Enough of communal expressions

Linlen Thingom *

Manipur is a cosmopolitan and secular society. After merging with India a Meitei Muslim and two Tangkhuls become Chief Ministers of Manipur. As well many Kabuis, Kukis, Paites, Liangmei, Mao, Kom, Koireng and many other tribes hold many Cabinet and high posts in many of the Government Departments of Manipur.

Freedom of expression which allows us to put up many day to day issues to the masses through newspapers, books, radio, television and internet should not be utilised to flare communal tensions. Just imagine if there is a fight or a killing in a community the matter is solved within the community whereas if the problem is between different communities than the matter erupted again and again whenever there is tension.

So my humble request to the leaders, intellectuals, writers and orators is that we must express the truth but not in a communal line. After all we are human beings living together since time immemorial sharing many things in common along with other ethnic peoples of north-east. Let’s stop pitching against each other and try to solve the present probem of Manipur.

I agree that Meetei is the major ethnic tribe of Manipur. Everyone should know that Meetei is formed by the conglomeration of different tribes of south East Asia starting from pre-historic period. But one most disgusting thing is that at present Meeteis are second to non-ethnic Manipuris.

Though non-Manipuris are not actively involved in politics but their political and economic influence in the affairs of our State is very strong. Majority Meeteis cannot be blamed for the large scale influx of non Manipuris as it is the worked of only few selfish Manipuri leaders for their own political motives.

Knock! Knock! Knock! May I come in? Yes, come in. Who are you? Sir, I am a poor and weak job seeker. Why are you here? We have lots of unemployment problem. Sir, your whole North-East people are descendants of gods and goddesses. I and my peoples will serve you. What are u saying? I don’t have money. Sir, only give me two meals a day.

From here I can easily make my grandchildren’s Prime Minister of India. Ha ha! Don’t you know in North-East there are many enmity and killings among its peoples? Sir, gods and goddesses fight to become supreme. That is not my matter I have a long future plan so my descendants will serve till the last god and goddess in every nook and corner of north-East.

I just want to know that why you peoples settled down here and who gave you the land. Sir, we owned land from your Government. But I don’t see any big settlements of North-East in any parts of India and exceeding its local population like as yours settlements in North-East.

Sir, gods and goddesses welcome all whoever comes to them that’s why we are serving you and we will serve till the last god and goddess exist. Good! You are very intelligent and understanding, you live in my house and work.

My dear peoples of North-East it will be better for us if we work to live happily by respecting the emotions of our diverse peoples. Let’s decide together not to disturb the national highways in any case as it mainly hurts the poor common peoples, students and hospitals. By blocking National Highways we will see the miseries of poor peoples who live on daily wages least affecting the ruling Government. Further it will lead to unrest, tension and backwardness.

One thing which confused me a lot is the leaders who are blocking the two highways of Manipur again and again for such a long period after experiencing many negative outcomes in 2005. My request to the blockaders of National Highway 39 and 53 is that they must not give problem to the innocent common peoples. The blockaders must fight directly with the ruling Government which is at Imphal West. Because they are the one who is making the policies and programmes of the State.

I highly regarded the protests of women in Nupi Lal, Irom Chanu Sharmila, June 2001 in which 18 peoples were killed, Manorama rape case, SDO Thingnam Kishan and his two colleagues, khwairamband incident of July 2009 in which a pregnant woman and a man was killed, employees openly coming out against Government to implement six pay scale, Mao incident of May 2010 in which two persons were killed and others who had confronted directly with the Government for their cause. Many protestors are sent to jail under NSA.

Here one question comes in my mind—Is Manipur Government in favour of major ethnic community? By going through the above incidents I can boldly say that Manipur Government is for whole Manipur. The only problem with Manipur Government is that it is ruled by outdated leaders of cowboy period hardly adjustable to the modern period.

All the leaders elected since the mergers are all puppets who dance to the tune of Delhi which doesn’t have any interest for the development of North-East peoples. Who elect Manipur Government? We the peoples of Manipur elect them. Why? Answer is with the peoples who elect them.

Recently many peoples were killed in Kygyarstan and Thailand protesting against the Government. As well it will be good for us to remember that the immediate causes of 1789, 1830 and 1848 revolution in France was high prices of bread, starvation and hunger. In such situation the condition of common people is DO or DIE.

Thus in order to win the sympathy from the masses it will be right for the leaders of blockaders to target Manipur Government. They are the representatives of the whole Manipur so starve them, put AFSPA-1958 on them and put curfew on them and please excuse all the common peoples.

Let’s broaden our mind and involved our self towards the development of Manipur and North­east as a whole which is historically and geographically very similar. While expressing my view point on present problems in Manipur I don’t meant to hurt anyone. I want all the “ethnic peoples of Manipur and North-east to unite and realized the weakness of disunity.

As our North-East region is inhabited by many small ethnic groups so we must be very cautious while expressing and work collectively to solve any unwanted problems. North-East has few representatives in the central government because of its population and ignorance of central government or cannot handle north-east made this region very volatile.

Therefore the region has experiencing the worst problems of ethnic tension and violence occurred very frequently, community insurgents} high corruption, local politics, Human rights violation, distancing from development and various other reasons isolate these region from India. Together lets find out why we North-Easterners are the worst sufferer as compare to the main land Indians.

According to my view a frequent round table conferences for alJ the broad minded leaders representing all the ethnic communities and insurgents of North-east will bring a better result. Once we come to a level of understanding the maximum problem will be solved.

Lastly I would like to add that for the sake of strong Manipur and North-East let’s stop communal expression and pitching against each other. Let’s come out from narrow ethnic politics and embraced with faith, transparency, sacrifice and oneness in the naPlle of North­East. Together lets try to bring back all the good things from our past and start anew everything. If we are united we will feel the strength of togetherness and if we are divided we will be easily eaten up one by one.

Comparing to mainland Indian states our North-East region is very weak and under developed. Together learn to respect and encourage love, peace and unity of all ethnic groups living in this region called North-East. If all the leaders and peoples in North-East consider unity and development as their objective by closing their narrow politics than strong North-East is very near. We are in dire need of a true leader to lead North­Easterners.