Civil societies leading the way :: Goodwill Mission : Voice of sanity
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: December 22 2016 -

All community meet held at Khwairamband Keithel on December 21 2016 :: Pix - TSE

Civil society organisations taking the lead.

And this is a welcome change from the venom spewing stance of some, which have spared no words in going hammer and tongs along communal lines.

Central to all this is the indefinite economic blockade imposed by the United Naga Council since the midnight of October 31 and the counter blockade in the valley.

No indication that the economic blockade will be rolled back anytime in the near future, but it is a welcome change to see some civil society organisations leading the way and organising joint meetings such as the all community meet on December 21.

A positive indication that despite the venom being spewed all around and the overt and covert communal tones used by some elements which may come under different names, there are still some people who instil confidence in all with their sensible and mature approach to the issue at hand.

The all community meeting held on December 21 definitely falls under this category.

No reason why the people and the State Government should not extend support to such an endeavour.

Goodwill Mission is the name given to this initiative and the intent of the endeavour fits this name to the T.

Hope other civil society organisations, which claim themselves to represent the people hop onto the bandwagon of the Goodwill Mission and give it more strength and there is a growing need to have such a mission, not only during times of crisis, such as the present, but at all times to come.

Let not the Goodwill Mission wind up, if and when, the economic blockade is called off.

So even as some civil society organisations have come together to do something to deal with the trust deficit, it will not be out of line to question what the BJP led Government at Delhi has been doing.

True, more military personnel have been pressed into service in the State, ostensibly to deal with the situation, but it looks more like security measures taken up ahead of the coming Assembly election.

True the peace process between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM) is important, but so is the fate of the people of Manipur.

Why can’t Delhi approach the top leadership of the NSCN (IM) to get the blockade lifted ?

Law and order is a State subject, but remember the blockade is being enforced on the National Highways and National Highways certainly come under the Centre.

It is here that the BJP may take a leaf out of the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC), which has issued a statement asking all to let sanity prevail.

NPCC was bang on target in observing that the ongoing economic blockade implies, ‘let people die out of hunger and thirst.’

The Nagaland Congress was again bang on target in observing ‘It is also inhuman and demonic to attack peaceful travellers for no fault of theirs. We do not agree with actions of both sides.’

It is stand like this which should drill some sense into the heads of the people.