Failure to look beyond net suspension : The digital divide
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: September 12, 2024 -

In a state of 'war' for over 16 months and Imphal and the valley districts paralysed for three/four days after students and Meira Paibis take to the streets and the Government responds in the only way it knows, suspend internet connectivity.

In nearly 500 days of intense stand off, Imphal may be said to have made its presence felt only on two occasions, one during the first spell of net suspension when mobile data and broadband was cut off for nearly four months and number two during the second spell.

And even as this commentary is being penned down, Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Kakching and Thoubal districts remain digitally cut off from the rest of the world while the hill districts, particularly Kangpokpi and Churachandpur, remain very much alive and kicking in the web world.

Not surprisingly this has not gone down well with Imphal and the other valley districts, with many questioning whether Manipur has gone beyond the understand of dividing the State with 'buffer zones' to now graduating to the level of the 'digital divide'.

Only the Government at Imphal will have the answer, but the past nearly 500 days should have be enough lesson to learn that suspending the internet will not take anyone nearer to anything that comes close to the understanding of normalcy.

What is needed is sincerity of approach to resolve any issue and ideally the Government should be studying why students felt it better to come out on the streets and vocalise their thoughts so vociferously leading to stand offs with the police at numerous places and inconveniencing the movement of many, especially those working in the different media houses and whose calling necessitates movement late into the night.

Internet being suspended should be understood beyond neutralising the activities of some mischievous elements, the key board mischief makers, but entails throwing into disarray the earning avenues of many, the future of the job seekers, students who may be preparing for the many competitive examinations for whom assistance from the net is indispensable, the huge number of parents and guardians who need to send the monthly money to their children staying outside the State etc.

An indication that the situation has gone so much beyond the control of the Government that the only thing that it can think of is to cut off all communications of the people, who have come to increasingly rely on net connectivity?

Only question at the moment, but already Imphal based newspaper houses and local TV channels have been hit hard.

At the moment the net suspension is till September 15, but no one knows whether this will be extended or not.

And don't let it be forgotten that it is not only the mischief makers who rely on the internet, but many others too such as professionals engaged with the different media houses, students preparing for the many competitive examinations, parents who want to keep in touch with their children who may be staying beyond the seven seas etc and the call of the moment is for the Government to look beyond this and look at the core issue.

The core issue is the ongoing ethnic clash but there is nothing to show that some efforts have been taken up to resolve the issue and put Manipur back on the track of normalcy.

What political steps have been taken up to persuade Delhi to grant an audience to the political leaders of Imphal so that a meaningful engagement is initiated ?

What steps can be taken to persuade the Prime Minister to see if a visit to Manipur can be worked out ?

These are the points which the State Government should be focusing on, instead of trying to deliver punches with lines such as 'the Prime Minister has spoken on Manipur at least three times' and looking for ways to add to the misery of the people by suspending internet connectivity.

Everything that can go wrong with Manipur seems to have gone wrong but it makes no sense in falling back on measures such as suspending the internet.

Think out of the box and approach all issues with sincerity is the line that would work best for the Govt.