Article No. 31 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees one's life is nothing but a mockery to the entire peoples of the North-East India and specially here in Manipur. The so-called law keepers and the law enforcing agencies who calls themselves as the GUARDIAN OF PEACE have turn out to be the worst demons ever known to humanity. Where is the question of security when any at moment a sepoy or an armed personal can pull you out and kill you on mere suspicion? What else, one cannot say how long one will live. He may get kill at any moment. Any moment while sleeping, while eating, while walking, while sitting. Where the guardian of the law and peace has no respect for human life, Article No 31 of the Indian constitution is nothing but a farce comedy.
Manipuris are well known for their soft spoken, kind hospitality, loyalty, and self-control. Then why is it that even an ignorant child would like to throw stone or show hatred when he sees an armed personal? Is it a sign of hatred against the blatant brutality of the Indian Army? Are they here to protect our life and property or to create a feeling of insecurity in us?
Why is it that an innocent child reading in class III comes out to the street with placards in hands to protest against the ARMED FORCES SPECIAL POWERS ACT of 1958 (AFPA) and its removal? Why is it that every school and college going students goes to their institutes and protest against the act even after the government have announced holiday? Why is it that all the women in the entire state come out from there homes at night with torch in hands and protest against the act and the government?
Why is it that our mothers protested in front of the Assam Rifle's Gate in complete naked selling out all our prestige? Why is it that five of our youths attempted self-immolation in front of the Raj Bhawan Gate? Why is Miss Irom Sharmila going on her fast onto death for the last four years? Why is it that every peace loving persons are asking for courting arrest? Why? Why?
Is it because the people of Manipur is expressing there unwillingness against the forcible Merger of the then princely state of Manipur into the Indian Union at gunpoint on October 15, 1949 and demanding the then independent status-co? Is it because the people of Manipur are afraid of distorting the Territorial Integrity of Manipur by the Government of India?
Is it because the Government of Indian is trying to remove POTA, terming that it is against the fundamental rights of a citizen while at the same time AFPSA is still enforced in the North-Eastern border states giving a step motherly treatment? Is it because of the Armed Personals excessive brutality in implementing the AFSPA in the name of counter insurgency? Is it because the armed personals have robbed our mother's chastity? Is it because that AFSPA cannot subdue the insurgency problems in our State???
It all started when the government of India showed this seed of discontentment by merging Manipur into the Indian Union on October 15, 1949 and started watering it in 1961 by implementing 'The Armed Forces Special Powers act of 1958' after passing in the Parliament. The tense atmosphere that got built up over the last 55 years have reached its level of bearing and have busted out in all its ugly forms.
The immediate cause being the killing of Miss Thangjam Manorama Devi on the morning of 11th August, this year even after issuing Arrest Memo to her family. All sections of the society have started protesting against the excessive brutality of the Indian Armies. This protest is a self-generated involuntary action from all age groups regardless of caste, creed, sex, and religion. No one has instigated and call for one's action. Every life loving and peace-loving person has come forward to oppose the excessive brutality of the Armed forces and the Governments irresponsible acts.
The neglected spark caught flame when our government instead of soothing the tense atmosphere started answering the peaceful and democratic demands with indefinite Curfews, Tear Gas Cells and Rubber Bullets injuring hundreds of youths and women, still showing the supremacy of might and puppetry loyalty to Government of India. Thus making this beautiful Land of Jewels a Killing Field.
The killing of Pastor Jamkholet and Miss Manorama shows the highest barbarity of the so-called guardian and protector of the people - the Security Forces. The present ongoing rightful movement yearns to settle scores for the decades of torments and harassments from them. As a government that came to power after the June 18, 2001 uprising against the NSCN (IM) cease-fire extension to Manipur, we had expected our Government to be a government of the people but on the contrary, it has turn out to be the worse of all the past governments.
Adding fuel to the fire and to the greatest discontentment of the public is the treatment given by the Honorable Union Minister of State for Home Sri Prakash Jaiswal, who during his visit to the state had promised to revoke the AFSPA and suddenly changed his stand after reaching the national capital. He made it clear the stand of the Government of India on July 22, 2004 by announcing that the Armed Forces Special Powers' Act 1958 in Manipur would not be withdrawn but assured that comprehensive "checks and balances" would be made to prevent its abuse.
Thousands of students from all over the North Eastern states rallied at the national capital Delhi on July 22, against Sri Prakash Jaiswal's statement and demanded the revocation of the Act. A Memorandum was also submitted to the union government by the representative of Manipur Students Association, Naga students' Union, Kuki Students Organisation, Naga peoples' Movement for Human Rights, National Students Union of India, People's Union of Civil Liberties and Indian Democratic Women's Association.
We are today fighting and demanding our inherent and legitimate rights, that has long been denied. Our rights which has been deliberately neglected, discriminated, and oppressed by the government of India and whose negligence have showed the seeds of discontentment among the people of Manipur. This discontentment arising out of the oppression and negligence by the center over the past 55 years has cross our limits of tolerance and has already started erupting.
The center and the state together need to tackle this delicate issue immediately in a democratic manner. Using of forces to suppress our demands will be an invitation for a civil war. The center's indifferent stand against the sentiment of the people of Manipur is provoking and asking for severe consequences and any further delay in revoking the AFSPA will called for unaccountable lost and untold miseries beyond human's imagination.
It may be noted here that the Manipur Forward Youth Front's (MAFYF) decision to remain cut off from the Indian mainland have started from yesterday and members of the organization have started protesting against the air services. The joining of this sector, the only link left with the Indian Mainland into the on going movement will completely cut off Manipur from the Union of India and will definitely give a severe blow to the stubbornness of the center.
The government of Manipur and India as a whole will no more be able to complaisant in suppressing the ground reality of what is happening here to the entire world by using force anymore and any longer. Its time to act and rule according to the wishes of the people.
* L. Punil Kanta Singh contributes regularly e-pao.net.
The writer can be contacted at [email protected]
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