Injustice To Women : A call for an hour to understand together sincerely
- Part 2 -

Dr. Kamei Sanjit Rongmei *

Villagers of Rishophung demonstrating against the Napet Palli incident :: Pix - Hueiyen Lanpao

Man and woman are born free and given equal liberty to choose or do as he or she likes. Each is responsible for one's own action or choice. The false and sin of man cannot be transferred to woman and vice-versa. Therefore God judges man and woman as per his or her work. The dignity of man and woman as a human person should equally be understood by all section of the society.

In fact, women deserve to be highly honored for her service to man and humanity. She does most of the work of caring, rearing and serving humanity from birth till grave. She cries the most. Their tears are the languages. They speak of their pain in silence. They continue to suffer and work but receive no reward or award for her work. It is said that, mothers are the symbols of human love.

In many cases, men instead of appreciating and helping their counterpart, often burden them with lot of undue impositions, threats, and violence just for negligible matters. The cruelty of many man and their stories of domestic violence tell of direct and intentional discrimination against women. What and where is the comfort for the sorrowing mothers and women? Should men remain blind and silent to the suffering of women?

Justice and nature demands that, neither men nor women should boast of their advantages over each other. Sense of equality, responsibility and dignity as human persons should be recognized by both. Man has in reality nothing extra from woman to boast about as man above woman. The reality of man and woman is that they are not actually two but only one.

Both are equal in all aspect of human life except in physical and physiological structural difference. That too is made to serve as equal for the purpose of human race and generation. Neither men nor women can live alone without the other. Can man procreate without woman or vice-versa? Generally, it is men's attitude and assumption that has belittled the status of women.

This is sheer injustice. Men may possess stronger muscular power but equal to it, women too posses the power of endurance and procreation. The difference is made equal. Generally, man remains adamant. Woman remains helpless. Disparities prevail in almost every society and community in matter of gender equity mostly rooted in the practices of traditional and cultural customs of rights and ordinances.

Therefore, every citizen, society and community should re-think and work hard on creating justice for both men and women in all aspect of social set up. Gender equity must prevail if justice is to be ensured in the society. The progress and prosperity of humanity and Nation depends not in the increased capacity of men to do the work alone but in cooperation, participation and contribution of women in every activity of men equally.

For generations, men in their stiff-necked mentality thinks that, they can fly like a bird only with one wing, walk with only one leg or work with only one hand. Let this era of ignorance and cruel mentality be gone and may a new generation of love, respect and mutual sharing begins. God made two equal eyes to see, two legs to walk, two hands to holds and woman and man to live together on equal basis.

The present human culture in general is in the down trend. Today, in the world, women are merely considered to be an object of commercial goods, displayed, sold or bought or even reared and fashioned for service to men in clubs, parties, pimps, brothels etc. where is love and respect for each other gone? Mankind is going down below bestial/animal nature. This is abominable, detestable and is unimaginable for a civilized society to think.

When women give due respect even offering her share for man in food habits, caring, concerning etc. in some of the society men too should not take an advantage of their respect rather pay them equal respect for women. Human society can be term developed or civilized only when one human respect equally to one another without any biasness in justice.

Some of the major incident against women that took place in Manipur in the year 2012 are:

1. Nepali minor girl who was raped and both her eyes forked out in a hill range in Senapati district on February 9 was perhaps the most gruesome. The girl's left eye is now blind while the right eye has lost much of its sight. Even though the girl needs further treatment, her family cannot afford any further treatment. She is only getting primary treatment. Like other cases, the particular case has not reached Court till today for no charge-sheet has been submitted.

2. Young girl studying in Higher Secondary level was raped mercilessly on October 20 this year. Though the girl should appear Class XII exam, she could not attend class any further following the shocking incident. Moreover, she is suffering from trauma and anxiety.

3. Four minor girls were also raped in Khoupum Valley, Tamenglong district by cadres of a hill-based UG outfit.

4. One chilli (U-morok) hawker was gang-raped by four individuals in the intervening night of March 21 and 22. Subsequent upon submission of charge-sheet by police, the case is being adjudicated in the Court of Session Judge (West).

5. Attempt to rape a 15-year old tribal girl at Napetpalli by three cadres of KCP etc. (Sangai express 04 Jan. 2013)

There is many more crime against women in this state. All sorts of crime against women such as rape, rape plus murder, molestation, assault, abduction, trafficking, domestic violence in the state should be face and solve to have a positive outcome, stronger bond of unity, brotherhood rather than giving birth for new crime like communal crisis, narrow sense of division, classification, separatism etc. among ourselves who in fact is our own blood related kindred group. The government must implement a very hard and fast rule of law to completely eradicate this kind of in human act any more in the near future of the state.

In spite of the UN Charter of Human Rights and the provisions of the Indian Constitution, women continue to be victims of exploitation. It is view that the future generation of a family is carried on and preserved by male members only, has degraded the position of women in society. Similarly, it is noticed that majority of the women are lacking in the spirit of rebellion. If careful attention is not paid and major steps are not taken, the situation will become extremely critical.

Therefore, any attempt to assess the status and problem of women in a society should immediately start from the section of society without anything left unturned. Social structure, cultural norms, and value systems are crucial determinants of women's role and their position in society. In respect of the status there is a gap between the theoretical possibilities and their actual realization. Without them humanity will never progress or prosper.

Everyone loves and talks of peace unity and solution everywhere but in true sense no people sincerely want to have peace in the society. When we all want peace truly than definitely there will be peace in our society. For example Bangladesh, in 2002 the Bangladesh government passed two laws – against acid throwing and against possession and sale of acid, which has brought down the acid attack cases to negligible.

However, in our state Manipur, rather than solving any problem as a problem of Manipur, we keep dividing among ourselves making the problem more complicated manipulating the crime even in the form of communal etc. Ill-treat one another (major to minor, bigger to smaller, stronger to weaker, rich to poor, among different community etc.), even supporting the wrongdoing for the sake of the same community rather than making them realize that they are doing a crime or something against the interest of the state. Let us not look one another as Naga, Kuki, Meitei, Pangal, etc. However we should understand that 1. Firstly we all are typically a Homo sapiens sapiens (human being) not animal anymore.

2. Secondly we are the inhabitant of the state Manipur so we belong to Manipuri what so ever the sub communities may be.

Therefore, we can form/live a society without any negative classification and division among ourselves. Let us not understood different problems or any case as Naga / Meitei or a Kuki / Naga or Meitei / Pangal case etc. rather lets us consider as a challenge to a Manipuri as a whole. Why do we always keep dividing among ourselves in spite of so many awareness steps organized to unite as one group.

What can we gain more by dividing among ourselves as different groups or communities? Is it not possible to rectify all our past mistake and try to forgive and forget one another past fault as a family matter and live together peacefully again? I think we are not the son of timid, coward, selfish or self-centered leaders of the state. We can still live together and solve all our problems together as one when things are not too far away. The only need to do is little sincerity in all our thinking and working.

Every problem has a solution, may be in negative or positive, it depends solely on us. Every one of us is responsible for the condition of today's Manipur. It is not a work or a brain child of a single man or community. Let us promote humanity in true sense with sincerity in spite of what community you belong, what religion you belief, what type of personality you possess and what type role you play for the betterment of our society. Until and unless we all practice humanity, our state will never be a better place to live for today or future generation to come.

Concluded ...