Ethics of ethnic crisis in North East India An unchanging phenomenon in contemporary Manipur, its solutions
- Part 5 -

Dr Priyadarshni M Gangte *

Map of North East region, India :: Pix - TSE

Given the situation and in the context of Manipur or NE India, it may be pointed out to traces back the root causes of lack of development and lack of literacy and also others various issues like a insecurity in terms of socio – economic and political points of view in which the minority communities perhaps the marginal groups the numerically extremely less groups had comforted with them over the years may be attributed to the absence of their representatives in the Parliament or Assembly to highlight and present their issue before the Parliament of Assembly for remedial measure.

To reiterate, it has been the ground reality that this numerically less or marginalized people have been suffering untold miseries such as deprivation of their rights in the hands of major communities by way of ignoring or neglecting their demand or their issues at least to the extent of listening to their voices. Thus, their rights have been denied and deprived in different ways. As a matter of fact, authorities or civil societies are often talking about development after development to be brought to all citizens for their welfare in the State but it still remained as hollow space since no facilities of the Government or the implementation of development works have been done in their area due to lack of influence over the authorities of them.

As rightly justifies above, it is most desirable for the minority communities to have their own representation in the Assembly so that they feel secured with the systems in the terms of governance, socio-economic and political security and implementation of developmental works, Manipur must have Bicameral system.

XVI. Social Policy: We have already known that Manipur is a multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic and multi-religious state with diverse culture, prevalent among communities. Concept of "oneness", "inclusiveness", and practicing multicultura-lism are completely absent from the mindset of the masses, instead, everyone is highly ethnocentric.

"Ism" and "this is mine" are the contextualized ethics of every Manipurian. It is time to formulate by framing a Policy to effectively regulated the social harmonization among the communities locally and vice versa, as a step to "breakthrough" the stereotype which is the essence of identity of any ethnic community.

Let us celebrate ethnicities as a source of common strength instead of troubles and problems.

Sensitization and conceptualization are equally important tools of multiculturalism subject to, defensing and guarding the rights of the minorities- poorest of the poors. Knowing, learning to understand and also paying utmost due regard to another language, food habits, customs, religion, etc are some of the devices to be adopted, apart from intermarriages, the space to communities promoting perpetual and sustainable peace in the State.

Therefore supporting multiculturalsim and to foster the same and translate into actions is perhaps the need of the hour.

III. Some of the perspective suggestions 70 for remedial measures are as follows: To frame an internal mechanism to bring harmonization of local administrations of different communities being practiced based on customary laws with the rules of democracy in order create a conductive atmosphere of establishing a good relationship of all communities in the State through public administration.

To strengthen democracy at grass root level with a separate provision of funding pattern to local bodies must be framed so that flow of fund reaches to all destinations in time.

To put pressure upon the Union Government to set up large and small scale industries both at State and district levels after identifying the site and availability of raw materials for the purposes of tapping natural resources and to avoid the burden of scarcity of resources. Besides, initiative also be taken up to approach local rich men to convince them to set up industry and factory as a joint propriety for grouping them together for generation of employment as well as making investment in a long term, so that local industry and factory may become an exporter of the local goods and services to other States of the country.

Apart from improving the infrastructures of the existing offices, buildings and schools, to set up new infrastructure buildings where such basic amenities are urgently needed by the local people.

To make heavy investment of fund on education sector after proper assessment in terms of requirement of infrastructure buildings and student strengthen are carried out or to start privatization of education sector and handed over its management to local bodies on the basis of Public Private Partnership (PPP) in order to ensure effective management and productive of education in the hands of local people so that eradication of total illiteracy is achieved.

A concerted efforts towards security issue must be chalked out by inviting all groups and masses in order to remove fear of mind and disturbances while rendering services for the welfare of the masses on issues related to security in the State.

Implementation of development schemes and projects at various places shall be done based once approved item-wise to be carried out on phase-wise manner in the approved work programme of the 5th Year Plan, so that choose and pick up in the hands of authorities are avoided in the pursuit of equal footing development of all localities.

IV. Conclusion: In present day world, a strong brain wave is sweeping across our universe and removing and eradicating any kind of barriers and divisions between nations and continents, and making it the world 'flat' and inclusive. Though, insecurities of all types, violence and corruption, due to deprivation marginalization and social exclusion continue to negate development which has been on planned processing. To take the state forward, it is high time for us to have a new strategy for governance, development and peace that hinges on political, social and cultural transformation.

However, investment in human resource development towards creation of human capital would be crucial to achieving the desired objective without concerted efforts of the Government in collaboration with the civil society's social organization, intellectuals, NGOs, media, etc in a long way. It cannot be left only to politicians and bureaucrats. Itis necessary with trans parent public and private participation and calls for a new initiative and leadership for development with a strong ethical content.

Concluded....