipline that promotes a collaborative and integrative approach to the creation, capture, organization, access and use of information assets, including the tacit, un-captured knowledge of people. Organizations seek to enforce a discipline that can be used to systematically leverage expertise and information to improve organizational efficiency, responsiveness, competency, and innovation. Systematically means that the discipline does not rely on informal water cooler conversations, but on planned process, technology, measurement techniques, and behaviors. Knowledge management seeks to exploit all the key resources that an organization has in place and that can be put to use in a more effective way.
There are two kinds of knowledge- explicit knowledge and tacit knowledge. Explicit knowledge can be expressed in words and numbers and shared in the form of data, scientific formulas, specifications, manuals and the like. This kind of knowledge can be readily transmitted across individuals formally and systematically. Tacit knowledge, or the other hand, is highly personal and hard to formalize, making it difficult to communicate or share with others. Subjective insights, intuitions, and hunches fall into this category of knowledge. Difficult to verbalize, such tacit knowledge is deeply rooted in an individual’s actions and experience, as well as in the ideals, values, or emotions he or she embraces.
These two types of knowledge are complementary to each other, and both are crucial to knowledge creation. They interact with and change into each other in the creative activities of human beings. Understanding this reciprocal relationship between explicit knowledge and tacit knowledge is the key to understanding the knowledge-creating process. The interaction between the two types of knowledge can also be called as the knowledge conversion.
Knowledge is created through such interactions among individuals with different types and contents of knowledge. Knowledge creation in organizations takes place primarily through the dynamic process of four different modes of conversion between the two dimensions of knowledge.
Socialization: Tacit knowledge to conversion takes place when tacit knowledge within one individual is shared by another through training.
Combination: Explicit knowledge to explicit knowledge conversion takes place when an individual combines discrete pieces of explicit knowledge into a whole new concept.
Externalization: Tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge conversion can be said to take place when an individual is able to articulate the foundations of his and her tacit knowledge.
Internalization: Explicit knowledge to tacit knowledge conversion takes place when new explicit knowledge is shared throughout the firm and other members begin to use it to broaden, extend and reframe their own tacit knowledge.
The two sources of Knowledge are: Internal sources emerging from the operations of the organization- internal sources include the organizational operations such as design, development, engineering, sales, marketing, manufacturing, customer contact, etc. This is the basic source of organizational information, which is controllable and can be easily canalized to Knowledge Repository (KR). In the absence of any formal mechanism, this knowledge remains in the minds of organization members and usually, disappears with them. External sources such as Industry/Professional Associations, Commercial web sites etc.- there are many professional bodies such as IEEE, academic bodies such as universities, research institutions, industry associations such as NEMA, and commercial organizations. These sources usually make the knowledge available through web sites and some times through publications. Some of them could be free services and some could be for a fee.
A well-designed KM should be able to take advantage of both the sources to create and maintain a KR and allow members to easily access the knowledge stored inside it.
A well defined Manipur Knowledge Management Society – project has been prepared to work together with State Intellectuals, Media, NGOs, Social Workers, Retired Experience Officials and Government to drive the society in good shape and proper direction. Now, the choice is yours! –will the MKMS be run by Manipur state government or autonomous body under the chairmanship of Your Excellency Governor of Manipur or by local body under the Society Registration Act.
We will prove the philosophy of George Bernard Show on creative work “ He who can, does; and he who cannot, teaches” is practical only in the time of teaching without research, and researchers in laboratory without teaching and in the time of lack of collaboration between industry and researchers, experts and government.
Key Words
q A collection of data is not information.
q A collection of information is not knowledge.
q A collection of knowledge is not wisdom.
q A collection of wisdom is not truth
Skills are learned by doing; knowledge is learned by studying or investigating.
Knowledge Management is the collection of processes that govern the creation, dissemination and utilization of knowledge.
Data– ‘Facts or figures (ABC…123…) from which conclusions may be drawn’
Information —relates to description, definition, or perspective (what, who, when, where).
Knowledge— comprises strategy, practice, method, or approach (how).
Wisdom —embodies principle, insight, moral, or archetype (why).
Knowledge Mapping–No two individuals possess exactly equal knowledge. A few persons of an organization may have equal qualifications and experience even then their knowledge will not be the same. Hence knowledge mapping of every employee is considered so important. While mapping knowledge, apart from listing the employees along with their qualifications and expertise, their specific problem solving capacities are also to be included without fail.
Knowledge Worker: A knowledge worker is ‘a member of the organization who uses knowledge to be a more productive worker. These workers use all varieties of knowledge in the performance of their regular business activities
Value Creation–Here value creation is directly related to providing support to effective decision-making.

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by Neken Seram
The State Bank of India does not have gender bias in giving its services as it does not entertain separate queues for women.  All customers irrespective of their gender are provided tokens in serial numbers and made to wait for their turn. No matter, you are a woman or a man; you have to be attentive to the computerised voice call for availing your turn. It is justice and it does not irk anyone – male or female. However, in the ever crowded ATM booths particularly in Imphal city, there is always grumbling among the men-folk that woman shall not take advantage of being a woman by overcoming all men in the long queue. The preciousness of time and energy is felt equally to both men and women. So, is the phrase “Ladies First’ still applicable to the queues in banks, ATMs, Petrol pumps, Gas distributors, Cinema halls and so on and so forth ? Many circles opine that empowering women has nothing to do with overtaking men in hectic queues. It is not women empowerment, but a tendency towards depowering the men.

Nowadays, the status of women in Manipuri society has been considerably improved. Earlier, ladies role in important seminars, workshops and functions was generally limited to badge-pinning of VIPs, bouquet presentations and tea distribution. Mandatory participation of women in discussions and deliberations were seldom seen. However, with the appearance of a number of women intellectuals, journalists, social workers, politicians and officials in present day Manipur, the number of women delegates, lecturers and resource persons in various intellectual exercises has increased considerably. Women obviously no longer remain backward and downtrodden. The status of women is almost at par with the opposite sex. In families, in workplaces, government offices, colleges, schools, universities etc., women play greater role and take greater responsibility than men.

In middle class families of Manipur, many men are doing domestic works as the women in order to harmoniously maintain the family. Today, both the parents are made to engage their time and energy at the maximum in upbringing children. No wonder, men have to cook food, wash clothes, clean the floors and teach the children to assist their better halves. Roles of men and women have almost become the same in family maintenance.

From intellectuals, scholars and teachers to doctors and engineers, from journalists, columnists and news anchors to security officers and administrators, from artists and poets to sport stars, from politicians and social workers to successful entrepreneurs; there is no dearth of Manipuri women occupying responsible positions. Present day Manipur has given birth to bright ladies – it is proud that Manipuri women have entered in the Indian Administrative service, other than the state civil services and state police services. Manipur University has innumerable number of women professors, associate professors and so on, besides a host of lecturers teaching in colleges and schools. In reputed private schools, lady teachers take a big share as compared to men counterparts. Responsible government posts such as Superintendent of Police in vigilance department, Directors of Social Welfare department, Art & Culture and SCERT, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Traffic) in Imphal city, many other officers at the rank of
Joint Secretaries, Deputy Secretaries, SDOs, SDPOs, Finance services, SDCs etc. are held by Manipuri women at present. A number of Manipuri ladies are also serving as medical officers in the RIMS, JNIMS and other private and outside hospitals. Young Manipuri ladies are also serving as responsible positions in multi-national companies outside the state and even abroad. There are also lady news reporters, sub-editors, news readers, anchors who are in media houses of the state. In politics and social service, we have enough number of women holding responsible positions – Chairpersons of various local bodies, commissions, boards etc. Manipuri women are also sitting as Judges and Magistrates, besides innumerable number of lady advocates and Lawyers in various Law courts of Manipur.

The picture, however, is not all rosy everywhere. There are still reports of domestic violence, coercion, rape and atrocities against women. Most Manipuri women face hardships in earning, feeding and serving families. Men who go for day’s job often spend the morning at public places and hotels and the night at vendors to entertainment themselves. However, women who go to market for earning a living have also to do lots of things from household cleansing, washing clothes, morning prayer to preparing meals, feeding the child and husband etc. Many women are still living under coercion of their husbands. Women are always victims, if their husbands indulge in immoral activities. There are also men who forcibly take money from their wives to use drugs and to have drinks and also men who live with second wives out side families.

It is also disheartening that there is often a woman involved in perpetrating violence against another woman. Almost all issues of domestic violence, coercion, mishandling etc. against women involve one or the other woman of the family. A woman looks down upon another woman more than a man does with a woman. A woman seldom praises a woman in the family, in locality or in society. Mothers, sisters, daughters, mothers-in-law, daughters-in-law, sisters-in-law etc. themselves mete out discourteous and disrespectful acts of vandalism against their own sex. Generally women perpetrate their own issues and degrade their own folks instead of praising themselves and working towards their uplift. It is surely agreed by all and sundry that only women can really empower women, even though men’s role in empowering their opposite sex is not wholly negligible.

When the son indulges in unwanted behaviour outside the family, no mother bothers seriously. But when the daughter-in-law does a tiny mistake in family, the mother-in-law scolds and even ostracise, as if the former has committed an irreparable mistake in life. The vice-versa also happens in many families. Instead of sustaining and forgiving her gender counterpart, a woman tries to suppress and depress a woman. Women issues are perpetrated mostly by women, against women. Women themselves should take greater role in empowering themselves than the men.

The gender divide in the society has been hampering progress of development in almost all fields. Both legs in same strength and speed will make strides in desired direction. Two legs, but different in strength and speed will not fit to compete others. Likewise, when men and women support and co-operate each other in any development activity, the family will grow fast. The children brought up in a family where both husband and wife take unanimous and collective decisions will naturally be bright in their career. No wonder, broken families produce delinquent boys and girls. Responsibilities of housekeeping, child upbringing, family planning etc. need to be equally shared between the male and female partners. At this juncture, it is also highly necessary that a woman has to morally and physically support another woman in any endeavour. Besides teaching lessons to the men-folk, women have to collaboratively and unanimously stand for their rights and fight against the atrocities. Whenever there is unison of thought and mutual support among women, they will be protected against all odds.
(The writer is a free lance journalist)

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