Tag: neken singh seram

Call For Commission And Ommission For A Better Manipur


  by Neken Singh Seram   Communal hatred and human right violations are the dual… more »


If housed under the same roof, even the cats and dogs become intimate friends. When the peoples of hills and valley live together, share their problems, grief, prospects and gaiety; there will be emotional integration among the varied and numerous ethnic groups of Manipur. The Manipur Land Revenue & Land Reform Act, 1960 (MLR & LR Act, 1960) enacted by Parliament to consolidate and amend the law relating to land revenue in the State of Manipur and to provide certain measures of land reform has affected the peaceful co-existence, since the act is excluding the hill areas of the State. Moreover, the antagonism of the people residing at far-off hill areas towards the mainland dwellers has become more and more widened due to lack of road connectivity and physical progress. Even though huge amounts have been pumped in to improve connectivity and infrastructure at the remote hill areas of the state through schemes like Prime Minister’s Gram Sadak Yojana, real development hardly reaches the targeted locations and intended beneficiaries as a few well-to-do people ranging from high profile contractors to politicians remain reaping the fruits. Thus, people at the edge feel excluded from the mainland. At this juncture, it is highly necessary to allow the valley people to settle in hill areas to bring about emotional integration.

 

by Neken Singh Seram

 
Communal hatred and human right violations are the dual tribulations bothering the smooth sail of Manipur society today. In the name of insurgency as well as counter insurgency operations, innumerable numbers of innocent human beings have been killed, rendered disabled for life or made to disappear. Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958 has been manifesting itself as a notorious challenge to secured existence of natives of this land. The Act which is completely in contradiction to democratic values has been in force in Manipur. Side by side, there has been a strong wedge among communities created by the non-extension of Manipur Land Revenue and land Reforms Act. in the hill areas. It is now questionable why the AFSPA is still not removed from this state, even if it is claimed by the Congress regime that law and order situation of the state has considerably been improved. It is also worthy of discussion why the valley residents of the state are not allowed to settle in the hill areas in spite of the tall verbatim for emotional, cultural and social integration between the hills and the valley. Removal of AFSPA and extension of MLR&LR Act in hills are the issues needing urgent attention so as to bring about security of life and peaceful co-existence among the varied groups of people in the long run.

 

“When a dog bites a man, that is not news. But if a man bites a dog, that is news.” This great saying by the legendary journalist John B. Bogart serves as the most convincing definition of news to journalism students. However, news reporters and publishers shall always remember their responsibilities of involving in socio-human issues concerning the people in democracies. The national newspaper The Telegraph recently published a news report regarding Sharmila’s personal love story which even led the Manipuri civil society to boycott the newspaper for irresponsibility. It is now questionable – which is more newsy between Sharmila fasting for 11 years for love of humanity and the same lady speaking out her personal moments in romance ? The Telegraph dwelled only on the awkward part of Sharmila’s decade-old movement and seemed to forget the endurance and toil during the whole process. It was also at a time when ‘Save Sharmila Campaigns’ to enliven her protest movement were being planned from across the nation. It is highly skeptical whether the media organisation was intentional towards sabotaging the Sharmila’s non-violent movement or some hidden-elements have maneuvered tactics for that end.

 

Universally, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958 is inhumane and openly violates human rights. It is even more irrelevant in the context of Indian democracy, where fundamental right to life occupies the main aspect of its constitution. Certain provisions of the Act have allowed the security forces to kill innocent human beings out of suspicion. To enforce such an act in Manipur is highly irrational. It is high time the union government paid urgent attention towards the strongest ever protest by the non-violent striker Irom Chanu Sharmila and created a healthy platform for talks with the iron lady in the interest of humanity.

 

In the name of counter insurgency, innumerable numbers of youths of the state were killed after arrests, forced to disappear after pick-up by the security or to become psychologically and physically disturbed for life. We had seen widespread agitations in the state when a 15-year-old innocent student Yumlembam Sanamacha from Yairipok Angtha was forced to disappear after arrest by the security years back. In similar case, Laishram Bijoykumar Singh, a student leader also never returned home from the hands of security personnel.  We may also recall the cases of Chandam Chaoba of Pukhao Terapur, Lokendro and Loken of Khongman and Pebiya Pandit Leikai who were forced to disappear in custody. The RIMS massacre, Heirangoithong incident, Malom and Oinam incidents etc. were epoch-making happenings where security forces put to end innocent civilians. None will never forget the Thangjam Manorama murder episode in July 2004 which even led to the infamous nude protest by Manipuri women in front of the sacred Kangla and to the self-immolation of student activist Chitaranjan. There were also extrajudicial executions after arrests and tragic stories told by those escaped from security camps regarding the destructive motive of security forces.

 

Besides upholding human rights and dignity of the people, Manipur needs an enabling environment where innumerable number of varied ethnic communities may live together in peace and co-operation. The Manipur Land Revenue & Land Reform Act, 1960 (MLR & LR Act, 1960) enacted by Parliament to bring about uniformity in distribution of land throughout the State is excluding the hill areas of the State. There is a special protective provision of the Act on the transfer of land belonging to a tribal to non-tribal. Section 158 says, “No transfer of land by a person who is a member of Scheduled tribes shall be valid, unless the transfer is to another member of Schedule tribes or is by way of mortgage to a co-operative society.”

 

Moreover, the antagonism of the people residing at far-off hill areas towards the mainland dwellers has become more and more widened due to lack of road connectivity and physical progress. Even though huge amounts have been pumped in to improve connectivity and infrastructure at the remote hill areas of the state, real development hardly reaches the targeted locations and intended beneficiaries as a few well-to-do people ranging from high profile contractors to politicians remain reaping the fruits. Thus, people at the edge feel excluded from the mainland. So it is highly necessary at this juncture to allow the valley people to settle in hill areas to bring about emotional integration. If the people of the valley areas are allowed to settle in the hill areas, then there would be inter-mingling of populations among ethnic groups. Their problems and prospects would well be shared among them. Emotional integration would not be a far cry in such a situation. So why not the land revenue and land reforms act is extended to the hills ?
(The writer is a free lance Journalist)

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/call-for-commission-and-ommission-for-a-better-manipur/

Let us learn from ECONOMIC BLOCKADE

By: Neken Singh Seram “ The more our dependence on outside products, the greater is the importance of national highways. As of the present day generation, almost everything we use… Read more »

By: Neken Singh Seram

“ The more our dependence on outside products, the greater is the importance of national highways. As of the present day generation, almost everything we use right from the early morning wake-up to the time we return to bed at night comes from outside the state. Right from tooth brush and tooth paste to clothes we wear, from apples to rice and oil, from school bags to Tiffin materials of children, from vehicles and fuel to entertainment gadgets, everything is imported from outside the state. It is high time people of Manipur explored various possibilities to reduce dependencies on the highways and outside markets. We need to learn use of local products instead of products imported from outside. ”

 

Long queues in front of oil pumps indicate the onset of highway bandh for one or the other demands of people inhibiting along the people’s lifelines. Government always remains hapless in dealing with the frequent highway blockades which harass the general population particularly the poor majority. No befitting action has been taken up against those taking undue advantage of residing along the national highways. The supreme court of India has already ruled that highway blockade is a crime worth punishable. However, till today not a single perpetrator or organisation involved in highway blockade has ever been booked and banned in Manipur. Thanks to the inaction of the incumbent government that does not spare even an old vendor woman of Khwairamband Keithel for her occupying a small space at the roadside, selling vegetables and braving traffic police lathis to feed her families.

 

During the 68 day Naga-sponsored economic blockade last year, the normal social and economic lives of the Manipuris were severely hit. As the LPG gas was unavailable due to blockade, time of cooking depended on the availability of electricity during daytime. We saw widespread use of rice cookers and electric heaters for all cooking purposes replacing use of cooking gas. People started using charcoal with chulaas for cooking at home. The blockade in highways obviously taught a valuable lesson to the Manipuris regarding economical use of fuel at home and outside. Earlier most people recklessly used LPG for domestic purposes keeping aside the electric heaters and rice cookers rusted for long. But, we were forced to repair the electric heaters and chulaas for making tea, boiling water, preparing curries and fries.

Although its negative impacts have hard-hit the inhabitants of Manipur hills and valley people during the last few months, economic blockade is not bereft of intent merits providing durable benefits to the people. Unnecessary roaming on vehicles has drastically reduced as petrol prices in black market sky-rocketed as high as 120 per litre. Long queues have adorned the oil pumps. Besides using public carriers like Auto-Rikshaw and Magic-Tata by office goers, number of cycling and walking people will also rise in course of time. As many vehicles are off the roads due to fuel scarcity, there will be reduction of air and noise pollution in city. Fuel scarcity will certainly make a valuable contribution to the health of many people who walk and ride cycles for their routine businesses by activating body metabolism and controlling body weight. Thanks to blockade sponsors who indirectly help us realized the relevance of simple living.

Dearth of edibles coming in from outside the state will compel many people to use local products made by self-help groups. Most popular are: papad, pickles, chow-chow, Khurman, kabok, spices and juices of various kinds.  It is time to teach our children children to eat Kabok, Laloo, Heingan, Khurman instead of Cakes, Uncle Chips and Lays. Local made eatables may replace Macorni, Maggi and Chow-chow for School Tiffin. The quantum of demands for local products during the economic blockade may be almost double. Hundreds of women who are engaged in ferrying these products from place to place may be benefitted in their business.

One most rewarding merit of the long economic blockade by the various Naga bodies last year was the garner of attention of the government towards improving the conditions of national highway number 53. However, no improvement has been seen as yet. The said alternative lifeline of the Manipur people which had long been neglected by the government will now be put up again as the most debated agenda of the ensuing general elections.

 

Locally available fruits should take the place of apple, grapes, mangoes and pomegranates imported from outside which are expensive and the prices of which often fluctuate due to transport disruptions. Cooking LPG uses may be reduced at the minimum by utilizing the electricity economically and adopting the traditional charcoal/ fuel wood burning. People in general need to popularize walking and cycling for less-hasty and less-distant businesses. It serves the trio-benefit of health improvement, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If we can be familiarized with such habits and practices, the hardships due to economic blockade will not be too grave as before. The simple living and Swadeshi philosophies of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the Nation have found total relevance in Manipur at this hour of highway blockade.

(The writer is a freelance journalist)

The above article was sent to Kanglaonline.com by Mr. Neken Singh Seram

 

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Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/08/let-us-learn-from-economic-blockade/