Tag: Editorial

Everyone has the right to be ecstatic about a central minister agreeing to travel by road on NH 37 otherwise known as the New Cachar Road or the Imphal-Jiribam road. So ecstatic that the state Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh and his merry band of ministers followed Dr MM Pallam Raju, the Union Minister of State for Defence all the way upto Tamenglong. Cool, quite a statement on the most delayed national highway. The Border Roads Organization (BRO) has been working on a snail’s speed here to the impatience of many people here in Manipur. So, a minister of the Defence ministry who looks after the agency BRO travelling on the highway by road instead of an aerial inspection is indeed noteworthy. It would certainly speed up the road construction works, no doubt about that. Still, we are missing something here. Why has it to be either the Home ministry or the Defence ministry who are charged with highway development or development activities in these parts? Why is the BRO and not National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) charged with the construction of national highways in the region? Does the political establishment think that the NHAI is not competent to handle construction of National Highways in the border areas of the northeast? Besides, the Silchar-Saurastra East-West Corridor under the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) in the Barail Hill range, the authority is also charged with stretches of national highways in the region; which are 161 kms of the Nowgong-Dimapur highway and 212 kms of the Numaligarh-Imphal-Palel-Moreh. NHAI helps in implementing Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for North Eastern Region (SARDP-NE); a project to upgrade National Highways connecting state capitals to 2 lane or 4 lane in north eastern region. But here, the authority is not the implementing agency. Simply put, Manipur or the borders of northeast is beyond the radar of NHAI, as desired so by the powers that be in New Delhi. Why must the Centre insist on the rhythm of Saurastra-Silchar or Kashmir-Kanyakumari with regard to the East-West and North-South corridors? The then Manipur Chief Minister W Nipamacha Singh had pleaded with the Centre to break the rhythm and extend the East-West corridor upto Moreh, which fell on deaf ears. The NHAI is charged with various stretches of highways besides the Golden Quadrilateral linking major metropolitan cities and the NSEW corridors. And many of these stretches touch the Pakistan border on the west and even the Jammu & Kashmir and the Nepal border. If the NHAI network could reach the Pakistan border in Punjab and interior areas of Jammu & Kashmir and Nepal, what is stopping them from reaching the border in the region more particularly in Manipur? Given the projects undertaken by NHAI, we must assume that it has the competence to undertake highway projects in Manipur. They are presently engaged in the Barail hill range for the East-West corridor. Is it out of bounds for the NHAI and who takes the decision in this regard? Is there no other prism besides Home Affairs and Defence to look at issues of development in the northeast? Development has taken quite a beating in the northeast. The North Eastern Council (NEC) which is charged with the overall development of the region began its innings with the Ministry of Home Affairs and it was only in recent times that the Council has come under the Development of North Eastern Region (DONER) ministry. On the other hand, most of the border roads of the region other than Assam are handled by the BRO, an agency of the Ministry of Defence. The time has come to turn the tables and impress upon New Delhi that it should look at the development issues of the region through its development ministries. Let us start with the Surface Transport ministry, who through NHAI should really be handling the national highways in the region including the border areas.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/highway-dreams/

By Wangkheimayum Bhupendra Singh
We are once more at the end of another entertaining yet tumultuous week. Even though the state faces a worrisome scarcity of entertainment avenues, it doesn’t mean that the people have been completely deprived of being entertained. The lack of such avenues in the state has been filled up on a regular basis by the various state as well as non-state actors in the state with their amusing antics which sometimes border to hurtful stupidity. The people of the state as such get to see such amusing antics on a regular basis if not on a daily basis providing the state and its people with ample dosage of entertainment. There are several incidents happening before our own eyes which though by any means don’t define entertainment nonetheless provide entertaining avenues for the public.

The week that just went by was also full of such amusing and foolish antics and incidents, how else could one define the act of the five CDOs including an officer who were suspended for their reported involvement in the disruption of a Laiharaoba procession just before midnight some days ago citing that the carriers of the local deities were only play acting to be uncontrollable. The incident further fanned the anger amongst the local public of the area who took to arms and went on a rampage. The incident managed to hold the attention of the public for some time with the public wagging their tongues on the topic and thoroughly dissecting it. The much dreaded fake encounter also reared its ugly head during the latter part of the week in the state. While local media reported a gunfight between militant suspects and personnel of the Assam Rilfes some days back which left three militant suspects dead; a father of one of the dead claimed the next evening that he had himself attended to the surrender of his own son before a Major of the Assam Rifles on the same day as the reported encounter. The incident though not at all pleasing or amusing for anyone, could well hold the attention of the people of the state for a long time, providing the people in the process with something to amuse themselves. It will be long before the truth comes out in the case nonetheless it must have already set the tongues wagging. Agitations are sure to follow, sit-ins, public meetings, rallies will soon follow and capture the minds of the public for the time being before another entertaining incident comes along and seized the minds of the public from the previous incidents.

Seizure of 21 cartoons of a banned drug from the Imphal Tulihal Airport which originated from the National capital is another interesting and entertaining incident which could amuse the general public for some time. What is interesting in this incident is not the seizure of the banned drugs but the sheer size of the consignment which had managed to reached the only Airport in the state after originating from the National capital. 21 cartoons (each cartoon containing 7000 strips each of 10 tablets) of a banned drug. The state needs a thorough investigation of the incident which in all likelihood is not a one-off incident. Though the police had managed to seize the consignment this time, there might have been times when they had failed to do so and the drugs had made its foray among the youths of the state. While such incidents provide some entertainment for the state, it would not be too much to ask for the setting up of entertainment avenues for the people of the state and for both the state and non-state actors to understand the issue of entertainment in the state.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/entertainment-its-new-avenues/

The new Cachar road or NH 37 has long been a sore thumb among the highways of Manipur and it was politically correct for Dr Khumujam Ratankumar Singh to visit this vital lifeline by road, after taking over as the Works Minister. His statement that he has come not to find faults but to help the Border Roads Organization (BRO) in speeding up the construction work on the highway speaks volumes of his firm attitude, quiet confidence and the importance that he places on the said highway. Yes, he had expressed displeasure at the way BRO is undertaking the construction work and the enormous time that the agency has taken on the highway. But you will not get the required results by shouting down the agencies implementing the construction work. The offer of help that the new Works minister has extended to the agency will go a long way in the implementation of the work. Also they need a pat on the back for some of the good works that they have done. NH 37 has assumed significance in recent times with frequent disruptions of traffic on the Imphal-Dimapur road due to series of bandhs and blockades of all hue. It has indeed become a political highway, where political assertions are frequently played out. In more recent times, the Dimapur highway had been blockaded a number of times. Whenever there is a blockade on the Dimapur highway, the unfinished Jiribam highway catches the attention of the government and the public as well. And the BRO will become the favourite kick bag of all civil society organizations and everybody. Ministers will visit the Jiribam highway at such times with engineers, officials and the media persons in tow. But, that was only for public consumption. As soon the situation in the Dimapur highway comes under control the Jiribam highway will vanish from the public radar. Yes, there are at least some organizations who continue to pursue the work progress of the highway. What is lacking on the part of the state is continued pressure. Although the Border Roads Organization is a central agency, it is for the state Works department to monitor the progress of the works undertaken by the agency. The works need constant monitoring from the maintenance of quality and work progress by the state engineers, as the minister found sub-standard quality work during his recent inspection tour. The state government should not even blink while monitoring the road construction on the NH 37 as monsoon is closing in fast. Once the monsoon sets in, road construction will stop and the unfinished stretches of the highway will further deteriorate. And the efforts of BRO will come to naught. Road construction works have to be finished and the bridges on the highway have to be strengthened to receive heavy traffic in case of any eventuality. One cannot take for guarantee that nothing will happen on the Dimapur highway as the months of June, July and August are very restive months in the political scenario of Manipur. But we are confident in the style of the new Works minister for deliverance of the goods. He is different from his predecessors in the Works department. He does not wear stetsons or dark Rayban glasses. He does not shout or get shouted. And we are sure, he will not go around like a Road Mohori to inspect road construction late at night and merrily drink on the roadside or gatecrash musical soirees and play the singer. We have seen enough antics in the SPF-II government, also led by Okram Ibobi Singh. And people are fed up of such antics. The time has come for the new ministers to pull up their socks and get down to real business for the sake of posterity.  

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/the-minister-and-bro/

As we are discussing traffic management, we also find it pertinent to look deeper into the level of awareness among our drivers on traffic dos and don’ts, driving regulations including the rules of night driving. We do not know whether the state Transport department and the Traffic police understand that public awareness is also one of the important focus areas in traffic management. We recently saw the efforts of the traffic police to educate drivers on the traffic lights at intersections which are not functioning now. Now 5 to 10 traffic police personnel are on duty at the busy intersections which was done by a traffic policeman years ago. Yes, the number of vehicles and traffic has increased in leaps and bounds in recent times and it has reached unmanageable proportions. A scientific solution has become necessary by drawing in lessons on traffic from major metropolitan cities. But today we want to discuss about the level of awareness on traffic regulations among the new drivers and their education. Quizzing new applicants for driving licenses on traffic knowledge before issue of license by the Transport offices could be very useful. Secondly, distribution of leaflets containing traffic regulations at road intersections would be very informative to both old and new drivers. Our focus today is on night driving. Our drivers with the exception of long distance truckers and bus drivers simply do not understand the rules of night driving and it is one of the major causes of road accidents. It is specially dangerous during blackouts. The lights on a car have two purposes: they help you see at night and they help other road users see you. One does not have to wait for the night time to turn on the car or two wheeler lights or for that matter until the street lights come on. If light levels dip, whatever time of day, then it is necessary to turn on lights. It is certainly wise to have lights on as dusk approaches.

The vehicle headlights have two setting: dip and full beam. When driving at night on lit roads one should have the headlights switched to dip. A standard set of headlights provides about 30 metres of visibility when dipped and about 100 metres when on full beam. In urban areas in every country, drivers are always advised to use dipped headlights. This has to be grilled into the heads of our drivers. When driving at night in built-up areas pedestrians can be incredibly difficult to see, so the drivers need to approach pedestrian crossings with caution. Horns are not normally used in cities. Instead, repeated switching from dip to full beam is used to warn other road users. When driving on unlit roads and when no other traffic can be seen ahead, one could turn the headlights on full beam. When one sees a vehicle, pedestrian or cyclist approaching he or she must turn the headlights to dip. The Highway Code states that one should not use any lights in a way that would dazzle or cause discomfort to other road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders. One of the biggest night time hazards is dazzle, caused by the light from on-coming headlights. For newly qualified drivers, driving at night for the first few times can be a shock to the system, especially in busy traffic on unlit roads. Driving at night is a skill that needs to be learnt. As learner drivers one is not required to have lessons in driving at night however, for safety`s sake, one may find it useful to ask your instructor for a few night time lessons just be sure. During the day, light is pretty well evenly distributed but at night intense light sources cut through the black making it hard on your eyes and sometimes even acting to disorientate you. This light also causes dazzle.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/dangerous-beams/

Traffic congestion is one of the most serious problems of Imphal city and it lingers like a festering wound with any remedy given the lack of imagination on the part of those in charge of Traffic issues. There are two main problems that modern day cities face, namely urban decay when parts of the city become run down and undesirable to live in, and traffic congestion. Traffic congestion is caused by many people working in the city which have narrow streets; shortage of off-street parking which means people park on the roads and so increase congestion; people not using public transport – either because it is less convenient, too expensive or not available; more people own and use cars. As an example of how bad traffic jams now are, it took about longer hours to travel now from one place to another. Severe air pollution from exhaust fumes is health problem associated with stationary traffic or traffic jams. Traffic congestion also causes slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. As we have said in the past, the regulation of pedestrian only zone in the main city area is one of the solutions to traffic problems, although it is severely opposed by shopkeepers and the people staying in the Bazar area and that the experimentation phase should be ended by making it a permanent regulation which should be inclusive of all vehicles be it of security personnel or VVIPs and VIPs. The city managers have pressed into service low floor city buses during the restricted hours. We must appreciate the idea, as it is imaginative although it may take some time to get used to it. There will always be complaints when one implements a new measure but with the passage the public will get used to it. One of the best solutions to traffic congestion is for people to be able and willing to travel on public transport more. The shopkeepers and businessmen in the Bazar area complain that, sale proceeds have come down. It will come up as soon as the general public becomes accustomed to travel by public transport in the Bazar area. And beyond the restricted hours also, vehicles emitting high decibel noise like the diesel autos should be prohibited from entry in the Bazar area. The Manipur Pollution Control Board is complaining about vehicles emitting high decibel noise exceeding the permitted limit. Instead of complaining, it should enforce the regulations relating to air pollution be it from exhaust fumes or noise. There has to be holistic approach to everything. Road congestion is the curse of modern logistics. There has to be multi-pronged approach towards solving it. The banks had to be taken into confidence with regard to be the increase in the number of vehicles be it private or public. The EMI solution for purchase of vehicles needs to be revisited. There has been a phenomenal increase in private vehicles and diesel autos in recent times, of which the banks are primarily responsible. With regard to small public transport vehicles, the state is involved through its self-employment schemes awarded through the banks. While there is public hue and cry over the dismal credit flow in the state by central banks, it should still take into consideration the factors of air pollution and environmental impact or the traffic problems. The time has come for the Transport department to revisit its registration procedure and make it more stringent to discourage overpopulation of vehicles. And the state Pollution Control Board needs to be more pro-active to make the air cleaner. The dangers of permanent haze over major metropolitan cities in South-East Asia due to increase in number of vehicles should be impressed upon the people and the state agencies alike. And unscheduled road diggings by state agencies without notice even to other line departments are becoming one of the major irritants in managing the traffic. In fact, we have been wondering whether it has become an agenda of the state to cause public inconvenience in any way it can.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/imagination-deficit/

The Northeast is not only about the scheduled tribes, it has various other communities included in the general category, scheduled castes, minorities and OBCs. Manipur’s population comprises of the Meitei, the Meitei Pangal, the Lois, the Tangkhuls, the Thadous and several other tribes. The Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and the powers that be in New Delhi must first understand this fact before speaking about the issues in the Northeast or Manipur. P Chidambaram while giving his reply to a Calling Attention Motion by Opposition leader Arun Jaitley on issues of racial profiling of Northeast students spread across the country had mentioned about according highest importance to development of the Northeast as well as prevention of atrocities against scheduled tribes while denying the existence of racial discrimination of the Northeast people. This simply illustrates the fact that the Home Minister had only a vague understanding of the Northeast and its peoples or its varied problems. So we may safely say that, the powers that be in New Delhi do not have the moral mandate to speak about issues of the Northeast or solutions. They are crying foul about certain underground groups of the region seeking secession from India yet the Indian mainstream including the political establishment is still not accepting the Northeast peoples in their fold. It may be politically correct on the part of the Home Minister to deny racial profiling of Northeast people in other parts of the country but we must say he is not the one experiencing the insults and violence. The mass exodus of students seeking higher studies and educated youth from the region primarily because of unemployment had been repeatedly hounded in the metropolitan cities and other places in mainland India. Students return with experiences of racial profiling and discrimination. Hundreds of rape cases involving Northeast girls are happening on a regular basis right on his doorstep at New Delhi. Is he going to deny that? Is the Home Minister also going to deny the police advisories on the food habits of the Northeast people? Does he have the time to ponder upon the fact that the Northeast palate is different from the Indian palate? We like fermented fish or bamboo shoots in our food as we are part of the Southeast Asian world. We are proud of our food habits just as the mainland Indians relish spicy food.

Indian political leaders often quote the phrase ‘Unity in diversity.’ The diversity is there, no doubt about that. But where is the sense of unity? Where is the Northeast and for that matter Manipur located in the Indian imagination? The region is not even reflected in the national anthem that the founding fathers have adopted. The Home Minister denies racial profiling or discrimination. It seems he has not done his homework. We can begin counting mainstream political attitudes right from the special laws. The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) is in operation only in the Northeast and Jammu & Kashmir. Is it not an extreme form of racial profiling or discrimination? A colonial ordinance enacted for suppressing the Quit India movement in the days of British Raj had been resurrected in the present day avatar of AFSPA and enforced among the peoples of the Northeast and Jammu & Kashmir. While the Indian government tries to defend its position in case of the Northeast and J & K, it refuses to enforce it in Maoist areas. By saying this, we are not advocating its imposition in Maoist areas. We are simply trying to expose the double-speak of the Indian government and its negation of the Northeasterners as full-fledged Indian citizens. We are the ‘Others’ who needs special laws or treatment. And for the record, we certainly do not need the patronizing attitude of the political establishment.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/and-the-other/

By Wangkheimayum Bhupendra Singh
State Chief Minister Okram Ibobi has recently announced his cabinet ministers and with it begins his third innings at the helm of state affairs. While everyone had speculated a simple defeat if not a huge one for the Congress in the recently held state general election, the result turned the tables on everyone and put the Congress in the winning seat with a thumping majority. Surely, a win with such a big margin had come as a surprised to many; however the fact is that the Congress is back in power and had recently announced its cabinet ministers.  Winning by such big margin, had left quite a task for both the party’s state and central leaders on choosing the few who would hold cabinet portfolios. This is evident from the time taken by the party in announcing the list. It took almost two months for the party leaders to announce the final list. Many had also speculated tiffs between the state leaders of the party regarding their own respective lists of probable candidates. Well considering the time taken and the number of trips taken by the party’s state leaders to the national capital in the past one month or so, this could have been not so far from the truth. The state and its people in choosing their representatives and placing them in the seats of power expect fulfillment of certain aspirations and desires from them, which should be reciprocated and look into by their representatives in power so as not to kill such expectations. The representatives have all the blessings from the public to bring a responsible government at the helm of state things.

Now as CM Ibobi’s third innings has already started, it remains to be seen how effective the captain and his teammates are in acting out their duties towards the state and its people. Even as the ruling party had been engrossed in the formation of the government, several small issues which have all the ingredients of snowballing into bigger issues have risen. It would certainly be wise on the part of the state to consider these issues at the earliest before one amongst them snowballed into something big and invite public wrath. Some among the issues worth mentioning are the recent Jessami-Meluri impasse, ALTOS-Bus Owners impasse and Richard case. Many other issues had eventually worked itself out with minimum interference from the government like the recent disappearance of Don Bosco School student Takhellambam Rahul. The Don Bosco student was found at Chandel by his schoolmates on April 30 after disappearing on April 21. The Jessami-Meluri impasse is presently under control with district administrations and NGOs chalking out ways to find a solution. The state government had also assured the setting up of a company of state force at Jessami village, however the issue has also the ingredients of turning back around and rear its ugly head again. On the Richard case, the state Home Minister Gaikhangam as reported had informed during a recent cabinet meeting that the government has resolved to send an officer not below the rank of a Superintendent of Police to Karnataka to take full report of the case.

With the formation of a new government in the state, the general public has high hopes and lots of expectations and it is up to the newly elected representatives to fulfill all of them. The representatives in the seats of power should also understand the fact that providing only assurances and not acting upon them could only buy sometime and that it could never bring a lasting solution to any issue.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/the-third-innings/

The recent incidents of disappearance of children once again bring to focus, the issue of child recruitment in the state. In recent times, recruitment of children in the ranks of insurgent groups had come down due to public pressure against such episodes. Several children were released after massive protests in the valley. Yet, the issue has once again raised its ugly head, which has again led to protests from various student bodies and civil society organizations. Subsequently, three children from Sairem Khun of Imphal West and a Don Bosco student were released after disappearing for several days. One thing is certain, groups wherever they are ultimately bent to public pressure. But, we should not remain silent over these happenings and a widespread debate has become the need of the hour. The three children from Sairem Khun were allegedly recruited through a relative of one of the boys and subsequently released at Moreh. This speaks volumes. More recently, Rahul Takhellambam of Don Bosco School Chingmeirong showed up near Chandel Bazar in delirious condition. There were reports of a KCP faction demanding a ransom of Rs 3 lakhs to Don Bosco authorities, according to frontline student organizations. Meanwhile, a few insurgent organizations have denied their involvement in cases of child recruitment. Yet, a pro-active action on the part of insurgent organizations to stop incidence of child recruitment is yet to be seen. Here, we have to remember that, we always seem to neglect the involvement of the state with regard to recruitment of child soldiers. According to the Child soldiers Global Report 2008, the number of governments that used children in armed conflict only marginally declined – down from 10 in the period 2001-2004 to nine in 2004-2007. In Myanmar, boys below the age of 18 continued to be forcibly recruited into the army in large numbers and were used in active combat as well as other roles. India is among 14 governments which also recruited, and in some cases used in hostilities, children in auxiliary forces, civilian defence groups or in illegal militias and armed groups acting as proxies for official armed forces. The report further says, dozens of armed groups in at least 24 countries have recruited under-18s and many have used them in hostilities. In India, child recruitment by Maoist groups is reported to have increased since 2005 and there were persistent reports of child soldier use by groups in Jammu and Kashmir and northeastern states. In the Philippines and Myanmar children are associated with armed groups involved in protracted low-level conflicts with state forces. In other situations, such as India, Myanmar and Thailand, no arrangements existed to facilitate the release of children from armed groups or to assist their reintegration. In a number of countries children suspected of involvement in armed groups have been arbitrarily detained and some were reported to have been subjected to ill-treatment or torture. In India, there was evidence that in areas of armed conflict children were detained, often in violation of national legislation designed to protect children. India is also one country which uses captured, surrendered or escapees from armed groups as spies, informants or messengers. The UN Security Council in July last year unanimously adopted a resolution against recruitment of child soldiers, pressing nations to halt the abuse of children including rape and attacks on schools. In its report on child soldiers in 2010, the United Nations for the first time named military forces and rebel groups that persistently used children in armed conflict. The groups included Myanmar`s national army and two rebel militant groups in the country; three insurgent groups in the Philippines; the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia; armies and militias in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and pro-government militias in Sudan as well as the southern-based Sudan People`s Liberation Army.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/loss-of-innocence/

American thinker and linguist Noam Chomsky recently wrote, ‘People seem to know about May Day everywhere except where it began, here in the United States of America. That`s because those in power have done everything they can to erase its real meaning. … May Day started here, but then became an international day in support of American workers who were being subjected to brutal violence and judicial punishment.’ Successive federal governments have tried to prevent May Day processions in various parts of the country. They interpret it as the celebration of the May 1 riots. May Day’s origins has been traced to the 1886 Haymarket Massacre in Chicago, when police fired on workers during a general strike for the eight hour workday, killing several demonstrators and resulting in the deaths of several police officers, largely from friendly fire. Like several other countries, May 1 is an official holiday in India also. But, it is not confined only to the left parties; several labour groupings celebrate it, including Manipur. Several functions are organized on May 1. Yet, we do not a sense of celebration for the workers who have endured hardships to achieve success. It would have been more appropriate if the labour unions had identified successful hard workers and feted them, in the presence of other workers. Like for example, the recent development of new work culture among the Manipuris specially among the Meiteis is something which we should celebrate. Groups like the KEDO and Workers Union, Manipur and their leaders should be feted. As such celebration would lead to the grounding of the new work culture. Besides, new resolves with regard to facilities in workplaces should be put in place, instead of high sounding speeches full of jargons. On this day, we need to revisit the plight of our workers in both organized and unorganized sector. In the unorganized sector, there is a phenomenal increase in women workers mostly in the construction sector and at stone-crushing units and brick kilns. The recent incident of a brick kiln owner and a woman worker found in unsavory conditions in a dark restaurant speak volumes about the plight of woman workers. Instead of public humiliation before the flashing lights of photo journalists and subsequent publication of the humiliation, it would have been more prudent if the groups had investigated how the illicit relations had developed between the two. It is not only about loose morals. We have already spoken about the restaurant drives and lack of socially sanctioned spaces for teenagers. But here and now, an investigation as to how the illicit relations developed between the two married persons. The man is the owner of the brick kiln while the woman is a worker there. Was she a victim of circumstances or was she forced in that condition by her employer who holds the purse strings? We all have heard of sexual harassment in workplaces. We think the social welfare department needs to move swiftly into action before the evidences are shoved under the rug. Sexual harassment at workplaces has become a serious issue in recent times. The recent restaurant incident could have been the tip of the iceberg, and there might have been several such cases which are not reported for fear of reprisal. A pro-active action in this regard by both the state government and the labour unions could be this May Day’s new resolve. Another important issue is the plight of underpaid household workers who are exploited day in day out. One area of serious concern is the sliding fall in the agricultural sector, where agricultural workers are being weaned away by the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), which is seriously affecting the work culture in the rural areas.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/04/celebrating-workers/

Leader Writer: Paojel Chaoba
Living in the present society of ours, one comes across different mind boggling situations which beg a reasonable answer as well as an expectation of an amicable outcome from various concerted efforts. Some efforts made by ‘some’ defy basic human logic.

We applaud the Manipuri womenfolk for their courage, challenging the mighty British Raj,the Nupi Lal movement then, bears testament. The capability of the women to stand up against injustice, to act as watchdogs of the society, preventing immoral acts and awarding befitting punishment as deemed fit is given due cognizance by the public, and the trend still continue.

The more than decade long hunger strike by Irom Shamila Chanu against AFSPA, bears testimony. It reflects the unbreakable spirit of a Manipuri woman and her struggle is a non violent and unique one.

Now, mentioning the present scenario, our respected ‘Imas’ conducting drives of shabby roadside inns which double up as brothels. Their efforts of ransacking such places, doubling up as moral police and sometimes forcibly engaging ‘visiting’ couples in wedlock evoke mixed responses from the public.

In today’s globalized era, where civil bodies organize rallies and holds conventions to propagate awareness about HIV/ AIDS and the use of condoms as one major preventive measure to check the pandemic. A Meira Paibi pointing to used ones found inside a ‘ restaurant’ and highlighting the immorality conveys the tell tale attitude. The reflected perception is that “immoral activity” occurs rampant inside the shady hotels. The efforts may be lauded by some but still, it can also be said that safe sex is being practiced, on a positive note.

The Meira paibis have been recognized as guardians of the society, the torch bearers in the darkness. Yet, certain activities including raiding shady inns and ‘punishing’ young couples is not the solution and unbecoming of the status given by the Manipuri society, one feels.

The need of the hour is not for Meira Paibis or a student organization to conduct such drives but efforts is required from other concerned organizations to point out the flaws in the management of the restaurants and impose certain strictures.

Certain organizations including underground outfits had issues dictates to the shady restaurant dealings, but the ‘restaurant’ culture still thrives despite the threats. It can be asked for how long can the ongoing drives be carried out by the Ima’s and the organizations? AMADA and CADA fought against drugs and alcohol abuse and many vendors including alcoholics, drug peddlers were paraded in the media with last time warnings and whatnot. But, did such endeavors yield the desired results? It can be safely said that despite all out efforts, vendors still dole out liquor and Sekmai town still continue to brew.A non Manpuri still openly sells foreign made liquor at the heart of Thangal bazaar .Polo ground is still a watering hole for alcoholics.

A makeshift red light area caters to the myriad customers at north AOC.

To address a particular ailment in the society, it would be false bravado to applaud Don Quixote for charging headlong into a windmill with a wooden lance riding on a donkey. Rather, the prevalent affliction must be dissected and discussed. Conducting deliberations with experts, the true conclusion and the path to go about to address the situation will bear light, in a logical and comprehensive way and endeavors should be carried out with a visionary approach .

An underdeveloped economy and want of jobs for the unemployed educated youths,want of funds to establish a proper business is sometimes left lacking. The easiest option to feed oneself and family may be to sell liquor or to open a shady inn at one’s own land. It should be introspected by the Samaritan groups on the outcome of the so called righteous actions and their impact on such wrongly self employed individuals.

It is testament that none can stop Sekmai from brewing liquor nor can an addict be rehabilitated by force. Different means of a profitable livelihood should be introduced to the brewers and proper counseling and rehabilitation should be given to the drug addicts. Force is never the answer. Similarly, restaurant owners along with the civil societies should plan the outlay and management of the shady restaurants to make it a more acceptable social gathering place to bring about a mutually beneficial solution. Thrashing owners and pulling out furniture, parading ‘immoral couples ’in front of the media and throwing stones is not the answer. It is felt that highlighting sex education in schools and providing a socially acceptable area for the youngsters to get together is also another need to bring about a positive change.

As far as moral standards are concerned, our society reveres drug lords, corrupt politicians and personalities in question. We sell our votes to the highest bidder and later still shout that our leaders are incapable, that our basic rights have not been addressed to. A sense of hypocrisy and gullible Samaritan-ism still pervades the Manipuri society.

Still, it is not wrong to think and act for the best interest of the society provided that the watchdogs of the ‘samaj’ also needs to be counseled on how to properly go about and tackle the excesses. They should keep in mind the biblical statement “Let those who have not sinned cast the first stone”. And who can stop teenagers from dating.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/04/restaurants-meira-paibis-and-love/

It is good that the police had swiftly moved into action against the organizers of Tambola at Iboyaima Sanglen following an IFP complaint in public interest. The said action has been followed up with an open warning that both organizers and participants would be booked under the Public Gambling Act, 1867 by the Imphal East police. Indeed, the housie games have been going on for the last few months at the Sanglen on almost daily basis. Earlier, the venue in demand was Gandhi Memorial Hall right in the heart of the city. Although these bumper housie draws are organized in the names of different organizations, the main actors remained more or less the same. These are tell-tale signs of the presence of a gambling syndicate in Imphal. We earnestly feel, an investigation must immediately be launched to book the main culprits behind the series of bumper draws and also find out the complicity of officials both in the police and the district administration. The Public Gambling Act of 1867 prohibits running or being in charge of a public gaming house. The penalty for breaking this law is a fine of 200 or imprisonment of up to 3 months. Additionally, this Act prohibits visiting gambling houses. A fine of Rs 100 or imprisonment of up to one month is the penalty.  The Information Technology Act 2000 regulates cyber activities in India and prohibits publication or transmission of information that can corrupt people. This includes online gambling and the punishment for such activities is much more serious than for offline gambling operations – the fine is Rs 100,000 or imprisonment up to 5 years.

Meanwhile, we should not remain mere spectators to state action. The civil society organizations should come out openly against such illegal activities. The huge number of people flocking at these tambola games reflect a negative social behavior. The lure of easy money and the tendency to take shortcuts to happiness has indeed become a matter of concern in our society. The situation had become so ripe for professional cheats to operate. Look at the number of persons duped in the name of Multi Level Marketing (MLM) networks and the persons in the top bracket of the networks disappearing with fortunes worth crores of rupees. So is the case of private banks of unknown origin like Satna Syndicate Bank decamping with deposits from loan aspirants. Take the case of fake employment agencies who are out to cheat gullible people. The high unemployment rate is a rich ground for these agencies to operate. They promise lucrative jobs and take huge deposits from the unemployed youths. When their game is exposed they just switch agency names and locations. These are but some instances of the cheats and the duped. What is more worrying is the undercurrent prevalent in social behavior.  This behavior is specially dangerous in the case of teenagers. Nowadays, teenagers are willing to take dangerous shortcuts to make easy money. They can go to any lengths to finance their lifestyle – girlfriends, latest mobile phones, parties etc. This is an alarming scenario which needs to be checked. It has to be drilled into the minds of our youth that man does not attain pleasure without pain, happiness without sadness, and success without hard work. It is obvious that each of us, no matter how old or young he is, has experienced all these feelings. No one succeeds in school without exerting lots of efforts. Whoever wants to secure his sustenance would face and encounter lots of hardships. In the case of gambling, a simple after-thought would be updating the archaic Public Gambling Act, 1867 taking into account newer forms of gambling. We must also understand that the gambling habit has been with humanity since times immemorial and it is something which you cannot wish away. The best option remains in regulation.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/04/the-bumper-gamblers/

There is nothing on the ground or in the air to suggest possible kidnap or child recruitment in the disappearance case of Don Bosco student Rahul Takhellambam till now. The only fact we have before us is that, the 12 year old Rahul left the school campus after classes at 12.15 pm and he did not turn up at the 3 pm assembly of the school boarding, which was about 50 metres away from the school campus and the missing report was filed by school authorities at 8.30 pm in the evening. There may be suspicions or suggestions, but this much are the facts. And one has to go by facts. Police investigations have revealed that the children were not usually escorted or marshaled by a school official when they walk from the school campus to the boarding. This brings into focus the issue of security of children staying in various boarding houses dotting the Manipur skyline. How secure are our children in the boarding houses? We want to flag this question before the authorities of school having boarding facilities, private hostels managed by parties other than the school authorities and before the parents whose children are staying in such boarding houses. In recent times, boarding houses and private hostels have sprung up in the schools and in the vicinity of highly publicized private schools. A question mark here. Who is responsible for regulating these boarding houses and hostels? In fact, no one knows and it is free for all. The question comes up every time an unseemly incident occurs in these boarding houses and hostels.  JAC s will be formed, sit-in-protests will be staged, condemnations will pour in, student bodies and Meira Paibis will raise hell. But the issue of safety and security will be forgotten as soon as problem arising out of the incident is solved. The issue will simply be shelved and put away for future reference. It is not about the civil society groups alone, but the state government and its officials will also go back to their old routine once the uproar subsides. Instead of looking at issues in a holistic manner, we are dealing with the problems in a piecemeal way.  This is one of the serious ailments confronting our society today. Preemptive measure or pro-active action does not find a place in our social dictionary. Our society has become so dull that we need to prodded and woken up every time a serious violation occurs. Our responses are very limited and so very short-term. Like for instance, when a serious violation of our rights our response would be disjointed. There is no such thing as a common response. Public response to issues has been reduced to condemnation through press-notes, sit-in-protests and limited rallies. And as such, state action has also become reactive where issues and problems are not analyzed in a holistic manner thereby resulting in adhoc measures. Whenever an unrest or uproar has subsided it will breathe a sigh of relief and will say ‘Good Riddance’ forgetting that the same issue will rise its head up again somewhere anytime. Coming back to the point, there is a genuine need for regulation in the various residential schools and boarding houses and hostels to ensure the security of the children staying there. The state government needs to frame guidelines for management of such residential schools and boarding houses including the provision for independent monitoring by local bodies. It is not only about security that we are talking about. The environment, living conditions, basic amenities and facilities, sanitation, minimum mess standards, hygiene, health care support system, disciplining procedures all these need to be taken into account while framing the guidelines. We need to go back in recent history about children being molested by boarding staff, undue punishment of child boarders, serving of unhygienic food and boarding fees not commensurate with facilities and eviction without notice etc while framing the guidelines.  

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/04/secure-boarding/

We still fail to see how the site of a historic battle or a place of pilgrimage for the Manipuris could be converted into an eco-tourism site. It is different from what we have educated with regard to eco-tourism. Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low-impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial (mass) tourism. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide funds for ecological conservation, to directly benefit the economic development and political empowerment of local communities, or to foster respect for different cultures and for human rights. Generally, ecotourism focuses on socially responsible travel, personal growth, and environmental sustainability. Ecotourism typically involves travel to destinations where flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are the primary attractions. Ecotourism is intended to offer tourists insight into the impact of human beings on the environment, and to foster a greater appreciation of our natural habitats. Experts say, responsible ecotourism should include programs that minimize the negative aspects of conventional tourism on the environment and enhance the cultural integrity of local people. Therefore, in addition to evaluating environmental and cultural factors, an integral part of ecotourism is the promotion of recycling, energy efficiency, water conservation, and creation of economic opportunities for local communities. By saying this, we are not trying to either negate the tourism potential of the Khongjom memorial or undervaluing the importance of the site. It is indeed one of the most sacred sites of Manipur. Brave Manipuri soldiers led by Paona Brajabasi, Yaiskul Lakpa, Chinglensana and Wangkhei Meiraba laid down their lives at the battle-field of Khongjom in 1891, in defence of the independence of Manipur from the British imperialists. So, we must encourage the development of the said war memorial in every way we can. Yet, a conceptual clarity is required when one talks about its development. Can it be called an eco-tourism spot? Certainly not, if one cross-ckecks with the definition given by experts. A pilgrimage site would be more appropriate. Yet, we will always remain wonderstruck at the ingenuity of the present government in dreaming transformation of the pilgrimage site into project mode. We do have potential for development of eco-tourism spots in Manipur. Mention may be made of Dzuko valley, Siroi Hills, Lokchao Forest Reserve, Zeilad Lake in Tamenglong, Khengjoy Range in Chandel, Vangai Range in Churachandpur and Manipur River etc. We may indeed lost count of the pristine and beautiful forest, rivers and valleys. In short, we have plenty of sites which has potential for development of eco-tourism.

In the present circumstances, it will not be easy with the new stringent draft guidelines issued by the Centre for development of eco-tourism in the states. The Union government withdrew permission for development of eco-tourism at Kotla Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy botanical garden at Kothaguda near Hi-Tec City, Madhapur. It was an ambitious project where a hotel, a multiplex and a convention centre were to come up in a reserve forest area of Hyderabad under the garb of promoting eco-tourism. On the other hand, an inquiry was ordered by Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal into eco-tourism projects, which were facing charges relating to violations of the Forest Conservation Act. The inquiry confirmed glaring lapses in privatisation of the prime forest properties and sites. The Hindustan Times had reported that recent assessments of the state of the environment in 32 states across India indicate that the country’s rising economic prosperity is putting the environment under stress. Experts cite tourism as a leading cause of the environmental degradation in some areas. But according to experts ecotourism, if properly implemented, has the potential to benefit both the economy and the environment.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/04/in-project-mood/

The debate on use of plastic bags has been going for the last few decades. In fact it has become a major environmental concern more particularly in cities and urban areas. Plastic bags are one of the most prevalent types of litter in inhabited areas. Large buildups of plastic bags can clog drainage systems and contribute to flooding. Everywhere in Imphal city, one will see drains and nullahs clogged with plastic bags. A little rain and the roads and ingkhols would be flooded. One stark example is the Naga Nullah in Imphal. One will not be able see the flowing water as it has been perennially covered by the floating plastic mass. The nullah dumps its plastic waste into the Nambul River which again takes it as far as Loktak Lake, which is dangerous as it pollutes the water in the lake and its aquatic life. We know for certain that plastic waste is dangerous to animals specially cows and horses. When ingested, the plastic bags choke them to death. One of the major causes of death of horses in Imphal is from plastic bags. Once they eat the plastic bags, they can get caught up and wrapped round the gut or in the throat, causing suffocation and starvation. Littering is a serious problem in developing countries, more so in cities where waste collection infrastructure is less developed. While we wait for the Solid Waste Project at Lamdeng to be properly developed, the landfills in Lamphel area is becoming more and more dangerous. On the way to the Shija Hospitals, everyone will get a glimpse of the temporary landfill. We have even witnessed its ill-effects during floods. The said landfill had become a source of water-borne diseases. Not only do plastic bags fill up our landfill sites where they will remain forever. There is also general lack of awareness to its dangers. People throw them into the streets. They accept plastic bags when they do not need to and once out of the shops they take their items and litter the streets with the unwanted plastic bags. According to Vincent Cobb, a manufacturer of reusable bags, each year millions of discarded plastic shopping bags end up as litter in the environment when improperly disposed of.  The same properties that have made plastic bags so commercially successful and ubiquitous—namely their low weight and resistance to degradation—have also contributed to their proliferation in the environment. Due to their durability, plastic bags can take centuries to decompose. So, serious attention and deliberations are needed on the use of plastic bags. Once a year campaign rituals and limited awareness campaigns has little or almost no impact on the minds of the general public. The municipal authorities could incorporate the dangers of the use of plastic bags into the ‘revamped but sluggish’ Zero Garbage Campaign. But still, the awareness campaign with regard to plastic waste needs to be taken up in a big way. Here, we have to act very firmly. Plastic bags are either restricted or completely banned in over a quarter of the world`s countries. Belgium, Italy, Ireland and Hong Kong have legislation discouraging the use and encouraging the recycling of plastic bags by imposing a fixed or minimum levy for the supply of plastic bags or obliging retailers to recycle. The pollution caused by their creation alone is enough to warrant a ban on their manufacture and their use. We cannot have this accumulation of plastic bags and the only way forward is to ban their distribution and use. Limited restriction like in its thickness is of no good as we have seen in the past. We should go for a complete ban of the manufacture and use of plastic while encouraging paper bags and bags made of bio-degradable material. Plastic bags should be banned and replaced with bags that we would not so readily disregard. Paper can be reused. If paper bags are encouraged, it would not only help the environment, but it will create jobs for the self help groups here.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/04/the-plastic-debate/

The debate on use of plastic bags has been going for the last few decades. In fact it has become a major environmental concern more particularly in cities and urban areas. Plastic bags are one of the most prevalent types of litter in inhabited areas. Large buildups of plastic bags can clog drainage systems and contribute to flooding. Everywhere in Imphal city, one will see drains and nullahs clogged with plastic bags. A little rain and the roads and ingkhols would be flooded. One stark example is the Naga Nullah in Imphal. One will not be able see the flowing water as it has been perennially covered by the floating plastic mass. The nullah dumps its plastic waste into the Nambul River which again takes it as far as Loktak Lake, which is dangerous as it pollutes the water in the lake and its aquatic life. We know for certain that plastic waste is dangerous to animals specially cows and horses. When ingested, the plastic bags choke them to death. One of the major causes of death of horses in Imphal is from plastic bags. Once they eat the plastic bags, they can get caught up and wrapped round the gut or in the throat, causing suffocation and starvation. Littering is a serious problem in developing countries, more so in cities where waste collection infrastructure is less developed. While we wait for the Solid Waste Project at Lamdeng to be properly developed, the landfills in Lamphel area is becoming more and more dangerous. On the way to the Shija Hospitals, everyone will get a glimpse of the temporary landfill. We have even witnessed its ill-effects during floods. The said landfill had become a source of water-borne diseases. Not only do plastic bags fill up our landfill sites where they will remain forever. There is also general lack of awareness to its dangers. People throw them into the streets. They accept plastic bags when they do not need to and once out of the shops they take their items and litter the streets with the unwanted plastic bags. According to Vincent Cobb, a manufacturer of reusable bags, each year millions of discarded plastic shopping bags end up as litter in the environment when improperly disposed of.  The same properties that have made plastic bags so commercially successful and ubiquitous—namely their low weight and resistance to degradation—have also contributed to their proliferation in the environment. Due to their durability, plastic bags can take centuries to decompose. So, serious attention and deliberations are needed on the use of plastic bags. Once a year campaign rituals and limited awareness campaigns has little or almost no impact on the minds of the general public. The municipal authorities could incorporate the dangers of the use of plastic bags into the ‘revamped but sluggish’ Zero Garbage Campaign. But still, the awareness campaign with regard to plastic waste needs to be taken up in a big way. Here, we have to act very firmly. Plastic bags are either restricted or completely banned in over a quarter of the world`s countries. Belgium, Italy, Ireland and Hong Kong have legislation discouraging the use and encouraging the recycling of plastic bags by imposing a fixed or minimum levy for the supply of plastic bags or obliging retailers to recycle. The pollution caused by their creation alone is enough to warrant a ban on their manufacture and their use. We cannot have this accumulation of plastic bags and the only way forward is to ban their distribution and use. Limited restriction like in its thickness is of no good as we have seen in the past. We should go for a complete ban of the manufacture and use of plastic while encouraging paper bags and bags made of bio-degradable material. Plastic bags should be banned and replaced with bags that we would not so readily disregard. Paper can be reused. If paper bags are encouraged, it would not only help the environment, but it will create jobs for the self help groups here.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/04/the-plastic-debate/

The 1891 battle of Khongjom, whatever be the controversies on the date, will remain engraved in our hearts and memories forever. And we are still paying rich tributes to the heroes who gave their lives for the freedom they hold so dear to their hearts and those who were later hanged to death in public. Yet, we must ponder upon the kind of tributes which are being paid to the martyrs, not only of Khongjom but other martyrs who defended freedom with their lives. Is it befitting the sacrifice of the heroes? We must say a big NO. We have had enough of boring observation functions, memorial services, high sounding speeches, poolside tarpans and queued floral tributes, year after year. There will come a time when its significance would be lost to the future generations. That is indeed an alarming scenario. So we must begin asking ourselves, what would have the martyrs wanted. Surely they would have wanted something significant and useful in our lives. We must search our souls. The best way of doing that is asking question after question till we find the answer. First, we sincerely believe that they would have wanted more from us and certainly not lip-service or just rich tributes. What about values? The heroes who laid down their lives for the country and the freedom they so dearly loved would certainly have had a value system different from others. They had values ingrained in their mind and character which are the driving forces of their sacrifice and commitment. What are those values, or for that matter, what are the qualities attributed to martyrs in general? Heroes and martyrs are not self-seekers and they did not believe in self-glorification. These are persons who believed in a cause, which is generally lofty. Believing in a cause as opposed to the beliefs of those in power or of the powerful and mighty has its inherent dangers and risks. It needs courage, commitment and the ability to foresee risks and challenges. So among the heroes and martyrs, courage, commitment and sacrificial spirit are basic qualities. They need these qualities to take the inherent risks and dangers in stride.

Heroes like Paona Brajabasi, Yaiskul Lakpa, Chinglensana, Wangkhei Meiraba and several others laid down their lives at the battle-field of Khongjom. They knew in their hearts, they are going to face the army of a world power and an empire where the sun never sets. Their weapons were simply primitive as compared to that of the British army. They had already seen death and defeat. Yet, they would not take it lying down. They had to defend their freedom. It is as simple as that. The defence of freedom and independence was something worth dying for. They had to leave something for the future generation to believe in and to inculcate. It was their message. Heir-apparent to the throne Prince Tikendrajit and General Thangal were hanged to death publicly on August 13 to teach the Manipuris a lesson. Niranjan Subedar, Jamadar Kajao and Chirai Naga of Mayangkhang were hanged inside the jail on different dates. The Prince and the General knew they are facing a world power and a far superior army and had seen defeat. Yet, they had to defend the spirit of freedom and Manipur’s independence at all costs and they paid the ultimate price for it. Manipur lost its independence after the 1891 war, but the martyrdom of our heroes left a legacy for us to inculcate. But, we are still blind to the values set by the martyrs and the footprints they left for us to follow. It is like missing the wood for the trees. A once a year observation, high sounding speeches and floral tributes are not going to instill the values so dear to our martyrs. Such an observation would not create the right atmosphere for those qualities to develop among our youth. An interface between the social scientists and civil society organizations should be developed to discuss and deliberate on these crucial issues. A word of caution would be to avoid televised discussions, as it leads nowhere.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/04/revisiting-martyrdom/

Leader Writer: Wangkheimayum Bhupendra Singh
There has been a huge upsurge in two things in the state during the recent past- first, the number of ambitious regulations introduced by the government and its agencies have seen a bulging increase, while there is a substantial increase of cases of violence against women. The new set of regulations introduced by the government if properly implemented and followed will be good for the society and the state. But, the other growth is quite alarming and it would have serious consequences in the society. The first batch concerns the state and its agencies’ imposition with an equal amount of reaction and participation from the general public for its success; while the society, its morality with a humbler yet firm and substantial action from the government is needed to arrest the growth of the second.

The recently introduced systems and regulations of the state include among others the pre-paid power supply system in the core areas of Imphal city which are Paona Bazar and Thangal Bazar; the declaration of pedestrian only zone in Paona Bazar and Thangal Bazar; the revamped Zero Garbage campaign and introduction of Kangshi Gari for collection of Solid Waste in Imphal area-with strict penalties for offenders. Howsoever ambitious it might be, the recent endeavours on the part of the state should be welcomed by one and all and a participatory approach is needed for the success of these efforts. Yet, the state needs to implement in letter and spirit. With regard to the zero garbage campaign, nothing has been done to improve waste collection services outside the Bazar area. The prepaid power supply has been introduced in the Bazar area and we hope to see the end of the cobweb of electric wires jumble in the area soon. And somehow, power pilferage in the Bazar area will be checked to an excusable level. But, we are yet to see how honestly the Power department implements the new system.

On the other hand, never in its remembered past has the state seen so much violence against women in such quick succession. The state has been time and again considered to be a woman friendly place in the past; however the recent spate of violence against women including gang-rape, murder after rape, attempt to murder and the list goes on… negates the very concept of the state being woman friendly. The gang-rape of a tribal woman by four persons including two IRB personnel; the charred body of a woman found and later identified to be that of one Premila, who was allegedly raped and killed; a teenage girl who was allegedly raped by two persons just half a kilometer away from the office complex of the deputy commissioner of Thoubal among others are recent incidents which are still fresh in the people’s mind. The only thing that the rise of such crime reflects is the moral degradation of the people of the state in general and the society at large. There is no denying the fact that state actors have been found involved in such crimes, however their involvement in the crime should be considered as the involvement of an individual rather than the involvement of their official status. Yes, they should have been extra cautious being a state actor; however the crime as such was committed by the individual and not his office. The society should also bear the responsibility of such crimes to some extent, as the degrading morality of the individual in particular and that of the society are at play here. The general public is not that naïve so as to fail to understand that such crimes are committed because of degrading morality at the spur of the moment. The criminals should be punished befittingly. But just punishing the criminals will not deter the future criminals from repeating such ghastly acts. The society and the government should not remain oblivious to the real root of all such crimes. Morality seems to have taken a back seat in today’s society. It is time for the people to realize that books alone cannot uphold a society, but that morality is as much needed for a society to surge towards development. It needs a collective fight on all fronts to subdue such criminals from carrying on with their crimes in the society. However, even though it seems that the people of the state realises the only solution to all problems lies in collective action, we seem to be so engrossed in the ‘oneness of our own kind’ that we have forgotten the true implications of the ‘collective oneness’.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/04/state-and-its-issues-an-update/

The recent incident at Jessami in Ukhrul District once again brings to the fore the issue of several boundary disputes with Nagaland. The state of Nagaland has several boundary disputes with other states as well. The long standing border dispute at Merapani with Assam is yet to find a solution and there are several intrusions by Nagaland state forces in Assam territory and it is going to figure in talks with ULFA. The Sundaram Committee of 1972 that sought to resolve the Assam Nagaland border dispute had been rejected by Nagaland and the confrontation has seen the involvement of underground Naga groups. Nagaland had been accused of encroaching 662.4 sq km of land in Assam territory. Not only that, Naga groups specially the NSCN-IM is demanding a Greater Nagaland with territory from Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Between Manipur and Nagaland, there are several border disputes from Senapati to Ukhrul stretch. To mention a few there are disputes in the Dzuko valley, Mao, near Tungjoy at Lai village in Senapati District and Jessami in Ukhrul District. The most recent incident at Jessami is a result of the boundary dispute between villagers of Jessami and Mellory village in neighbouring state Nagaland. Earlier in another incident, Nagaland police had set up a post for its armed police personnel and constructed a rest house and fishermen`s rest centre. Jessami villagers say, there has been several intrusions by Nagaland police. In the Wednesday incident, around 400 Mellory villagers armed with 303 rifles and sticks came into the Manipur side at round 10:30am and took the six people including VDF personnel. But the timely intervention of the local MLA led in the release of the six persons after a severe beating. Such intrusion and and kidnapping is the result of inaction on the part of the Manipur Government. If the state government had acted firmly on these border disputes Nagaland Police or for the matter villagers of Nagaland would not have had the audacity to act like hooligans. The Manipur villagers are not amused with the way the state government is dealing with the situation. Yes, the state Chief Secretary talked to his Nagaland counterpart on the incident and was able to secure the release of the six people. But, reactive action is not enough. Manipur government has to play a pro-active role towards the solution of the various disputes to soothe hurt feelings of the Manipur villagers. What has the state government done with regard to the border dispute at Dzuko valley? Nagaland has been claiming the valley as their territory and it has even made it a tourist spot with good roads reaching right upto the valley, while Manipur has done little to improve connectivity in the areas. Concerned environmentalists had to travel to the valley via Nagaland. It is a shame. Same is the case with the Tungjoy village. Years back, Nagaland Police along with the villagers in Nagaland’s Phek district forcibly pushed out the residents of Tungjoy. A police station was constructed at Khezokhonoma in Nagaland bordering Manipur near Tungjoy. The villagers of the Tungjoy had said that while constructing the approach road the Nagaland police had encroached upon Manipur’s land. The dispute at Tungjoy is about hundred-year-old. Everyone including the state government seems to have forgotten about the dispute regarding Mao hospital. Nagaland had claimed the land on which the hospital is located. These disputes need the serious attention of the state government. The then Nipamacha led government was very firm in dealing with border disputes, but he did not take a pro-active role towards bringing a solution. Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh was very firm when he dealt with the issue of territorial integrity. But, somehow he chose not to deal with the long-standing border disputes with Nagaland as if it is a separate issue. The issue of territorial integrity and border dispute is interlinked and it should be dealt with in a holistic manner.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/04/nagalands-arrogance/

Where does the importance of Puyas stand in our present day society? Whatever be the controversies surrounding the script, we cannot ignore the Puyas, which is a rich repository of knowledge gained over the centuries. In fact, the Manipuri civilization is stored in these puyas. It is believed that more than 4000 puyas exist even today locked away in the homes of various custodians. They deal with a variety of subjects. They can be put broadly under the following categories: political and historical; geographical; natural phenomena; religious texts and rituals; genealogy; kinship; migration; medicine and physiology; astronomy; astrology; code of warriors; and monographs. By translating these Puyas in modern Manipuri language and again into English language would certainly open the eyes of not only ignorant Manipuris but it will enlighten the world on our rich heritage. A beginning has been made with the publication of the book ‘Chainarol: Way of the Warrior’ on Wednesday. The Imphal Free Press is proud to be associated with the Chanarol. Puya are written by learned Manipuri scholars, known as the Maichous, and they are also custodians of these scholarly works. The authorship is traditionally kept anonymous as a mark of humility and the first mention of authorship occurs in the 18th century. Scholars subordinate to Maichous were known as Mainous. A Maichou or Mainou is neither hereditary nor restricted to any particular group or class of people. They were appointed by the ruler to their respective offices on merit. A galaxy of seven Maichous graced the royal institution meant for them during the reign of Pamheiba. The world of puyas generally depicts a society and economy in the valley which is based on wet paddy cultivation, horticulture and fishery. Cottage industries like black smithy, gold smithy, bamboo crafts, carpentry, cotton and silk handloom works are major occupations. Inland waterways crisscross the valley for drainage and transport. Trading activities facilitate not only transaction of goods but also bring in skilled artisans from over a wide area. As the principal translator of the Chainarol puya said, when one attempts to render a puya into English the first hurdle is to convince the custodian, usually the descendant of a Maichou who is no more. It requires patience and an approach through a person or scholar to whom the family has complete trust. It is not just a hangover from bitter experiences in the historical past but the reflection of an attitude bordering on reverence for the puya as a family heirloom. To the family, it often overrides the potential benefit of the puya if presented to a wider readership. The manner in which the Chainarol was translated through a team effort and consultative process needs to be adopted in future projects based on Puyas, as near perfection could only be achieved only through a multi disciplinary approach. While saying this, we are not criticizing the efforts in translation. In fact, we must congratulate them for the painstaking work that they have done. We must also congratulate individual collectors of the original Puyas. We are indeed glad to know that, the Centre for Manipuri Studies at Manipur University had acquired original texts of about 500 puyas from a private collector. When these Puyas comes to life in the form of translated versions, the world will come to know of our civilization. We hope Manipur University will translate into action the aspiration of rediscovering the world of puyas. And they would certainly adopt the model of Chainarol project while undertaking Puya projects. The attention of the state Governor Gurbachan Jagat has been drawn with regard to the importance of the Puyas and its civilizational aspects. We also hope the Governor would push the state government on undertaking projects on Puyas.  

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/04/writing-puyas/