For whom the "Dhol" tolls .....!

PRO IGAR (South) *

Whom are we fooling? Who are the sufferers? Why should the young boys and girls be deprived of education and progress and be coerced into the game plan of specific political or social groups who have their own agenda. Today, we are not discussing whether these groups are right or wrong.

The question is why involve the students whose sole agenda should be education towards fulfilling their own dreams and the dreams of their parents. In any case who are you to interfere in the educational process of our youth who have their complete life ahead and have the right to education and progress?

We were aghast to see that some student bodies of Manipur defended "Stop Education" stir. The lurking possibility of losing one's precious year is staring us all in the face.

The joint statement issued by the three student bodies AMSU, MSF and KSA has claimed that the mass movement being spearheaded by the Apunba Lup is in sight of victory. We can only but laugh at the myriad existentialism of such a 'glory' concept that envisages the total disadvantage to the youth of Manipur for whom the "Dhol" tolls at such a crucial juncture in the history of a strife-torn State!

The explanation that "our children are only losing some period of their studies but other parents have lost their beloved children in fake encounters" seems to be a far-fetched conclusion and then to expect the government to intervene by way of declaration of a "Zero year" in order to nullify the period is not at all justified.

Let us draw some lessons from history nearer home in Assam. The period following the agitation saw the prospering businessmen/community including those from out side the state becoming the main target of united liberation front of Assam (ULFA) as a result of which, they started fleeing, some of them relocating their establishment to other states. The State's economy then started losing out on huge financial investments that were earlier coming to them from other parts of the country.

The activities of the insurgent groups and the inflammatory statements made by them always create a lack of trust between the various communities and other people living in the areas. Distrust among people always retards the economic process and breaks the social structures formed by our fore­fathers, who were much more accommodative in the truest sense of Mankind.

History beckons us to realise how the people and the states have progressed. Those who took the path of peace and development have always progressed whether it was Punjab or closer home, Mizoram, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. Ask these questions from within your selves without prejudice and you would get the answers.

Residing in disturbed areas leaves its impact on the minds of the youth. Violence, lawlessness, insurgency, bandhs, blockades and insecure environment always leaves great impact on the minds of the youth and in some way or the other the quality of education that they get is affected. Add to this, the prolonged closures of schools, colleges and the University including the "private coaching classes".

Think of those who do not have the resources to complete their education outside their State. They are the worst sufferers. Then, these very unemployed youth become the special targets of insurgent groups. Out of sheer frustration and a sense of gloom are they forced to join such groups, because they do not want to remain a burden on their families.

Most of them who join insurgent groups have shortened their life span and have difficulties in joining the mainstream at later stages. Unemployed youth also easily come under the influence of agents dealing in Narco-terrorism.

In Manipur, the main cause behind the spread of "AIDS" is because of the sharing of needles used for injecting drugs rather than for any other reason. The other dark side is that the money so extracted is from the poor people who turn into drug-addicts. The same money is then doled out towards anti-people and anti-National activities. And the vicious circle goes on and on and on!!

Those students who were lucky enough to get education in schools outside of the State, would definitely agree as to how important it is to attend regular classes in a peaceful educational environment. A majority of them may not like to come back and settle down here under adverse conditions, given a choice!!

Is it then fair, that we're now trying to deprive the present young generation of basic fundamental right to education and subsequent employment ? To those who are trying to foment unrest by using student organisations, it is pertinent to caution that they'll have to do a lot of explaining after some years.

This on-going conflict within the hearts and minds of the present genre' of students would evolve a generation of confused youth and not citizens who can eventually participate in a free society. In a war-ravaged land where schools have been closed, fields destroyed, and relatives arrested or killed, a gun is a sure ticket to a free­meal and a more attractive alternative to sitting at home alone and afraid. This can only go on unabated and add to the woes of Manipur.

There is no way to conclude unless the students themselves become concerned and wake up to the reality. We've been interacting with a lot of local youth on a daily basis. Their remorse and anger for the plight of today's Manipur is quite understandable. But regrettably, their seniors are not conscious of the wrongs being unleashed on their juniors.

Many a bright sparks and glints of geniuses are dying a slow, natural death! Their talents, soft-skills and technical prowesses are getting deteriorated. Many of them have expressed a wish to migrate to better cities and settle down with their spouses and kids.

May we proceed to ask ourselves a few questions at this juncture!?

Are we wanting our children to grow up in a happy environment and get all the opportunities to make it big?
How many of us can really afford to send out our children to good schools and colleges outside Manipur?
Is it okay if the students start agitating for political causes and obtain the green-cards for operating administrative aspects of governance?
Are the affiliations to various organisations justified under the garb of "unification for a cause" and that too at the stake of losing out on basic facilities of gaining knowledge for a bright future!?

We aren't content leaving it at that!! Are you?!

To all of my learned friends here, are you with us!?... the "Dhol" still tolls...