Human Rights Vs Individual Rights
- Part 2 -

JC Sanasam *

Now in Manipur, it appears that the general population has become wearisome to get along with the wear and tear of the insurgency movement. They no longer have the zeal to be the puppets under the aggressive commands either from the insurgents or the state forces.

There are many technical issues and consequences, desirable or ghastly undesirable, bound to happen in an armed conflict zone. But why cannot there be a novel form of insurgency from the end of the insurgents and also another novel form of tackling such matters in the hands of state forces so that there are minimal physical and mental damages to the public? Is there any of such? Perhaps, none except through the UN.

So the final verdict is, 'You just wait and see; for some time you got to be ready to face the worst of the worst.' This some people say in a sinister and cynic tone as if they enjoy doing so. They say 'for some time'; how much longer? 40-50 years now; how many more lifetimes is it going to take? The public is financing the stomach, the cloths, and sophisticated weaponry of sky-high cost of how many? Even rich countries like China, USA, France are finding financial hindrances to maintain their army and state forces. How long would the public be able to maintain how many cadres of the strength?

Now let us come to the philosophical aspects of human civilization and human values.

For the sake of the love of somebody a lover can easily finish away his or her own life. This happens in individuals who are under the siege of powerful dominance of their right brain uncontrolled by their logic and reasoning of the left brain. We have heard a number of stories, as well, about those who sacrificed their lives for the sake of their love for their motherland or brethren or their ethno-nation. This is a rare ability, we praise and pay homage to such individuals. When such a sentimental issue turns out like wild fire, it is not a surprising big thing for those sentimentalists to destroy their own lives and others, as well.

On the other hand, when revulsion and hatred have pervaded or have been infused in people's mind, they can easily become cynics, animals and devils to develop animosity among humans, to abhor others and destroy lives relentlessly. Love and hatred are like the two sides of a coin in man's character. On the other hand, wisdom has attained the zenith of knowledge of life to the extent that some godly men had pointed out; here is the way to Nirvana, the salvation to life and death. However, coming back to the base ground work everything is not always godly; the devilish component still lingers to be dominant.

There is always an impression in the minds of men that man is different from and superior to the animals. Perhaps, this is the only impeccable fruit, man has harvested from his 4 million year old civilization. But now it seems men are more beastly than animals in destroying among themselves. Many a time we have seen that such a value of man's wisdom is splashed with ugly and stinky mud by half-animal and half-man individuals, some openly and some secretly.

Another way of looking at it is, many fail to relish the good taste of the cuisine of balanced components, some from the universal concept and some from their own virtuous ingredients. These poor souls go astray with an extreme vindictiveness from the spectrum of the general population and they are what the society has given a name, the extremists.

In an armed conflict area the extremists always come in the forefront of the arena. And it is when the extremists have taken over things that instances of human rights violation happen. If there is a state there has to be a government and if there is a government there have to be a police force, army, security force, so and so forth.

When the insurgents act to stage their movement, and if their activities become against the law or constitution then comes the reaction of the police and security forces in the picture. The latter, while trying to ward off the actors and their activities, very often take up measures which very often result in violation of human rights especially when the insurgents take the strategy of disappearing under the blanket of the public. Thus, continue the actions and reactions in a vicious cycle.

Ultimately, it is always the public and general population who are at the receiving end of all the violence and violations of human rights for reasons known to nobody. Using innocent citizens as human shield is no more a thing unknown in a place like Manipur, and it is evidently and advantageously used heavily by actors on both sides.

In the beginning of revolutions, as we see in the history, many among the population usually used to nurture high expectations for an ultimate liberty, freedom and a comeback of all the good elements of humanity. However, all did not end well. Some brought good changes, some did not. We saw the crumbling of the vast Soviet land USSR built up through the Bolshevik revolution but which resulted into massive genocide and massacres during Stalin's time.

Now in Manipur, it appears that the general population has become wearisome to get along with the wear and tear of the insurgency movement. They no longer have the zeal to be the puppets under the aggressive commands either from the insurgents or the state forces. Manipur is already behind in everything by 200-300 years and another century-long-regression was not the choice of the people.

The majority now seem to want a peaceful talk and agreeable negotiation on the table. How to go about it, is another thing for speculation. To continue thinking in this line an array of rummaging wishful dreams only come to the mind's open space:

One good example for a first step forward could be on the attitude of the government and the public, as well. If, somehow or other, the present strident bribery and corruption among individuals or collective bodies both in the government and public, as well as the collection of money in heavy tolls by the insurgents and also the handing out of huge sums to the insurgents are washed away in their respective washing machines, a new ray of hope may be visible in the horizon of a new Manipur.

Of course, the pessimistic realists, in fact, they are the real corrupts, would say, not possible. They are the ones who want to continue the present morass rot system. Because in this present scenario they can sway with power, money and might.

Instead of playing blame games, if the state agencies and the insurgents are equally committed to come to an honorable negotiation and peaceful talks then the so called infamous and demonic Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) also will spontaneously disappear when things are done with. That definitely also should be one of the constructive measures.

Here, the Human Rights Activists can play a major role. As the State or the government has not moved an inch in their commitment towards a peaceful solution, the Human Rights Bodies which in fact have something to do with the International Human Rights Commission and the UNO can very well come out for some positive action. Educating the security forces as well as the insurgents on Human Rights continually, more specifically on Individual Rights, will definitely help a pretty lot. That can act as the balming and soothing agent to calm down the heated misconception of things.

Such a motive in the background will definitely bridge the gap between the opposing actors in a much closer contact. Just lying in wait for incidents on human rights violation to occur, then barking out to take a joy ride of self publicity in the media will hardly help an armed conflict situation.

A deep study and knowledge in the affairs of the UN and application of the matching clauses should be the first step. A wake up call to the Human Rights Activists is all what is required for now and for a preliminary positive step. Just let us all try to help ourselves protect the 'Rights to Choose', of course, within the international law.

To be continued..