The fortunate and unfortunate part of it all : Tackling the enemy within
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: March 22, 2013 -
Unfortunate that a young life has been snuffed out so cruelly, assuming that he was murdered.
Fortunate that things did not blow out of proportions and led to uglier developments.
Fortunate too is the manner in which the State Government responded promptly to the situation, with the Chief Minister himself taking the lead in addressing the hurt sentiments of the people.
An unfortunate strain can however be read into the tension that engulfed Imphal and its adjoining areas, as news of the death of the young man began to spread.
Loose talks did the round, giving rise to unnecessary tension, especially on March 19, the day the body of the young man was found.
It even went to the extent of some people reflecting back on the bloody clash of the early 90s that claimed numerous innocent lives. Not exactly a tinder box situation, but the tension was palpably disturbing.
That good sense has prevailed is there for all to see and perhaps this is the time for all the people to seriously and sincerely reflect on the inter-community ties and relationships.
To come anywhere near to seriously introspecting on the matter, it would require the willingness to accept the truth, however distasteful it may be.
The anxiety and apprehension that hung over the skylines of Imphal and its adjoining areas on March 19 and to some extent on March 20, can be said to reflect the reality that is Manipur, where there is a trust deficit between different communities.
Time to acknowledge and accordingly work towards it, instead of taking refuge under some well orchestrated slogans.
The family of Th Kiran and the people of Thongju Part-I, Koirou Mamang Leikai have every reason to feel outraged and to demand befitting punishment for all the people involved in his death.
This much is a given. What however was disturbing, if not equally as the death of the man, was the tense situation that emerged after the death of the young man under questionable circumstances came to light.
The enemy within has to be tackled seriously.
Certainly not an easy task, but Manipur cannot afford to continue resting on a foundation of mutual distrust and suspicion, where an isolated case has the potential to pit one community against the other.
It is the tendency to read everything along community and ethnic lines that needs to be addressed to on a priority basis.
Civil society organisations rose to the occasion in coming out with mature statements on the death of the young man.
However can such mature and sane voices continue to come out endlessly if the foundation of Manipur continues to be defined by mutual distrust ?
A disturbing question but which nevertheless needs to be addressed to so that it can be taken care of.
As in any other human society, there are bound to be mischief makers and rumour mongers in Manipur too.
The need then is to be able to identify such elements and marginalise them.
For such an effort to take off, more people to people contact and sharing of ideas and thoughts is called for.
The Government did rise to the occasion this time round and if not for anything else then this should at least serve as an important lesson to the people who matter that there is no better panacea than prompt response to a situation which has the potential to trigger a chain reaction.
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