Colloquium on militarism and future of democracy ends
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, March 26 2011:
"Democracy which we are practicing in India is not a mature democracy," said M Nara, ex MLA on the third and the last day of the Colloquium "Militarism and Future of Democracy in Manipur" at the Senate Hall, Manipur University.
He contended that the need of the hour is to fight for a mature democracy.
He further observed that the role of the military is to protect the country from external aggression.
However, military has been used against its own citizens, which is against the principles of democracy.
The present system is totally unacceptable.
With this kind of electoral system, how can the country advance, he wondered.
In order to achieve a mature democracy, the electoral system should be complemented by grass root level practices like petitions, plebiscites, etc.
Speaking on the theme of 'Electoral Politics, Democratic Norms and Practices', S Mangi, Professor, Department of Political Science, Manipur University, pointed out three problems that are being faced in electoral politics in Manipur.
First, increased polarization on ethnic lines; second, decline of healthy party competition in elections; third, the trend of individual candidacy for elections particularly visible in the hill areas.
These trends, he argued, have resulted from the growing militarism in the society.
G Amarjit Sharma, Lecturer, Nambol L Sanoi College, questioned why electoral politics is such a limited practice and whether electoral politics in Manipur can check increasing militarization.
He further questioned two politicians, namely Radhabinod Koijam and M Nara why the political elite and representatives of the state have been silent when one of their colleague's son killed a youth recently ? He said, there was concern that the political elite prefers to sustain the increasing militarism.
Rajesh Hijam of The Sangai Express, commented on how militarism has impacted on the system of governance in Manipur.
He also asked if democracy in true sense of the term is being practiced in Manipur.
In the discussions, questions were raised on the issue of delimitation, AFSPA, plebiscite, the role of ideology, role played by the non-state armed groups in electoral practices, etc.
Concerns were also raised whether Indian democracy in Manipur has contributed to the armed movement.
Najma Phumdreimayum, Organisation for Development, raised a fundamental point on the nature of democracy in Manipur saying that freedom of speech is limited in the state.
Shreema Ningombam, Lecturer, Nambol L Sanoi College, focused on the concept of civil society from a gender perspective.
She expressed that for women, politics is not only in the public forum but rather begins from the body itself.
Women are considered as carriers of dignity, culture and tradition.
During the ninth session on the right to self-determination: polemics and possibilities, Bidhan S Laishram of Zakir Hussain College, Univerity of Delhi, said that there is the need to reconceptualize the idea of the "people" taking into account the present state of affairs in Manipur.
Homen Thangjam, Lecturer, MB College, Imphal expressed the view that the time has come for a serious deliberation on what constitutes the right to self-determination.
The last session on future of democracy in Manipur, open discussion was chaired by Th.Tarunkumar of Manipur Research Forum (MRF).
The panel of speakers included Pradip Phanjoubam of Imphal Free Press, Professor E Bijoykumar of Manipur University and Yengkhom Jilangamba of MRF.