Dichotomy of peace in Manipur: A Discourse
- Part 1 -

Priyadarshni M. Gangte *

" Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding " – Albert Einstein.

Bringing peace in Manipur is concerned, we need to trace back the past historical events, that is, of course, the causes and consequences of what we are facing to-day. Moreover, deprivation of justices, particularly political, economic, social, etc. were on the high. It is an empirical fact, thatManipuris have been protesting against even the British regime, can be clearly known from events; the First and Second Nupilals, Anglo-Manipuri War, Anglo-Kuki War, Irawat's and Zeliangrong movements and others.

Despite this situation, merger of Manipur to the Indian Dominion and placed as part C state also had added fuel to the fire. As a setback there came up the secessionist movements.Even, G.K. Pillai former Union Secretary of Home Affairs, said that the ancient kingdom of Manipur which had a constitution even before India wrote her own had its own proud history and was overnight turned into a C-category state in 1948. Manipur being very aloof from others was also an economic backward state.

What intelligentsia and policy of our areas especially Manipur, popularly believe the future prospects of development and political stability of our regions lie in the Look East Policy, is, however, Roy has flatly refuted that it cannot be a panacea to the lingering problem of North-East, apart from the pangs of formation of an arbitrarily created nation – State with artificial borders, lies in the imposition of a system of parliamentary democracy based on the colonial legacy of constituency formation that hinges on the population logic.

Moreover, absence of a smooth transition and the non-existence of a just outcome at the end of the tunnel have made our youths absolutely restless and prone to addiction to drugs concentrating only on bringing to book the addicted youths through the strong hand of the law enforcing agencies would amount to addressing the substantive grievances without ever bothering at the root cause of the issues involved.

And obvious response of the UG 'taxation' to the present strategy of the Manipur Police would for it to go further underground. Likewise, women related institutions starting from prostitution, extortions, trafficking of women to other states, involving in transporting arms and ammunition are the social menace of today's society. It is pertinent to look into the cause of such activities and try to solve by the authority instead blaming or otherwise such as "selfish claiming".

Human Right awareness is of course the need of the hour, every individual should be given the education of Human Right. State forces as well as the state actors are the one in their attitude towards masses. Thus Human Right should be incorporated in the text, curriculum, syllabus starting right from the grass-root level so that any discrepancy would not take place, any more by forces of different "departments" of "group" (groups).

Apart from the death, the most hated Human Rights abuses committed by the security forces are the so-called "Punishment attacks" when people suspected of "antisocial behaviour" (usually young male) are shot or beaten, usually in or on the hand, kneecaps or ankles, 'Third-degree torture' methods are subjected to.

In relation to a number of high profile deaths, the government has reached very slowly to calls for public inquiries to determine whether there is any collusion. Thus, State forces should have a Serious Crime Review Team looking at unsolved killing and occasionally of course, the "Police Ombudsman",perhaps (perhaps better than the CBI) can help if new evidence to such deaths comes to light.

The Manipur Human Rights Commission is urged to do the utmost to persuade and the state actors, the political parties and the community and voluntary sectors to its proposal for a Bill of Rights for Manipuris. Meanwhile, the commission should endeavour to urge still improvements in a variety of more specific content such as mental care and human rights education.

Peace will prevail in Manipur when, inter alia, females are also honoured as 'Devis' (Goddesses), the apostles of peace and any attempt to touch them with carnal, pernicious, lusty, adulterous desire to enjoy with her body and spoil her sanctity and image, including dowry deaths and torture, domestic violence, mental harassment and all sorts of discrimination specially the abduction and kidnapping of women – extreme violation of human rights considered as the greatest sinand extreme violation of human rights.

Manipur is passing through one of the most critical periods in its long history, and as is usual with all transitional phases, is full of stress and uncertainty. What she needs today as never before in its history is intellectual, moral and spiritual guidance if it is to survive its own destruction. "Ethnic brotherhood concept" should be applied to all fields of human activity – politics, economics, sociology, science, education, etc, and then peace and prosperity will ultimately prevail. Every individual is a unity in the makeup of family, societies, communities and nations, having being inspired and implemented their ideal into practical lives – resorted to a profound effect on the society, community and nation. Thus peace cannot be brought at all without individual peace.

Basic needs are the basic things required to living human beings, in particular of course, animals, plants and trees and environmental consequences and biodiversity in general. Let us observe what have eminent scholars opined : According to Baxi "basic needs"are the human rights,if not deemed by the State, then brings "consequent anarchy", so the first and foremost duty of the authority is to consider "human rights". Ibohal also contended that. "If a government violates and suppresses basic human rights and fundamental freedom people have a legitimate right to rebellion against such a government".

Pande has reiterated that an individual's basic need is his or her scheme of life. Basic needs must be treated as fundamental right. Whereas Karl Marx contended that the primary basic need is to have companion to perform productive work. And some of the recent writings, have focused on social needs in equality basis with full access to justice. Also, AmartyaSen, prefers and stresses to add another tier which describes as a meta right making possible to achieve the right.

Moreover, in prioritizing human needs, the United Nations has identified the following list of basic needs :- (i) Nutrition (ii) Shelter, (iii)health, (iv) education, (v) Leisure, (vi) Security (Physical safety and economic security and (vii) environment. And, of course, right to self-determination for "right" and basic needs are complimentary or obligatory to each other subject tounfulfilments of all the need, necessities of life by the authority.

However, Conrad; while in his discourses clearly asserted that fulfillment.by other social welfare countries like (Germany) / unfulfilment (India) of basic needs as guaranteed by the State is not in itself sufficient or likely to produce lasting social peace. It may be mentioned here, India having not ratified the entire covenant as yet has to explain its position on the matter to the effect that the reference to right of self-determination in Article of the International Covenant on, Economic, Social And Cultural Rights applied only to people under foreign domination, not to independent sovereign states or part of a people or nation.

Moreover, in its report of 1991, India was to explain violation of Human Right due to enforcement of AFSPA in North-East of India particularly in Manipur though at present partly removed and Nagaland indicates that India has violated Article 1 of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and so also the provisions of optional protocol. India needs to sign and ratify the protocol Additional I and II to Geneva Conventions, 1949, and 1988 Rome Treaty maintained by Pramod. In the like manner, some groups of our "freedom fighter", insurgents, etc, etc. have also violates human rights. Apart from these, we being the citizen should also know our fundamental duties.

To be continued....