Report on Peace Counts Imphal Workshop cum Exhibition (14-18 May 2009)
- Human Rights Alert, Manipur -

Imphal: 20 May 2009

Peace counts workshop and exhibition has made a significant impact to the people of Manipur through media and newspaper, for it brings a milieu of hope to find a vision of peace.

The two days workshop of twenty-five participants coming from various ethnic communities of Manipur began at Hotel Imphal. Mr. Wilfred DCosta, General Secretary from Indian Social Action Forum (INSAF), New Delhi and Anil Choudhury introduced the Peace Counts project. Mr. Babloo Loitongbam and Dr. Leban Serto facilitated the workshop.

The aims and objectives of the peace counts project were highlighted by Dr. Leban Serto. First session of the workshop was to understand conflict using various analytical tools. Babloo and Bobichand facilitated the process. The interesting afternoon session began with selection of favorite photographs by the participants and each one explained why they like the photo and how the photo connects with his/her own thoughts.

The second day began with a recap of previous day by Jyotilal followed by the "Sharing of Vision of Peace" and "Peacebuilders around the World" by the participants over a cup of tea.

Afternoon session was a group discussion on Ethnic conflict, Armed conflict, and Leadership Conflict among the Civil Societies. Each group presented their detailed analysis and insights of the conflict in the plenary. Finally, there was intense discussion and interaction on how to be a peacebuilder in our own specific context. The workshop concludes with the final summing up from Babloo and Leban creating a vision of peace for Manipur.

Next day, the photo exhibition on Peacebuilders around the world was inaugurated by Dr. Kh. RatanKumar Singh, Hon'ble MLA at the historic Nupee Lal Memorial Complex. Mr. Babloo Loitongbam, Executive Director Human Rights Alert (HRA); Prof. Ksh. Bimola Devi, Dept. of Pol. Science, Manipur University; Dr. Leban Serto, Center for Peace Education Manipur and Ms. Ninglun, Indian Social Action Forum, New Delhi (INSAF) also spoke on the occasion.

The impressive media coverage of the first day of the exhibition brings in more visitors for second and third day. Many unexpected eminent activist, academicians, lawyers, journalists, politicians, film makers, professional photographers' etc. visited the exhibition. Interestingly, unexpected visitors like army personnel, state commandos, rickshaw pullers and coolies also visited the exhibition.

More than 170 visitors were registered on the second day. The third day, more than 350 visitor were registered out of which 180 were school students.

Interesting coincidence: the last day of the exhibition May 18, is historically the day when hundreds of Korean students were massacred in Gwangju in 1980. Ms. Irom Chanu Sharmila, was awarded the Gwangju Price for Human Rights by the 'May 18 Foundation' in 2007. A simple ritual was performed in the midst of the exhibition to mark the day.

A short video documentary on Miss Irom Chanu Sharmila Devi produced by Human Rights Alert was also shown. The symphony of freedom, justice and peace sway together as Sharmila too shined among the 12 selected peacebuilders from around the world whose stories reached Imphal through the Peace Counts.

-By Jyotilal Longjam
Human Rights Alert, Manipur
Jyotinova(at)gmail(dot)com