Justice and peace in Manipur : A humbug

R Rungsung *

Peace Rally with slogan 'We Want Peace Not War' at the heart of Imphal city on 18 May 2010

To attain a peaceful world, peace has to be constructed from below. To ensure a peaceful world, societies or States, the order must make themselves be peace loving people. Peace cannot be imposed from above. We cannot talk of peace without justice in a social context. The interplay of peace, justice and community is very intriguing in post modern world-the world we live in today.

1) The concept of justice : The word, 'Justice' is derived from the Latin word which means anything that is fair, proper and reasonable. To call something 'Just' is to express approval of it as being right in a specific way. People are morally obliged to the State therefore the State is a means to the fulfilment of moral ends.

Our obligation to obey the laws, the State and the governance depends on the fact that these laws are intended to secure JUSTICE or mora rights of the individuals and welfare of societies.

2) Justice with equality : The concept of Justice and Equality are so closely related to one cannot be separated from the other.

To understand the concept of Justice, we should understand the concept of Equality. In a wider sense it brings political equality, social equality, civil equality and economic equality under the heading of Equality.

The ideal of Equality is fundamentally a levelling process where people demand the same treatment from the State to all and resented any distinction between one individual and another regarding rewards and punishments.

A long line of several cases in Manipur, such as rapes, murders, fake encounters, etc etc show that it is not merely of some importance, but it is of fundamental importance that justice should not only be done but should manifestly and undoubtedly be seen to have been done. Injustice everywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be believed. One of us see no truth in them all the present governance. How long will it continue, one wonders.

3) Foundation of Peace : Peace cannot be built in exclusivity. That has been the price of several decades of turmoils, killings and thus enough blood and tears. Enough is enough. Relationships among politicians are strained. There exists a sense of insecurity. Nowadays, this insecurity translates into fear of walking on the street, fear of being terrorised, and the fear that produces high walls topped with barbed wires. One of the greatest pitfalls facing society at this moment is the confusion between the concept of peace and that of security.

Security is nothing more than the establishment of 'armed peace among citizens' where the use of police and military armed force are legalised and given the ultimate privilege of impunity. Indeed this is a pattern in which military participation is used within the State administrative apparatus of 'order and respect' but one must ask : For whom and against whom ? We see peace is hanging on the wall.

4) Morality in the eyes of Justice and Peace : Gandhi wanted people to put into practise 'Morality' in the seven main fields of lie for Justice and Peace. As a practical idealist, he said, 'Peace cannot be established through mere conference, peace is being broken, as we all seem even while conference are being held.

Moreover peace is integrated concept and deals with all fields of life, thus he says, 'Peace is unattained by past performance by past performance of conditions, even as a chemical combination is impossible without complete fulfilment of the conditions of attainment thereof.

He enumerated following 'Seven Social Sins' which wear out the moral fibre of the society, (I) Politics without principles (II) Wealth without work (III) Commerce without morality (IV) Knowledge without character (V) Pleasure without conscience (VI) Science without humanity (VII) Worship without sacrifice.

To these seven social sins, Dr Usha Mehta has added three more namely, (VIII) Rights without responsibility/duty, IX) Consumption without conservation (X) Peace without justice.

A pronounced trait of our culture is that the people tend to hanker more and more after luxuries and amassing wealth through evil means (Corruption, bribery, dishonesty, partiality, biases, hatred etc). All these aspects are against the humanitarian demand for justice that totally curb the accepted end of life. (Allow me to mention that a family is trying its best to the son recruited as a police constable by paying Rs 3 lakhs. He is selling his land) A land of Jewel.

Manipur important almost all items, daily consumption needs, clothings, housing materials, transport systems, communications except a few deficit home products. Fully knowing all the facts the demand for self rule and lamenting over yesterday's Sanaleibak or Kangleipak coupled with the 'annexation' to Indian Union in 1949 will not yield good-except to go for peace talk with the Government.

It is the earnest hope for justice and peace. Gun culture, abductions, extortions, and display of arms in hiding places will and can never bring us any good tomorrow. If such trend goes on, then it will be like kicking the rock and baulk at the wall.

My conscience tells me that we are coming to the end of the Old Ear and a New Era is ushering in soon. Someday, you and I will will together enjoy our cultures, our ways of life mingling with others-of West and of East. You and I in the throne. Whither Manipur ? Lead kindly light to the land of Peace.