Targeting people of Mao : Not acceptable !
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: December 19, 2022 -

This is unacceptable.

Leave aside the question of whose land it is, but how did they-the Southern Angami People’s Organisation (SAPO) and its hardliner youth wing the Southern Angami Youth Organisation (SAYO)-come under the impression that it is within their right to give the marching order to any group of people, the people of Mao in this case ?

Was the burning of a truck, a vehicle belonging to a gentleman from Senapati, just a co-incidence having no connection with the diktats served on the people of Mao in the neighbouring State or was it a part of the ‘pack up and leave’ standing instruction given to the people of Mao ?

Either way this is unacceptable and Imphal would need to do more.

What course of action has the Government of Nagaland taken up to deal with the matter or will it just stand by and see how things proceed now that people of Mao have been directed to pack up and leave Nagaland or areas which are believed to come under the ‘jurisdiction’ of SAPO ?

These are questions which ought to be raised and if any proactive steps have been taken up, then it should be spelt out to the people.

This is not the first time that SAPO has taken things into its own hand and recall the early part of this year, that is sometime in March when it banned the movement of all Manipur vehicles in areas where it operates and one wonders why no strict action has been taken up against of the so called leader/s of this organisation.

In batting for what it believes is their right, it is important to acknowledge that the rights of others are not trampled upon.

This is nothing short of anarchy for here is a case of a group of people under a name and dictating that people belonging to a certain community and who live in Manipur should not enter areas under their ‘control’.

What is the Government of Nagaland doing ? Equally important too, what is the Government of Manipur doing to defuse the situation ?

Shouldn’t the whip have been cracked against SAPO and its more militant wing SAYO a long time back ?

They did it in March this year and repeating similar course of action is more than indicative that nothing was practically done earlier to rein them in.

It is when people start taking the law into their own hands that the script is ready for anarchy to make a grand appearance and this is what is happening.

To get the attention of New Delhi to the man made situation that is unfolding near the Manipur-Nagaland border, a strong case will need to be built.

As the democratically elected Government, the BJP regime at Imphal cannot afford to treat the matter with kid’s gloves.

This is where it becomes important for the State Government to heed the ultimatum set by the Mao-Imphal Market Co-ordinating Committee, a body of several organisations including IPSA, ACOAM-Lup and Mao Union to make public all legal documents on Dzuko and Kozirii.

Such a step would go some significant way in sensitising the people of Manipur on the veracity of the claims made by SAPO.

Simultaneously the State Government too should make it clear to New Delhi that it will not remain silent when any of her citizens are harassed and victimised in the neighbouring State of Nagaland.

The merit of the appeal to the Government of Manipur to ensure the safe return of Mao people stranded in Nagaland and those coming from elsewhere should be appreciated and promptly acted upon.

Let it also dawn on SAPO, SAYO and others that this is Christmas season and it is not within their right to defeat the spirit of the biggest festival of the Christians and ironically most members of the said two organisations must be Christians.

The Mao people deserve better.