Xenophobia in the age of global village... Et Tu Manipur ?
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: May 20, 2011 -

There can no more fertile ground than the presence of a wimp of a Government, which has miserably failed to provide a sense of security to its people, a Government which has become synonymous with corruption and where nothing moves without greasing the palm of the people in the corridors of power and where anarchy has become the order of the day for xenophobia to raise its ugly head and lead to further chaos and confusion.

Suspicion, jingoism mixed with an acute sense of insecurity, widespread inferiority complex and a misplaced sense of understanding that patriotism means baring one's fangs at anyone perceived to be a threat to the identity of a group of people, are hallmarks of a xenophobic society.

This is the experience that the world has seen and not surprisingly, xenophobia as a social phenomenon is largely witnessed in the underdeveloped countries, where poverty and lack of opportunities are prominent characteristics.

In such a given situation, it is common for political opportunists to seize the moment and create a situation, where a false alarm over the identity or culture of a people may be sounded due to the presence of outsiders or aliens.

This inevitably leads to a situation where wild imaginations begin to take flight and a situation is created where natives of a place begin to view all outsiders with suspicion, more often bordering on hatred.

In a way this is anathema to the winds of change blowing across the world, carrying the message that the world is today a global village and whether one likes it or not this trend is here to stay or else mankind has to dismantle all the technological advances it has made, especially in the last few decades.

Just as no man is an island, no Nation or group of people or community can ever entertain the idea of living in isolation and this is not only a compulsion brought about by the new world order, but has been a part of human civilisation since the dawn of history.

Unfortunately as we have noted earlier, there are elements, who will go to any length to propagate the idea that one's identity is under threat or on the brink of being buried under the influence of outsiders with their alien cultures and customs, not to speak about a change in the demographic composition.

That this has happened in certain parts of the world and in certain phases of man's history has only gone on to lend weight to this school of thought and we just have to recall the recent stand off witnessed in Tripura, where there was a heated debate in some circles, over the decision of the Left Government there to name the Agartala airport after Rabindranath Tagore to co-incide with the late iconic figure's 150th birth anniversary.

Not only Tripura, but the world has also seen a good number of indigenous people slowly and gradually being displaced and their identities diluted to such an extent that they have ceased to become a part of the great human civilisation.

There are reasons why conservationists, anthropologists and activists have been at the fore front to keep the indigenous people of the Andamans, the Pygmy of Africa and other indigenous people far away from the influence of the modern man and the accompanying culture and values.

Manipur today fits the bill of a place which is just right for xenophobia to rear its ugly head and this has been demonstrated most audibly and clearly in the past 5/6 years, where migrant workers have been systematically targeted and eliminated with the message 'Go Back To Your Homeplace' or something along this line, inscribed on the lifeless bodies of some of the victims.

So far no group has claimed responsibility for the killings, but the manner in which the task has been executed with such clinical efficiency, suggests that it cannot be the work of any rag tag group of desperadoes and this is where the alarming point lies.

Not only have migrant workers been eliminated but some organisations have also issued writs and decrees that no outsider or non-local people can contest in any election in the State.

Now with the election to the Imphal Municipal Council within shaking hands distance, an air of uncertainty, fear, suspicion has descended amongst some section of the people, especially in the face of the ban imposed by an armed group on non-local people from contesting the election.

This is not the first time that such a decree has been sounded and one just has to look back at the last Municipal election to get the picture right, for at that time too, a voluntary organisation had imposed a ban on all non-local people from contesting the IMC election.

Reasons have been furnished for taking up such a stand and while no one will grudge the endeavour to protect the culture, identity and interest of the indigenous people, one also need to look at the issue from a wider perspective.

The United States still has a provision which clearly lays down that only US born citizens can contest for the post of the President. This however cannot be viewed in isolation of the other accommodating characteristics of the US society, and there is a reason why the term Melting Pot has become synonymous with this land.

Manipur too needs to look at the issue of non-locals from a wider perspective.

While no measures should be spared to protect the indigenous people there is also the corresponding need to ensure that this need to protect the identity and interest of the natives do not go on to take the form and shape of a xenophobic society, where all non-locals are viewed with suspicion, which at times may border on blind hatred and such a situation may just provide the perfect ground for political opportunists to spread their hate agenda.

Xenophobia sustains on hatred and false propaganda, is a given.