Manipur: Surviving Hard Times

By Lunminthang Haokip *

Giant Bible in concrete; ECT, CCpur Manipur

The Habakkuk Syndrome: "Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? For spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention". "Therefore the law is slacked, and judgement doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgement proceedeth (Habakkuk Chapter 1: 3 & 4)".

Manipur had rightly been termed "Sana Leibak (land of gold)". The land-locked former kingdom-turned-North East Indian state was endowed with more than its due share of natural and human resources. The climate is temperate, the fields are fertile and the yields abundant. The inhabitants are gifted with diversified talent. The highly techno-savvy and fashion-conscious region with a penchant for good food has a good percentage of literacy too.

Seemingly, the setting is perfect to work together for economic boom. But as of now, doom looms large in an ethno-nationalism-smeared situation that is adverse to trade and investment. Iniquity, grievance, strife, contention and wrong judgement, as in Habbakuk's times, are here to stay to make life miserable and threaten to turn our sana leibak into a strife-torn sunu leibak (land of lime).

Is The law Slacked?: The aggrieved Prophet, Habakkuk could not accept the impending dominance of heathen Chaldea over divinely chosen Israel. It was a classic case of good people suffering and bad people prospering. Why should God allow Chaldea to hold His favourite nation captive? Was the law slackened? When we, at times, in the shade of moments, see the rule of the outlaw more effective than the rule of law in our own midst, we too silently question the logic of the turbulent law-breaking news around us.

Why do I get into trouble for doing good? Why does our state lag behind when other states take strides? Why is God not answering my prayer? Why do wrong doers go scot-free? We often wonder why things are happening the way they do and begin to doubt the validity of Psalm 19:7, "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple."

Blast Forward: In India and elsewhere, bays had been bombed repeatedly. Recent past witnessed blast after blast. Innocent victims bled till they became human-beens. Tragedy hit the casualties and their families for ever but the local neighbourhood forgot the sad incidents after a few days till another explosion rocked them closer and harder. Vocal ventilation of grievances followed by mindless violence and vandalism had become the action of dissent.

There was little the law of the land could do to prevent such lethal recurrence. Contentious issues that defy solution turned violent in our own state. For all our legal expertise and higher learning, we could not and dared not speak out the remedies we prefer to hold back in the back of our minds. Endemic timidity emboldens the law breaker. The Scripture firmly says in Exodus 23:2, "Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil." The Biblical, legal and ethical Laws are strong as ever. But we are not.

Right Or wrong: The boundary line between the right and the wrong is increasingly blurred. That which is appealing to our basic instinct we call it right and everything else, we call them wrong. The inconclusive debate over the ramifications of Anna Hazare's recent fast shook the national media of late. TV viewers were amused and enlightened by the verbal gymnastics of Hon'ble Ministers and affable mini-stirs. Whatever Anna said was lapped up as manna of truth from heaven by a sea of humanity.

The focal issue was corruption which the average Indian believed was the pet national weakness that determined the difference between what we are and what we could have been. While lauding Anna's credentials and excellent ideas, it is fitting to mention that Bills and Laws may be ideal but victory over corruption will be achieved only through spiritual change. The lust for graft can only be reigned in by the fear of God that stems out of true conversion. "...That by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (2 Peter 1:4)".

Hills Suddenly Saddened: Sadar Hills District demand was and will continue to be the fodder feeding the leads and headlines in Daily Newspapers of Manipur for quite a while. Christianity has been put on hold. Violence broke out with no holds barred. Sentiments soared and vehicles burned. Ethnic exclusivity seemed to delight in spreading the Gospel of division at the expense of Christian brotherhood.

In the bargain to score brownie points in favour of one's belief and intent, one sticks to give only politically correct statements that could be spiritually incorrect . The peer pressure to follow the herd and speak in tune with the popular will of those who matter in one's scheme of things throttle the inner voice of one's own conscience. The disciples of Jesus Christ turned their world upside down (Acts 17:6) because they dared to speak the truth. The right side was up. The contrary is true in our case. In the mental tussle to gain ground, Christianity is the casualty. Brotherly love is periled. 1 John 4: 8 says, "He that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is love".

God's Purpose: The wisdom of the British rulers of pre-independence Manipur ordered to settle a village of a certain hill community between hill villages belonging to another community as a buffer village to maintain peace. The system is practised even today in Singapore to the island city's harmonious prosperity. It could be the desire of the Almighty to fulfil David's song placed in Psalm 133:1, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity".

We are brothers in Christ. Mixed perfumes smell a lot sweeter. In the early seventies of the last century, experts predicted that Kohima town would be destroyed by earthquake. Christians prayed fervently and the earth did not quake. The calamity was averted because brothers prayed together in unity.

Broken Purpose: Job 17:11 says, "My purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart". It was divine purpose that His children share the land and fill the earth He created (Gen 1:26 & 27)". It was also becoming of His purpose that godly means like prayer and gentle supplication be used to achieve a desire (Philippians 4:6). The God who could open the Red Sea for the exit of His children from Egypt and again divide the Jordan river for their grand entry into Canaan still is our living common God.

Lot bungled and the land he coveted turned into Sodom and Gomorrah. Minor Staines children and a faithful servant of God were burned alive in Orissa. That very year, super-cyclone rendered the land saline and unfit for cultivation. "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness (Romans 1:18)".

Surviving Hardship: The present scenario in Manipur is volatile. A wrong move or an offensive statement can cause chance ignition of already combustible atmosphere. We also suffer hardships that could have been avoided. Very essential commodities and life-saving drugs are becoming more scarce by the day. District Administration is jeopardised. Important meetings are either cancelled or postponed. Education is on a holiday.

And Development is forced to fox-trot while stake-holders are in a competent stalemate. Let us think for the welfare of gen next. Unless we want a repeat ordeal for successive posterity decade after decade, let us humbly bend and be happy to blink first. Habakkuk came to realise that God could do no wrong and that there would have been a purpose in what He did. In the subsequent chapters, better sense prevailed and the cribbing prophet surrendered his misconceived will to the will of God and said,

"Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:

" Yet, I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation (Habakkuk 3: 17 & 18)".

Joy In The Lord: We followers of Jesus will do well to do a Habakkuk in these days of crisis, pray much for the healing of the land , catch the divine vision and purpose, and even if everything else fail, joy in the God of our salvation.

Reproduced below is my poetic take on Manipur that I wrote years back:

LOVE MANIPUR

1. Looking at our land, and its bounds,
Peeping into the trends in towns;
Knowing our shire, its sights and sounds,
Feeling the air - God's love abounds;
But all's not well in land-of-gold,
'For to sad vain things we are sold.

Love Manipur, we all clamor,
Without Jesus, our ties turn sour;
His teachings will our souls make pure,
His suffering to our pain is cure;
If His life could everyone lure,
We all will LOVE MANIPUR for sure.

2. "Love God with all your heart and soul",
Over this command we do foul;
Preaching of love doesn't touch the core,
Sin stings, we love self all the more;
As the Word's obeyed half-measure,
The world's torn by His displeasure.

3. At the fag-end of this great year,
If nothing to you would bring cheer,
Rejoice at Birth of the Saviour,
Whose death to men was big favour;
He's born to love and sin endure,
Love God to truly Love Manipur.

Lunminthang Haokip

* Lunminthang Haokip, a resident of Old Lambulane, Imphal and posted at Moreh, Manipur is a regular contributor to e-pao.net. He can be contacted at lunminthang(dot)haokip(at)gmail(dot)com or his blog here
This article was webcasted on September 08, 2011.