By Ananya S Guha The globalized world and technology has its own rapidly changing contexts. How do we adapt to such rapid fire change? Technology is providing everything, but it… Read more »
By Ananya S Guha The globalized world and technology has its own rapidly changing contexts. How do we adapt to such rapid fire change? Technology is providing everything, but it… Read more
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/06/the-globalized-world-technology-for-education-and-technology-as-plaything/
By Yuingam Jajo I have been following the ‘campaign’ surrounding the candidature of P.A. Sangma, the former Speaker of the Lok Sabha and a National Congress Party (NCP) stalwart,… Read more »
By Yuingam Jajo I have been following the ‘campaign’ surrounding the candidature of P.A. Sangma, the former Speaker of the Lok Sabha and a National Congress Party (NCP) stalwart,… Read more
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/06/a-tribal-president-busting-the-myth/
By: Patricia Mukhim This is an era where a book a day gets published and released. But Beautiful Country: Stories from another India – really floored me. The book is… Read more »
By: Patricia Mukhim This is an era where a book a day gets published and released. But Beautiful Country: Stories from another India – really floored me. The book is… Read more
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/06/patricia-mukhim-beautiful-country-stories-from-another-india/
Many of us have been schooled into believing that colonialism has ended. We are made to believe that this is the age of post-colonialism; post as in ‘after’ colonialism. It… Read more »
Many of us have been schooled into believing that colonialism has ended. We are made to believe that this is the age of post-colonialism; post as in ‘after’ colonialism. It… Read more
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/06/uncolonizing-the-mind/
By C. Doungel The overwhelming majority won by the Congress in the last general election (2012 January) has frightened the people of Manipur rather than make them rejoice. For, the… Read more »
By C. Doungel The overwhelming majority won by the Congress in the last general election (2012 January) has frightened the people of Manipur rather than make them rejoice. For, the… Read more
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/06/manipur-negative-outlook/
By Priyadarshini Laishram And whistles in his sound, Last scene of all That ends this… more »
By Priyadarshini Laishram And whistles in his sound, Last scene of all That ends this… more
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/second-childhood/
By Humra Quraishi PARTIES ARE NO LONGER WHAT THEY USED TO BE … Shall we… more »
By Humra Quraishi PARTIES ARE NO LONGER WHAT THEY USED TO BE … Shall we… more
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/signs-of-the-times/
By Bobo Khuraijam Transitory displacement from the town has deprived us from having a… more »
By Bobo Khuraijam Transitory displacement from the town has deprived us from having a… more
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/an-announcement-khanghan-jaba-ama/
By Humra Quraishi PARTIES ARE NO LONGER WHAT THEY USED TO BE … Shall… more »
By Humra Quraishi PARTIES ARE NO LONGER WHAT THEY USED TO BE … Shall… more
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/signs-of-the-times-3/
By RS Jassal General At present there are three Cease Fire agreements. Two of them… more »
By RS Jassal General At present there are three Cease Fire agreements. Two of them… more
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/peace-efforts-naga-chapterevaluated/
By Yuingam Jajo Yehudi A. Cohen strongly argued that one should not be fooled into… more »
By Yuingam Jajo Yehudi A. Cohen strongly argued that one should not be fooled into… more
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/the-politics-of-being-schooled/
By Dr. Malem Ningthouja In Manipur the demand for implementation of Inner Line Permit system… more »
By Dr. Malem Ningthouja In Manipur the demand for implementation of Inner Line Permit system… more
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/protection-for-insiders-demand-for-ilp-system-in-manipur/
By Amar Yumnam We had reacted earlier that the faces in the new cabinet in… more »
By Amar Yumnam
We had reacted earlier that the faces in the new cabinet in the government after the elections in last February do arouse greater expectation, goodwill and trustworthiness in the resultant governance that would arise. This seems to have been proved right. While three young ministers have now attracted large public attention in the positive sense in a State long used to negative synergies of development administration, I would take up two areas of two of them as massively significant in the light of emerging international, national and regional development scenarios.
Highways and Education: I would consider the recent interest, enthusiasm and pronouncements in connection with the road infrastructure and the education sectors by the concerned Ministers as timely, imperative and consequential if taken to their logical conclusions. We have had government after government and ipso facto Minister after Minister in Manipur who were looking after the problems surrounding these two sectors. The land and her people have also experienced the quality of governance or rather the lack of it, and have also borne heavy costs because of it. We have never had during the last two decades or so a kind of sustained governance commitment to improving these two sectors. Any response to any problem in these two areas by the government has been at best cyclical or knee-jerk so far, but the two new Ministers do give a kind of fresh air. It is exactly here that the present two decision-leaders in these two sectors seem to be aiming for bringing about a kind of structural approach to the issues involved rather than being just cyclical; this is exactly the need of the hour as well.
It is now established that inequality is rising in India. It has risen in Manipur as well. The time is now for us to move beyond the utilitarian concept of just per capita income to a more ethical dimension of opportunities. This is urgent and important. The emerging Asian development initiatives do demand of us to be fully prepared so that we too participate and reap benefits of the unfolding scenario. While the resultant inequality may have something to do with the efforts an individual puts in for survival, there is another aspect of opportunity and circumstances where an individual can hardly do anything about. It is in these two areas where the state should play an important role in order to provide an atmosphere of equal opportunities and circumstances. This is exactly where I find the two new faces in the ministry of Ibobi very appealing.
We often say that the people just maintain calm even after months of blockade in the national highways connecting Manipur with the rest of India. We do not realise that the main explanation for this is to be found in the general well-being of Manipur having disconnected with what happens on the highways. In other words, we have observed no sign of Manipur’s growth coupling the country’s growth trajectory. We also complain of the fact that the highways are subject to repeated blockades. Now the explanation for this phenomenon is to be found in two realities. First, the Imphal city has failed to serve as the centre of attraction for employment and other opportunities. This being the case, those settling on the national highways do not incur any tangible cost while imposing the blockades while a deep political point is made. Secondly, it also speaks of the absence of development policy encompassing the entire Manipur. The attention the blockades have drawn is because of the adverse impact it has had on the vocal and articulate sections of the population rather than the adverse effects on the general populace.
Now that the new Minister looking after road linkages has shown needed interest on the condition of the highways, he must now prove that he means business and is looking for structural changes rather than just cyclical enthusiasm. As stated above, Manipur does not yet have a kind of development perspective encompassing the total geographical space. Now that the highways are going to witness improvement and Asian Highways too are emerging, the Minister should apply his mind on how to evolve a kind of network which leaves no village untouched by modern transport facilities. The highways, national and international, would have meaning only when the people in every corner of the land have a stake in them directly or indirectly. When this is ensured, blockades in the highways would be a thing of the past and naturally at that. People would now be more involved in undertaking new productive activities.
The Minister for education too has shown commitment and enthusiasm for bringing about change in this sector. The challenge before him is larger and responsibility bigger than under any other minister. While he has put a time frame of six months, we would be happy if he could put some reforms in place within this period. It is a sector where reforms take time to take effect and bear fruit. But we are encouraged that the minister is talking of structural changes rather than just cyclical outpours. Education in Manipur is today characterised by some very disturbing features. First, we know that there is a large exodus of both students and funds for school and college education. Secondly, the remaining education sector functioning in the State is very expensive, involving a high public expenditure without any commensurate return in terms of service. Third, the first two features generally cause a kind of unexplained remorse, reinforced by the prevailing political-economic scenario, as exemplified by the huge problem of drug addiction. Fourth, the poverty of performance in this sector has also led to the collapse of the collective vision and ethical attitude among the population. In these circumstances, the sector is in urgent need of purge for removing the influence of rogue elements, governance lethargy for reforms in this sector and lack of application of mind of the responsible persons in this sector. We need to make the government the chief, core and effective functionary in this sector.
The Challenge: The two ministers have already aroused the imagination of the people and have given hope for the emergence of new governance in Manipur. We understand that there would certainly be resistance from the forces which have taken advantage of the prevailing scenario. This would arise both from within the government and from without. But Manipur’s future as a land where hope and facilities are equalised and prepared for joining the rise of Asia depends on what happens in the two sectors of education and infrastructure linkages today.
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/new-wind-in-governance-from-cyclical-to-structural/
By Bianca Jagger (Founder and Chair, Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation) His Holiness the… more »
By Bianca Jagger
(Founder and Chair, Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation)
His Holiness the Dalai Lama is in London today to receive the Templeton Prize in recognition of his outstanding achievements and spiritual wisdom.
Tibet has a long-standing connection to Britain. Prior to the Chinese invasion in 1949-50, Britain was the only country to formally recognize Tibet as an independent nation. British representatives were stationed in Lhasa from 1904 to 1947 to liaise with the Tibetan government. In 1949 the newly-victorious leader of the China Communist Party Mao Zedong announced, over the radio waves, his intention to “liberate” Tibet from this “foreign imperialism.”
Over the past 60 years, Tibet has been anything but “liberated” by the Chinese Communist Party.
On the 10th of May I delivered two reports to 10 Downing Street. The reports, by the Society for Threatened People and the International Campaign for Tibet, document the devastating impact of Chinese Communist Party rule in Tibet.
I appealed to Prime Minister David Cameron to support the Tibetans at this critical time in their struggle.
In recent months we have seen harrowing images and footage of Tibetans who have set fire to themselves as a form of protest. Since February, 2009, 35 Tibetans have sacrificed themselves, in an act of desperation, which emerges from the anguish of oppression. Tibetans who have self-immolated include monks, nuns, a 19-year old female student, a widowed mother of four, and a Tibetan reincarnate lama in his forties.
This is one of the most significant waves of self-immolation for the past 60 years, eclipsing the number of self-immolation protests by Vietnamese monks, those associated with the Vietnam War and the pro-democracy movement in South Korea.
The Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hahn has observed, “To burn oneself by fire is to prove that what one is saying is of the utmost importance.”
Although we do not know the last words of all the Tibetans who have poured kerosene over themselves and lit a match, we do know that most have died offering prayers for the Dalai Lama to return home, and for freedom in Tibet.
It is time for us to listen to what Tibetans inside Tibet are saying. It is time for the international community to listen to them and to act.
Over the past four years, the Chinese government has engaged in a comprehensive cover-up of the torture, disappearances and killings that have taken place across Tibet. They have engaged upon a virulent propaganda offensive against the Dalai Lama.
On the international stage, Beijing has subverted and politicized international forums where its human rights record has been challenged and refused to answer legitimate questions from governments about the use of lethal force against unarmed protestors, or the welfare of individual detainees.
Over the past 60 years, the Chinese government has instituted increasingly hard line policies that undermine Tibetan culture and religion. The Tibetan people have been denied freedom of expression. Their language has been downgraded. And their economic resources have been misappropriated by the Chinese state, with increasing numbers of Chinese migrants moving to the Tibetan plateau.
China`s economic strategies are literally re-shaping the Tibetan landscape and endangering the fragile ecosystem of the world`s largest and highest altitude plateau. The survival of one of the world`s only remaining systems of sustainable pastoralism is under threat, as nomads are being displaced from their ancestral lands and settled into remote concrete encampments under an urbanization drive.
Why should Tibet matter? It matters because of the terrible suffering of its people, and because of the need for this ancient religion and the Tibetan cultural identity to survive. This is a culture based on the concepts of wisdom, compassion and inter-dependence. These are valuable teachings for the Tibetan people, and for the world.
The survival of Tibet is not just a moral issue. The country is situated in a strategic geopolitical position, between two nuclear giants, India and China. The future of Tibet is tied to Asian and international security.
Tibet is known as the earth`s `Third Pole`, with the largest supply of fresh water in the world outside the two Poles. Most of Asia`s major rivers have their sources in Tibet, meaning that development policies, damming and land degradation in Tibet can affect hundreds of millions of people elsewhere. China cannot claim that Tibet is their `internal affair.`
This is a critical year for China. Divisions in the Chinese Communist Party have been exposed amidst a new clamor for genuine reform. At this historic juncture the international community should be actively engaged in finding a solution to the crisis in Tibet.
In our letter to David Cameron, we urged him to lead a multilateral effort in support of Tibet. The UK government should coordinate its efforts with other like-minded countries and call on the Chinese government to review the policies towards Tibetans that are the root cause of the self-immolations, the ongoing tensions and unrest, and which are threatening the unique culture, religion, and identity of the Tibetan people. The UK government, together with the European Commission should maintain and where possible expand targeted programmatic assistance for Tibetans including support for sustainable, culturally appropriate development assistance to Tibetan communities; educational and cultural exchange programs targeted to Tibetans both in Tibet and in exile.
Amnesty has also requested that the Chinese government allow independent monitors, for instance the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, into the country.
The international community should engage in regular dialogue with Tibetan representatives, including the Dalai Lama and his representatives, and Lobsang Sangay, the new Tibetan Prime Minister in exile, to address the immediate crisis in Tibet.
I urge President Obama to take concrete steps to demonstrate his commitment to the fundamental human rights of the Tibetan people, and stand by his words of January 19th 2011, when he professed `America`s fundamental commitment to the universal rights of all people. That includes basic human rights like freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association and demonstration, and of religion — rights that are recognized in the Chinese constitution… Even as we, the United States, recognize that Tibet is part of the People`s Republic of China, the United States continues to support further dialogue between the government of China and the representatives of the Dalai Lama to resolve concerns and differences, including the preservation of the religious and cultural identity of the Tibetan people.`
The religious and cultural identity of the Tibetan people is under threat in Tibet today. The Tibetans are standing up to the vast and expanding power of the Chinese state with nonviolent resistance through religious practice, song, literature, and even self-immolation. They are struggling to preserve their religion and cultural identity. As a consequence they are subjected to imprisonment, torture, deprivation and worse. Yet they persevere. Their bravery should serve as a call to action. I call upon the international community to act now on behalf of Tibet. Time is running out. The very survival of the Tibetan people hangs in the balance.
Bianca Jagger is Founder and Chair of the Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation, Council of Europe Goodwill Ambassador, Member of the Executive Director`s Leadership Council of Amnesty International, USA, and Member of the Coalition for the International Criminal Court.
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/why-tibet-matters/
By Suhas Chakma From 18th to 20th May 2012, a team of the National… more »
By Suhas Chakma
From 18th to 20th May 2012, a team of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) will be visiting Manipur for investigation into alleged encounter deaths of children in the State. This is one of the most significant steps taken by the NCPCR under the leadership of Chairperson Dr Shanta Sinha to address the gaps in the implementation of the juvenile justice in the areas afflicted by internal armed conflicts.
Manipur is emblematic of the absence of juvenile justice in the conflict affected areas. The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) remains in force in the State but when the AFSPA was enacted in 1958, there were no juvenile justice laws. Consequently, the AFSPA does not differentiate between children and adults. For effective purposes, the armed forces treat the juveniles as adult. In the entire discourse on the AFSPA, the need for special protection of children has not been addressed adequately.
It is universally accepted that on matters relating to children, specific laws relating to children shall prevail. This overriding principle is set out in article 3(1) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which provides that “in all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration”.
Indian judiciary too has recognised the supremacy of the Juvenile Justice (Protection and Care of Children) Act, 2000 over all other Acts including on the Prevention of Terrorism Act of 2002. The Madras High Court in the case of the arrest of G. Prabhakaran (15 years) under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2002 upheld the supremacy of the Juvenile Justice Act. The Madras High Court while dismissing the trial of Prabhakaran under the POTA stated “The rights of a child are an integral part of human rights, yet the protagonists of human rights hardly ever focus their attention on the exploitation and abuse of the rights of children. ….The POTA court, in the present case, has exceeded its jurisdiction and trespassed into another territory and the mischief has to be undone.’’
In Manipur, children have been consistently arrested, detained and tortured. In many cases, they have also become victims of extrajudicial executions or encounter killings. ACHR has regularly been intervening in a number of cases and it shares two specific cases which have been concluded.
On 13 July 2003, three children namely Kamkholal Haokip (17 years) and his younger brother Sumkhosat Haokip and Satkholun Haokip (15 years) were killed by the Assam Rifles personnel in an alleged encounter at Sipijang area under Senapati district. The Assam Rifles claimed that all the three children were hardcore members of the Kuki National Front. However, the villagers stated that the Assam Rifles had an encounter with the militants following which they cordoned off the four villages – Gelbung, G-Solung, Matjong Thangbu and L Khumnom and called out about 50 youths from their respective homes at about 3.30 am. All the 50 youths were taken to the playground at Gelbung village. Later on at about 6.30 am, three children were picked out from the group while the rest were told to go home. As the rest were on their way home, they heard loud gunfire shots. Later the Assam Rifles personnel called out another 12 youths from the villages and told them to carry away the bodies of the three youths which bore multiple bullet injuries. Kamkholal Haokip was a Class X student of Salem Higher Secondary School while Sumkhosat and Satkholun were employed in a hotel at Imphal. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) intervened following a complaint filed by ACHR but let off the Assam Rifles solely based on a “No Objection Certificate” forcibly taken from the villagers certifying that they were not harassed by the Assam Rifles!
However, the Assam Rifles could not hide with respect to alleged encounter killing of Saikhom Samungou (20 years), Sanasam Ngongo Meitei (15 years) and Thiyam Sunder (23 years) on 11 January 2005 under Yairipok Police Station in Thoubal district. A Press Information Bureau (PIB) Defence Wing handout claimed that all of them were cadres of the banned United National Liberation Front. However, the villagers claimed that Saikhom Samungou and Sanasam Ngongo Meitei were students. The police in its report to the NHRC following a complaint from ACHR stated that while Thiyam Sunder was a hardcore member of the UNLF, Sanasam Ngongo Meitei and Saikhom Samungou Singh were “innocent civilians”. The Ministry of Defence also admitted that Meitei and Singh were civilians but it continued to refer all the three as “militants” and “terrorists” in its report dated 13 June 2006 to the NHRC. The NHRC in its order dated 31 August 2007 directed to pay Rs 100,000 to each of the next of kin of the deceased but under what circumstances Meitei, a juvenile, was killed remained unexplained.
In all the conflict affected areas, arrest, detention, torture, sexual abuse and encounter killings are rampant. There is little knowledge about the Juvenile Justice (Protection and Care of Children) Act, 2000 amongst the law enforcement personnel in conflict situations. The institutions defined under the Juvenile Justice (Protection and Care of Children) Act, 2000 such as Juvenile Justice Boards, Child Welfare Committees, Juveniles Homes, Juvenile Special Police Units etc do not exist in the disturbed areas/conflict situations. And large parts of the country are indeed affected by armed conflicts. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, 21 out of 28 States are affected by internal armed conflicts. These includes Jammu and Kashmir, seven northeastern States and 13 Naxalite affected States of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.
In order to address the gaps for administration of juvenile justice in conflict affected areas, there is a need to adopt “Standard Operating Procedures” that the security forces must comply. Further, the institutions of juvenile justice ought to be made functional. Otherwise, children living in conflict affected areas will be deprived of what is provided to children in rest of the country.
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/protecting-children-in-conflict-situations/
By Gyanendro Ningombam, Editor of MEEYAM Evening Daily. Who says India is not “MAHAAN”?… more »
By Gyanendro Ningombam, Editor of MEEYAM Evening Daily.
Who says India is not “MAHAAN”? Yes, it is Mahaan – still Mahaan because the country, in respect of development of science and technology, information technology network, economic growth and foreign policy etc. It has gone far and far ahead in the pursuit of excellence in diversified field and become an emerging power. But in sports, the country’s performance in Olympics and in several other International competitions is dismal and it continues to be a laughing stock of the world. It has always been more defeat than fruition. Hockey, a wonderful field game, once dominated by this great country has now come to a stage of decadence. The 8-time Olympic champion has been relegated in the background and the country is now fighting for a berth in the Olympic qualifiers. It is amazing to note that in the span of 108 years the Mahaan Country could fetch only 9 golds (8 in hockey and 1 in Individual shooting competition), 2 silvers and 3 bronzes in the Olympic events. The India Olympic Association (The apex body of India Sports) and other federations are responsible for destroying the fabric of Indian sports. The role of the Indian government is also dubious for it provided blanket permission to IOA and the federations to destroy Indian sports. The lack of achievement in the sphere of International sports arena in not because of poverty. It is also not because of lack of funds and facilities. It is because of the unfortunate imprisonment of Indian players in the cunning hands of politicians and stewed mind of bureaucrats. Instead of taking country’s sports in bringing out equitable development in order to replace the present tragedy scene into ovation, they are fighting for their own affluent life style and nothing has been done for the cause of sports in the country. And the sports lovers in the country with a misapprehension mood brings the matter to question as to whether the IOA and federations officials are there to promote the Indian sports in general or are they concerned only about preserving the image or the reputation of their own seats in sports? People still want to be informed as to what is the standing between IOA and the progress of Indian Sports. All talk but no action. Come Olympics and various other major international tournaments or competitions the sports barons and officials will suddenly become alive. Lofty words are spoken, tall claims are made and high sounding statements are issued.
Indian sports have not yet been given the “Freedom” that it deserves although the country has been liberated for more than six decades. The purposed “Sports Bill” which mainly aimed to develop country’s sports is surrounded by controversies. Now a marked question to be discussed at depth is: whether is it possible to make a turn and twist from tragedy to triumph through a sagacious solution so that India uplift the present scene – from the pit of despair to the “Everest of Glory”. Well, if we leave the solution in the hands of these “JAGIRS” it will be a long wait perhaps it may never happen. Rather the further prevalence of the tragedies may result in a highly sustained atmosphere. Now looking into the global development experiences in sports we need therefore, to work hard either by adopting or limiting number of schemes in organisations, administration, management and training even laid by leading sports countries in order to enable to earn excellence on any pursuit. Apparently, we need to make effort with a serious view to make surer solution what all goes on in the corridors of Indian Sports which has sadly fallen on bad days. I’m sure there are people who can do it. I’m again sure India will be able to join in the run up to the world of sports if the administration and organisation is solely held by sportspersons. But it still needs to have to put up a “United Front” and fight ruthlessly against the politicians and bureaucrats (presently holding sports organising bodies and working only in vested interest) who always consider sports as their “DEN”. The time has come. This is the time. It is now or never.
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/indian-sports-a-defeatist-culture/
IMPHAL, May 14: In an emailed statement the village elders of Chadong village has clarified… more »
IMPHAL, May 14: In an emailed statement the village elders of Chadong village has clarified on the recent Chadong villagers feud which was widely reported in the local dailies.
The statement has claimed that Job kasar does not have a house in Chadong as he sold his house to Asang Kasar some years back and added that he is currently living in the house of his elder sister Philayi Kashung (wife of Ngatangmi Kashung) of Chadong village.
It has further alleged that Job blamed one Malungchang Kashung, a cousin of Ngatangmi Kashung, of instigating Ngatangmi to force him out from his current residence.
In this situation, on 8 May around 6 pm, Horam Kashung, the son of Malungchang came to Job, who was drunk at that time, to clarify the charges levelled against his father. This led to a family feud, but at the end the neighbours came to stop the parties.
That night, around midnight, all of a sudden some armed personnel in four gypsies landed in Chadong accompanied by two residents of the village namely Yaomi Kasar and Ashang Kasar. They rushed to the house of Malungchang and tried to arrest his eldest son Berlin, it said.
By this time the woman folks of the village have gathered and they managed to snatch back the eldest son from the hands of the armed personnel. Surprisingly, one Benjamin Kashung, a close relative of Ngatangmi, was taken away by those armed persons (accompanied by Yaomi Kasar and Ashang Kasar). This was done without any arrest Memo or any intimation, and the villagers were left behind with utter shock and feared his fate, the statement claimed.
The statement signed by M. Ringai, MH Ramkahao, K. Valungchang said that by the that time most villagers were gathered, and infuriated by this act of the armed personnel and the two villagers who were accompanying them.
The immediate retaliation by the uncontrollable mob was to vandalize the house of Yaomi Kasar and Ashang Kasar, it said.
The next morning on May 9, the Litan Police OC and SDPO, Ukhrul and SDO Phungyar and their teams arrived at Chadong and made a spot enquiry. Yaomi Kasar, Ashang Kasar, James Kasar and others also arrived at the village. James is the elder brother of Yaomi and he is also the disputed Head Man of Chadong Village. The officers concern have informed that a meeting of the two parties have been called on 14 May and the Chadong Village Authority looks forward to an amicable solution to the issue while seeking justice for those wrongly put under difficult situation, it said.
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/another-clarification-on-chadong-feud/
By Rajkumar Bobichand In Manipur, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE)… more »
By Rajkumar Bobichand
In Manipur, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) seems has a different meaning. It appears that most people who are administrating and managing of school education in Manipur consider the meaning of the Right to Education as compulsory promotion of students of primary and middle school i.e. standard I to VIII; there should not be any public/board examinations and the children should not retained.
But the intention of the RTE Act is that every child in India aged 6-14 years has the fundamental right to education. The all children should be educated not just given certificates. And the RTE Act continues to lay emphasis on what inputs the bureaucrats and political forces believe are necessary to have better education in India. It may be noted that some key clauses of the RTE Act say that no child can be held back until the completion of elementary education, unrecognized schools are banned, donations and capitation fees are banned, interviews for admission are banned, 25% of seats in private schools are to be reserved for the poor (to be reimbursed, based on a formula, by the state), the responsibility to get kids into schools is with the government and all schools have to adhere to the prescribed norms and standards within three years. Some of these clauses appear to be very noble. But the big question is – How far would it be implemented in letter and in spirit? Can it really be delivered to the children and society? Still the fiend lies in the details and in the delivery.
In the meantime, the Supreme Court of India in its verdict on the constitutionality of the Right to Education Act in relation to the reservation of seats for Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and Socially Disadvantaged (SD) children has rightly upheld the principle of integration.
However, there will be challenges faced by all concerned namely, school managements, teachers, parents and children in enforcing the law both in letter and in spirit. Will the children from the families who belong to the Economically Weaker Sections and Socially Disadvantaged be warmly welcomed by all the private schools in Manipur? We all know that government schools will not have any problem about the reservation of seats. The only problem lies with the government schools is that even the very poor parents who live on hand to mouth are not willing to send their children to government school for their education. This is because the parents know that it will be very difficult for their children to get quality education from government schools.
On the other hand, the parents cannot afford to send their children to prestigious and top ranking private schools. And the reality is that not all government schools are bad. Similarly, not all private schools are good. But in the context of Manipur, it becomes a need to somehow send and afford their children in a private school so that their children also can get education to compete with their compatriots. But the question is that – will the private schools in Manipur be able to respect the verdict of the Supreme Court? Will the Economically Weaker Section and Socially Disadvantaged children be properly identified in Manipur? Will it not affect the self esteem of a child if he is identified as EWS and SD? Will it be possible for the government authorities, the managements and teachers to treat the children same?
On the other hand, in the culture of Manipuri society, how far will it be practical – which parents will say their children should be identifies as EWS and SD for admission in such private schools?
Now, the all the schools must implement RTE within three years. But, in Manipur, there are instances where the managements of the schools used to interpret the RTE to suit their agenda only. Moreover, many schools will not be able to meet these criteria by the end of three years. The impact will be felt the most by the private, unaided budget schools, where enrolment numbers are growing fast and which many parents prefer over government schools. On the other hand, these budget schools do not have the financial means to meet the criteria set. Most of them invest in basic infrastructure; their teachers are not necessarily qualified as per the rules and regulations set by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Board of Secondary Education Manipur (BSEM). The teachers are paid low salaries even as low as Rs 1,500 per month and as high as Rs. 7, 500 per month as against Rs 5,500 to Rs 15, 000 plus at schools in other states of India. The reasons for these that all because these schools charge a low fee of around Rs100-500 per month, which poorer parents can afford. Many parents prefer to pay a fee and send their kids to a private school because they have lost faith in government schools and, in many cases, the teachers in private schools are more passionate and dedicated. Even though many people who have been good and dedicated teachers in private schools have been appointed in government schools and its various programmes like SSA and RMSA, it is not certain that the teachers will they continue to be more passionate and dedicated. All these because that the bureaucracy and corrupt system and practices of the government will make them lethargy and kills their skills and spirit of teaching children. Now, the private in Manipur seem unable to employ dedicated and qualified teachers. In this critical juncture, are the private schools in Manipur ready for RTE?
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/rte-are-private-schools-in-manipur-ready/
By Amar Yumnam T.S. Eliot once said: “What is actual is actual only for… more »
By Amar Yumnam
T.S. Eliot once said: “What is actual is actual only for one time. And only for one place.” Let us apply this to contemporary situation to our land. Manipur’s development challenge today is unique, and the development scenario cannot afford and will not remain the same. If we ever wish to see Manipur sustain as Manipur, things have to change and change massively. Here I would like to recall two recent analyses of economists working on African and Asian-Pacific issues. One issue relates to the role of media (read press in the context of Manipur), and the other to use of knowledge for development. It would be interesting to appreciate the dynamics on these two aspects in the case of Manipur too.
Media Research: Economists now emphasise the fundamental role of media in causing governance improvements and fighting the menace of corruption. In Africa as well as the rest of the world, studies have established that deepening of democratic norms does help the emergence of responsible media. Once the media has emerged in a democratic framework, the primary responsibility of the media to evolve as an effective social tool for moving forward is critical. They have to rise to the challenge and play the role expected of them. But this is easier said than done. It necessarily demands a committed team in the media working persistently for a positive change in the society they function. This point has been considered significant particularly because in societies of critical development challenges, there are many forces working to influence the media. The latter should be able to hold their ground under pressure. We need to examine how our press in Manipur has been in recent times.
Knowledge and Development: Knowledge is now being appreciated as a key input while endeavouring for development. A new dimension to this understanding has now been added by incorporating management aspects into the development designing, development interventions and development administration. For a decade or so, the invisible hand as the ultimate framework of development has swayed the economists by relegating the state to the background. Now this has been subjected to heavy revisions consequent upon the global meltdown. While not asking for return of the state in the development arena as in the past, it is now emphasised that regulation is needed for ensuring the desired outcomes.
Development intervention cannot just be left at that. Development interventions are to be managed in such a way the manifest outcomes tally with the desired goals. While the desired goals are the long term objectives, the manifest outcomes are the results of short period completion stages of development interventions. Now this management of development interventions is not an easy task. It has to be based on a deep understanding of the social context where the intervention is being put in place and robust analysis of the contextual pros and cons. This understanding and analysis have to be applied without being swayed by contemporary personal biases and selfish errors. We need to examine if this is a characteristic of Manipur as well.
Media in Manipur: Media in Manipur today are no longer the same as they were two decades back or so. They now show signs of vibrancy. But courage and objectivity are still question marks. As stated above, media for development have to relentlessly stress and fight for truth and objectivity. They should be performing the task of change for development protagonists. The forces of corruption and rogue elements forming pseudo social change workers have definitely emerged as strong negative agent in contemporary Manipur. They have been working hard to subject all the media, institutions, organisations and the state under their thumb. It is the primary onus of the media to rise to the occasion and resist the pressure from this front. But it is exactly here that I feel the contemporary media in Manipur find themselves weakest. Even supposedly widely circulated newspaper allows herself to be nothing more than a notice board where any Tom, Dick and Harry can post any. In the process, the media allow themselves to be used as a strong channel for character assassination of people without in any way endeavouring to indulge in the primary task of news confirmation and truth enquiry. This has made our media in Manipur fail to perform the task of a change agent for development.
Knowledge In Manipur: The fundamentality of knowledge is now a most widely emphasised element in development analysis anywhere in the world. The Asian Development Bank is a major institution in Asia to apply this element on a large scale in order to ensure sustainable development in this continent. Now this application of knowledge for management of development entails three things. First, it appreciates the problems and weaknesses (including biases, whims and prevailing errors) in any society. Secondly, the first understanding should never be used as opportunity for personal aggrandisement either by the knowledge agents or any social group or individuals. Third, while applying the knowledge to management of development (read projects) attention has to be given as to how far any short-term result dovetails or conflicts with the long term objective.
Here Manipur today suffers from three critical weaknesses. First, the endeavour to understand the social context and apply knowledge in the way to ensure development is minimal at best in so far as the development intervention is concerned. It is true both for the state agents and those working presumably on behalf of the state. Second, the forces of corruption and the rogue elements have joined hands in working for development. This definitely is a very wrong use of knowledge and a very contemporary error of social functioning in Manipur. Here we can imagine the recent emergence of contractors as architects in many executions of development projects. Third, the resultant outcome of development intervention naturally moves far away from the desired goals.
Upshot: In fine, I have tried to look at the prevailing atmosphere of development administration and development thinking in the context of Manipur from the angle of emerging lessons from countries in Asia and Africa. In order to give proper context and direction to the whole issue of development in Manipur, there is an imperative for the press in Manipur to rise to the occasion and move beyond the medium for character assassination by behaving as bill-boards. There is also a primary need to push the significance of knowledge for development in a way much more genuinely significant than the forces of rogue elements and corrupt forces.
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/manipur-and-the-development-demands-media-knowledge-and-all-that/
By Priyadarshini Laishram At an age when the whole International community has geared up… more »
By Priyadarshini Laishram
At an age when the whole International community has geared up to combat the complex problem of human trafficking and specifically child trafficking, the menace of this deplorable crime has not spared even this tiny State of ours called Manipur. Though the Social Welfare Department, Police department and several NGOs have been putting in their utmost effort with various approaches and initiatives to combat this problem yet, there seems to be an increasing trend in the graph for occurrences of child trafficking in our state. There are lacunae and gaps perhaps in the approaches, strategies or initiatives taken up because of which the organized crime is able to show its ugly face time and again and with the recently reported cases of children missing from homes or being trafficked purportedly to be recruited as child soldiers, the matter all the more needs a deeper speculation and analysis.
The 1989 U.N Convention on the Rights of the Child states that a child means every human being below the age of 18 years though some countries have chosen to set the “age of majority” lower than 18.The Convention on the Rights of the Child, a universally agreed set of non-negotiable standards and obligations provides protection and support for the rights of the children. In adopting the convention the International Community recognized that people under 18 years of age often need special care and protection. To help stem the growing abuse and exploitation of children worldwide the United Nations General Assembly in 2000 adopted two Optional Protocols to the convention to increase the protection of children from involvement in armed conflict and sexual exploitation. The Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict establishes 18 as the minimum age for recruitment in the armed forces and requires the State to do everything they can to prevent individuals under the age of 18 from taking a direct part in hostilities. Though the optional protocol as such is not in a binding nature, yet every state and non state actors who are protagonists of the philosophy of human rights and human dignity are expected to set their rules and regulations and standards in line with the convention guidelines. Despite all the conventions, protocols, recommendations and declarations the malaise goes unabated.
From the trend and information available regarding child trafficking in Manipur it may be drawn that our state is the origin and not destination of child trafficking. Children may be trafficked for forced labour, for use in drug trade as couriers and then “paid” in drugs so that they become addicted and further entrapped, forced begging by sometimes maiming them, military purpose etc. Children may be trafficked for military purpose to be used as child soldiers taking direct part in hostilities, in other supporting roles such as messengers, porters, spies, look-outs or for political advantage either as human shields or in propaganda. In our state too with decades old insurgency movement creating a situation of unrest and uncertainty, society at a crossroad with numerous issues, cases of children being trafficked outside the state have been reported and today again news has hit the headlines that children are missing from their homes and trafficked purportedly for being recruited as child soldiers in some armed outfits. Because the local media, both print and electronic came out with a good reporting about the deplorable episode of the abduction of children purportedly for being recruited in armed outfits and the public raised a hue and cry that it has become pronounced and clear that people are out and out against such kind of abuse of children. It is not lost in the minds of the public that it is after all the protests and demonstrations that the three young children from Lamsang were found/ rescued from Moreh and another one from Chandel. It is for all to understand why the boys have been quoted as saying that they left their homes on their own to join the armed outfit. The writing on the wall is clear and while the incident has sparked wide public outrage it is just that the folks behind the crime do not have the moral courage to admit and declare their stand. There are numerous unreported cases of young children including girls even below the age of 15 yrs who have surrendered to the security agencies. A good number too who have been arrested are in their early twenties their recruitment in the armed outfit dating back 6-8 yrs which means they were recruited at the age of 15/16 years. All these go to indicate that they could have been drawn towards the outfit more by co-ercion or by force less voluntarily. Even where the children have volunteered to join the outfit for whatever reasons it is expected of the non state parties in their wisdom to scrutinize that children have no ability to make informed decisions especially in such delicate matters as taking up arms and fighting for a cause. It should not be too late for the non state actors to address such issues or else the possibility of people in unison questioning the ideologies and tall claims of the revolutionary movement cannot be ruled out. From the account of Jimmy Briggs, a noted journalist who has done research in the issue of child soldiers for six years in his book “Innocents Lost” of the horrendous episodes of child soldiers across nations affected by armed conflict, genocide, and war like Columbia, Rwanda, Sri- Lanka, Northern Uganda, Afghanistan, etc it has been noted that the longer conflicts continue the more likely that children will be exploited as soldiers. The more adults are wounded, killed or captured the more youngsters become the inevitable recruiting pools and whenever children are exploited the whole society is jeopardized. Taking a cue from the observation and in the face of the conflict situation that Manipur is in, the need of the hour hence, is to direct our thought process towards the impact of conflict on young children and what we can do to save our society though immediate solution for the conflict may not be or is not within the mandate of the society.
Everybody agrees and opines that children are the future pillars of the nation but this will be rendered a mere rhetoric if we do not make an effort to safeguard and protect them and ensure a conducive atmosphere for their physical and mental development. Hence, in the face of the ascending trend of children being trafficked for exploitation, the state, society and all stakeholders cannot afford to remain as mute spectators. It is imperative to look at the whole issue of welfare of children from the right perspective and specifically work out ways and means to check the abhorrent crime. In trying to analyze the causes and consequences of Child trafficking, the social, economic and cultural factors as well as civil and political contexts of the places and communities need to be considered. All the stakeholders need to put heads together and analyze why and how the trend has set in, what could be the factors both “pull ‘and “push” factors which may have played a role. The pull factors in connection with the episode of trafficking of children to other parts of the country maybe a demand for cheap labour, drive to extort maximum benefit or profit by using children from this part of the country who could be isolated from families, who could face communication problem and hence not try to complain or run away. For the recent incident of trafficking children for being recruited as child soldiers the pull factor maybe a decline in the number of human resources in the armed outfit/s owing to death of the cadres either in combat or otherwise, arrests and surrenders, desertions etc.
The push factors for the recent spurt in the incidences of child trafficking is definitely the call of the Government, the law enforcement agencies, NGOs and the whole society. Though political will, effort of the Government in terms of provision of health and educational care, legal safeguards are definitely in place for the welfare of children, poverty in certain cases, economic disparity, ineffective mechanisms for dissemination of beneficiary schemes specially at the grassroot level, lack of awareness, sometimes seer apathy of the people towards the problem etc can be accounted as elements contributing to the ascending degree of child trafficking. There are also a whole range of issues which are slowly eating into the vitals of our society. The craze of our children for toy guns maybe counted as a manifestation of their minds getting corrupted and drawn towards the gun culture. There is an alarming need to orient their thoughts towards other constructive issues as it may enhance their vulnerability to be easily trafficked when accosted by unscrupulous elements with the promise of handing them real guns. This is where intervention by the community as a whole is needed. As a mark of protest against violence and gun culture and to drive home the point that gun kills , is antithetical to peace and has an impact on the psyche of children there has been news of burning down of toy guns at Keinou and Thoubal. Several NGOs are also focusing on this issue and such efforts which is so relevant in today’s scenario maybe lauded and further encouraged. The threat posed by substance abuse or drug abuse to our children and the menace itself facilitating child trafficking can hardly be lost sight of. Once the young children gets chained in the addiction their reasoning power whatsoever little is weakened and makes them susceptible to be easily diverted on wrong paths. Traffickers can easily lure them by promising them the substance they are craving for. Here again the government,the law enforcers, NGOs and community have a responsibility to check the engulfing menace which has also been accounted for placing Manipur in the HIV/AIDS map of the world.
A healthy and good environment with necessary dietary and educational care is required for the healthy upbringing of a child. Though most part of the task of a good child upbringing rest with the family of the child, not all children are blessed to be nurtured under the protective care of their parents, to have all their needs provided, materially, financially, emotionally. There are numerous unfortunate lot who face adverse situations in life at their tender age due to poverty, broken family, loss of parents, lack of sustainable livelihoods etc. Though all these factors do not count as causes of child trafficking, these may be counted as factors which exacerbate the vulnerability of these groups of children to be easily trafficked. Identification of such vulnerable groups and families followed by implementation of programs and measures for improving their economic status so that reasonable alternatives are available to them could be a strategy, long term though to check the trafficking crime. The outreach may also include enhancing access to affordable quality education, awareness programs on the need for community participation in tackling the issue etc.
Another aspect is the law enforcement part. Stricter legislations with emphasis on prosecution for the traffickers and recruiters is to be given due importance and effectively enforced. Successful prosecution of child traffickers is the surest way to send a message that child trafficking will not be tolerated at all. Traffickers carry out their clandestine activity by means of deception, co-ercion or force. They can be caught at the instant they try to coax the young children or at the time of movement. In this regard stricter border control is also an essential element. Grass root surveillance at the community level can also thwart attempts by unscrupulous elements. Institution of a hotline which is active 27×7 and where public can dial to report any suspected cases of child trafficking is another step which has been mooted to keep round the clock vigil.
Victim assistance is another aspect which forms an integral part of the solution to the menace. Identifying victims of trafficking and developing suitable programs to provide individualized and supportive physical and psychological rehabilitation to them will go a long way in curbing the problem. Consideration of cadres or over-ground workers of armed outfits who are at their tender age at the time of their arrest as victims rather than culprits and dealing with them within the purview of Juvenile Justice Act along with sheltering them in juvenile homes or child welfare committees for proper rehabilitation may contribute in bringing about a holistic solution. Story of Deepa, 17 yrs(name changed) of Koirengei, a cadre of an underground outfit who surrendered to a paramilitary unit and who is undergoing rehabilitation through a child welfare committee is a testimony of the effort made by security agencies in this direction which should be acknowledged and lauded too.
Maybe it is because we attach a special emotion and endearing connect with children for their innocence and naive nature about the worldly affairs that we find the news of children being trafficked for forced labour, forced begging or recruitment as child soldiers offending our collective conscience, principles of human dignity and violating basic human rights. The heart rending episodes have shocked all of us and every section of the society irrespective of their affiliations have voiced their disgust.
Number of children have been rescued earlier. Four of the boys have also been found/ rescued recently. Whole Manipuri society is relieved and is rejoicing the re-union of the children with their families. There are still more parents wailing at the loss of their children hoping against hope that their children would be rescued and would join them soon. The people of Manipur have moved on with life ,moved on with time, frustrated with happenings, helpless at their mouths being gagged, cursing at times their own fate at the sordid state of affairs but in this mind boggling issue of targeting and trafficking the young ones, robbing them of their childhood bliss, of their fun and innocence and luring them into a path of which they are not sure of, the people of Manipur will be resilient no more, will be gagged no more, will be indifferent no more but go all out against it, hammer and tongs for, if we do not try to put an end to this our next generation will definitely question us for their crumbled tomorrow.
Moral responsibility and accountability- these two words maybe missing in the dictionary of the perpetrators and recruiters but we definitely do have a moral responsibility and accountability to shape our own society and every unit of it in the best possible way. Answerable they may not be to us for their ill intent of trying to /using the young children but they ought to be at least to the mothers of those children who are spending sleepless nights, wailing and just looking forward to their children returning home. The slogan for the moment is that their tender hands are definitely not meant for rigorous work enslaved in hazardous environment or playing with real guns.
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/05/child-trafficking-in-manipur-a-perspective/
