Communal accord: Need of the hour

Thoudam Imomacha Singh *

Community campaign for communal accord is indeed the need of the hour, in the present state of turbulence in Manipur. Aftermath the homicide of two poor artisans and the extreme abuse suffered by a 12-years old schoolboy in the rough hands of the cadres of the Kuki Revolutionary Front (KRF), tension has run high in some parts Manipur Valley.

Despite promulgation of curfew, arson and mob violence spread like wild fire in a vast area of Imphal West, the native locality of the Slain labourers. The State Government of Manipur has reviewed the development in a hurriedly arranged State Cabinet meeting, which took place in the afternoon of Thursday the 14th of May, being presided over by the State chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh.

The meeting had also taken account of the death of a civilian who was injured in suddenly erupted mob violence and later on he succumbed to his injury while in hospital for treatment. In the meeting the State Cabinet had judiciously taken a decision to grant ex-gratia amounting to 5 lakh rupees to each of the family of the three deceased.

An ex-gratia amount 1 lakh rupees and 20 thousand rupees were also sanctioned meant for those who were seriously injured and those suffering minor injuries respectively. The benevolent decision to grant ex-gratia payments to victims of such riots is indeed praiseworthy. The State Government headed by Mr. O. Obobi Singh has shown probity, well in time and Mr. O. Ibobi Singh being the head of the Government deserves fabulous praise.

Our civil society, senior citizens, eminent academics and politicians and leaders of public opinion must stand behind the State Government in solidarity so that the elements of disharmony, communalism and rumuors-mongers could be obliterated, well in time.

On the other hand the State Government may find it substantially beneficial to its own functioning provided it could sponsor public motivation campaigns at various segments of both Hills & Valley districts of Manipur with an innate sense of innovation. The Deputy Commissioners, who are formally known as the pivots of District Administration must be given the responsibility of developing harmonious communion among tribes, communities and ethnic groups and all the more, among different sections of our society.

Police Officers and policemen who are entrusted with the responsibility for community policing must be made enlightened in their job of dealing with the public. It is essential for the State Police Chief and his Force to understand that public confidence in his men of uniform is restored as well as enhanced. The amity between the public and the police must be the criterion on which a harmonious polity could always be built up.

In accordance with the trend of records and historiography, Manipur is an ancient land where monarchy existed since 33 A.D. Manipuri Society has been a composite one, with various ethnic groups and communities since times immemorial. The solidarity in thought and deed of the entire group of inhabitants must be given top priority to be formulated within the shortest time span possible.

There are always threats of dismemberment of the territorial extent of Manipur, both from inside and outside. As matter of fact, no other ancient powers could establish their prolonged political hegemony on the land of Manipur, except the British after the 1891 Anglo-Manipuri conflict. Even after that Manipur remained a suzerainty.

Our historical records speak about the fact that Manipur had a high degree of social and cultural harmony and communal amalgamation at its best. An ancient land having an area of 22,327 squares kilometers in length and breadth comprising numerous ethnic groups, tribes and communities as its inhabitants, Manipur is presently facing threats of Balkanization from many unexpected quarters inside and outside the land.

Such threats are indeed psychotic to bear with. The obnoxious actions of stateless and self-seeking actors are to be totally ignored as they are always ready to strike at communal nerves of the population. The writer firmly believes that the State Government stands erect with unqualified confidence to deliver the goods pertaining to different streams of the state administration of Manipur. Let us not forget if Manipur lives, nobody dies, if Manipur dies nobody lives.