Community leaders delve on trust deficit
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 10 2020: A three-day residential community leaders' meet was opened today at Manipur University, Earth Science hall under the aegis of the All Manipur United Clubs' Organisation (AMUCO) .

Prof Amar Yumnam, AMUCO president Nando Luwang, Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) president Khaimang Chongloi and Rabita Madaris Arabia Manipur general secretary Mufti Salatur Rahman attended the inaugural session of the meeting as chief guest, president and guests of honour respectively.

Speaking at the gathering, AMUCO president Nando Luwang called upon all the communities of the State to write a comprehensive history of Manipur instead of interpreting selected portions of history to suit their own interests.

Community leaders delve on trust deficit

There are many organisations in the State and they has been growing fast.

As the number of organisations has been growing, communication gap among these groups is also widening and it is only adding to the people's woes, Nando said.

Given this ugly reality, it is pertinent to question the moral responsibilities as well as the activities of the leaders of these organisations and community leaders, he said.

Community leaders and leaders of different organisations must give answers to these questions otherwise future generations would never forgive them, said the AMUCO president.

Saying that peaceful coexistence can be achieved only when the trust deficit among different communities and their leaders is plugged in, Nando appealed to all the community leaders to join hands and find out the causes of the trust deficit and address them collectively.

People who have been demanding Sixth Schedule and Territorial Council take those people who have been advocating peaceful coexistence as opponents/hindrances to their aspirations.

On the other hand, the demands for Sixth Schedule and Territorial Council are interpreted as direct attempts to disintegrate Manipur, he remarked.

To remove these misunderstandings, candid communication and dialogue are necessary among all the communities and also sharing of their grievances as well as aspirations.

At the same time, each community need to scale down their aspirations a bit in the collective interest of all communities and peaceful coexistence, Nando asserted.

KIM president Khaimang Chongloi remarked that even though community leaders of the State meet each other often, they cannot see what others are thinking.

They work together but their ideas and thoughts are different, he said.

AMUCO has done the right thing by organising such a community leaders' meet on the theme of 'peaceful coexistence' under the existing circumstances, he said.

Pointing out that Naga, Kuki, Meitei and Meitei Pangal have been living together in Manipur since ages, the KIM president said that a chronic problem seems to have besieged the State on account of misunderstandings among the communities.

It is an open secret that the Nagas and Kukis demand territorial councils, Khaimang said while asking whether establishment or granting of greater autonomy, territorial council or State within State would not be best suited for resolving the differences among the communities and also to bring inclusive and uniform development across the State.

Mufti Salatur Rahman remarked that every often the history of Manipur is interpreted in a biased manner amidst the growing distrust among different communities.

If Manipur must be saved and its values protected, all the barriers that exist among the communities should be removed and majority communities must shed all tendency of hegemony in addition to ensuring that minority communities too are given equal rights and opportunities, Mufti Salatur Rahman said.

Prof Amar Yumnam asserted that no Nation became developed by depending on the development of another Nation.

Citing the development experience of South East Asia, Amar Yumnam said that the process of development of a Nation must go in consonance with the climatic condition, social traditions, customs and other values of the Nation.

Now one can see development in many African and Latin American countries even though these countries were caught in inter-community conflicts for decades.

Manipur can learn very much from the experiences of these countries, Prof Amar Yumnam said.

It's time to introspect into the types of natural resources available in the State and how to exploit them in sustainable for speedy development of the State, he said.

It would be a disaster for all the indigenous communities if non-local people take control of these natural resources, he said.

There can be no future for Meitei and Kuki when there is no future for the Naga, and the reverse is equally true.

All the communities will sink together when any community sinks, Prof Amar Yumnam added.