More than just an act of arson
Senseless, a shame for Manipur
- Sangai Express Editorial :: May 04, 2013 -
It is a shame.
It is senseless.
It cannot be condone on any ground.
This is the stand every right thinking people should adopt, every people who believe in the existence of a social and political entity called Manipur, every people who believe in humanity.
The reports are still hazy but land dispute is reported to be the reason why a strong mob, armed to the teeth, went on the rampage and reduced about thirty houses to cinders.
Silent village in Senapati district is the victim in this case and the perpetrators are from the neighbouring village of Seijang which lies in Imphal East district.
Literally neighbours, though not in the conventional sense of neighbours as in a Leikai or a locality.
Thirty houses razed to the ground and that about makes it fifty percent of the dwelling houses of a village going up in smoke.
Clearly the Devil seems to have invaded the minds of everyone.
This is not what epitomises Manipur.
This goes against the foundation on which rests Manipur.
Land disputes have always been there, more so in places where the traditional concept of land ownership prevails.
This could be one reason for the land dispute, but this is besides the point.
It is also besides the point of who the rightful owner of the disputed land is.
It is about the act of attacking a neighbouring village, probably a premeditated one, and setting on fire their houses, homes in fact.
Granaries too have not been spared, according to reports that have come in so far.
Setting the houses of neighbours can never bring a dispute to its logical conclusion.
The Government should spare no efforts to round up the master minds behind the attack.
A frightening proposition it is, but there are bound to be mischief mongers who will try to capitalise on the situation and further their political agenda.
In as much as the Government should pull up its socks to book the perpetrators of the crime, yes it is a crime, the common people and civil society organisations should ensure that rooms are not created for any trouble makers to spew venom, which may border on the communal.
As in any conflict or attacks of such magnitude, it is the children and women who stand to suffer the most and this case will not be different.
Unfortunate and sad.
Anger, one of the basic instincts of mankind, may not be healthy, but there is no reason why all right thinking people should not pour out their anger against such a senseless and cruel act.
Let the competent authority arbitrate.
Let their decision hold.
If the decision is not to the liking of any group or party, then there is always another platform to air that view.
And burning houses is certainly not the way to go about it.
It is a shame on Manipur and her people.
Such an act defeats the very idea of Manipur, whose history goes back to more than 2000 years.
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