TODAY -
Producing distress - Democracy in Manipur
Aheli Moitra | morung express|:
While formulating the practice of democracy in India, the state building machine short wired on the complexity of communities it claimed to be in its circuit. Manipur is a case in point, wherein the electoral process is a sham; not just an abysmal waste of money and resources but of efforts that could, otherwise, have been directed towards political construction of another kind. With sediments of conflict forming fertile ground for more, does playing democracy add another undesired deposit? Let’s look at the layers.
Ethnic groupies and the "underground"
Consider the complexity—Manipur state has nearly 40 ethnic groups squeezed into a space of 22,347sq.kms. The Imphal valley houses a majority Hindu Meitei population, sprinkled with Pangal (Muslim Meitei),and small percentage of a rising population from the hills and Indian migrants. The hills consist of 40% of Manipur’s population, ethnicities ranging from Hmar, Paite, Zoumi, Nepali, Kuki to Naga living in Churachandpur, Chandel, Tamenglong, Senapati and Ukhrul. More or less all ethnic collectives find representation in armed movements (popularly, and ridiculously, called the “underground”, not drawing distinction between mafia and movement) barring, perhaps, the Nepali and Indian migrants who are pushed around by un/armed components of bigger ethnic groups.
Caught in an impasse, the Naga want to unite under an integrated unit (including Naga lands from Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and, ideally speaking, Myanmar) while the Meitei want to maintain the integrity of territory they see themselves to own, i.e., all of Manipur. Neither Naga nor Meitei see themselves, culturally or politically, as Indian.
The society is civil
Then there is the civil society—supposed to be a non political body of each tribe or apex body of several put together—whose role should be to maintain the fine line between violent nationalism and democratic politics. Yet be able to empower their societies by encouraging inter and intra level dialogue.
Gender- political marginalisation by the marginalised
Those crying hoarse about the “Naga cause” in Manipur fielded no women candidates from the last election to this. After more than six decades of violent conflict and active participation of women in peace making (yes, even on a political scale), men here say women will not be able to articulate on or congregate support for big issues. This election is important, they say.
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* This Post is courtesy of morung express and uploaded on February 08, 2012
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