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"Children" our old Manipuri adage stresses "are like gods".
Or, the God Himself. What a lie!
At any given time, there are at least 20 armed conflicts fighting
somewhere on this globe. These conflicts have killed more than
20 million children in the past decade. Left a similar number
of children orphaned or homeless. 6 more millions are either
seriously injured or permanently disabled. This startling fact
of the UN again put millions of children all over the world on
the road to hopelessness and complete chaos. Why do children
suffer when they are not active in such conflicts? We must answer
this question. At least try finding a solution. For their future.
For the future of the world.
WHOS WAR IS IT ANYWAY?
Why do children fall prey to such vicious armed conflicts? How
and why they are affected?
Any war is a war against children. Children from these societies
do not grow up with the right kind of atmosphere they need in
their early childhood days and development. The stages of transition
from childhood to responsible adulthood demand a cordial atmosphere.
Their mental and physical development depends upon the immediate
environment and the society they grow up with. 90% of a childs
brain development depends upon his surrounding. What is more
astonishing is that children are imitators of their senior members.
We should be concerned about children and the atmosphere we create
for them. Because we are their role models.
While the society is at war progress takes the backbench. Economic
growth is just a nice sounding word. Good education exists in
the good books of the government only. Culture, tradition, heritage,
recreation, technological development, etc are not given proper
attention. In the process, development becomes a major concern.
Growth is actually ignored and neglected. What do our children
learn from our society and us?
You are a spectator to the merciless butchering of your children.
In front of your eyes, you see their future ruined. Destroyed.
How long will it go on? Have you given hope on your children?
You are as responsible as those who are at daggers end. Unless
you speak up and carve a way for them, they will further go down
in hopelessness. Unless you fight for their future, this carnage
will continue. Your inability to act will mean a generation of
cowards. A generation who cannot protect their own children and
women. A generation who cannot even raise a word for their freedom,
rights and future. A generation who cannot even defend themselves.
Future is very bleak for them and us. Like your future, their
futures do not have a thin ray of hope on the other side of the
tunnel.
TAPTA SYNDROME
We suffer from perennial fear. Right from our childhood fear
has remained the most potent weapon to shut up our mouths. Fear
has been inflicted in our young minds. In addition, these young
minds carry fear all along his growth. Shutting all other doors
to right growth. Any children growing up with fear in his conscience
will have tremendous psychological problems. It is just the tip
of the iceberg. The facts will baffle all of us. It is sad but
very true.
Children grow up with the times of the society. What is prevalent
today may be outdated tomorrow. It means that any society needs
reforms at various stages. Without this change, a society will
not be successful. The immediate atmosphere a growing child needs
is the present state of the society. It is the culture. It is
the future. Society breeds them. Society makes them. Their thinking
is shaped by the goings of the present state of the society.
Fear is harmful. It does not do any good to the society. It is
not less than hatred. It does not contribute to the making of
a responsible adult. This transit stage is very important because
this stage is the stage they make their own future course. They
choose their careers in this stage. They choose their real future.
Therefore, they need to grow up in the best atmosphere. Where
growth opportunities in every field of life are a progressive
truth.
A sister raped is a sister doomed. A brother killed is a brother
armed. A son killed is a mother pained. A father killed is a
family doomed.
Life. It was never a choice. A good is not a privilege. We want
peace for our children. We demand their rights. If the situation
does not permit such growth opportunities, we must find a way
out. To put our children aside until they can take their own
decisions. However, our children live in extreme conditions.
Hardships of life have hardened them. We do not choose to arm
our children. We do not profess hatred. The most fundamental
rights are to be given and protected. We must recognize that
children do have their own rights. Ignoring these rights will
cost our society very dear. We cannot be waiting for the bleak
future our children will have because of your inability to provide
growth opportunities.
Children grow up well within the parameters of the society. They
learn what we teach them. Any child who saw his father killed
in front of him will suffer from severe psychological problems.
His aim in life will be reduced to the taking of revenge. He
will be filled with hatred and revenge to the core. It will never
go out of his mind. When all our children are either wrapped
up in the thick envelop of hatred and fear or thrown open in
the wild to take revenge, who will run the future! Who will he
fight against when he himself is fighting for his survival? Questions.
More questions. Even more questions!
What guides a growing childs mentality and conscience? What
justifies his actions? How capable will he be? Will he be able
to lead a generation? Has he thought about his family and future
of his children? Will he fight for a cause? More questions.
He who wants peace must prepare for war.
As stated above, a childs growth demands right atmosphere and
opportunities. It does not mean that children of today do not
enjoy a healthy atmosphere. Children will need more if they are
to excel in every sphere of life. They need more conducive atmosphere
if they are to compete against the best breeds. It is a mean
street out there. Moreover, existence has been redefine everywhere.
People are looking for more ideas. More values. More opportunities.
More developments. Others are just exploring abundant opportunities
while we are left with a very limited opportunity. This will
sadden every responsible Manipuri. Our children just need the
right environment. It is for us to find and answer all these
issues. We must find a way out. One must not stop asking questions.
Because the answer may be hiding somewhere in you. The need of
the hour demands your service. You just need to participate actively
in every sphere of the society. To save the future of our children.
We despise ourselves. We hate to live a life like this. Yet we
do not speak. We do not protest. We are so frightened that the
right to life is not even demanded. Do we need to beg to die
a natural death? Here, chances are there for you to fall victim
to stray bullets. Nevertheless, you are not a stray dog. You
can think and raise your voice. You can speak. It takes just
a little courage to say, Yes! I want peace. How will you say
that depends upon you. There are ways to say that. If fear has
obstructed your views stay in your home. Never come out of it.
See your children go down like maggots in the history of Manipur.
The fight is for your children. And their future. You have suffered
a lot. You have been in danger for a long time. It is time you
do your own share of service to this society. You are that individual
without which the society will be incomplete. You make up the
society. Your children are the future. Dont you want their future
to be bright? Speak. Write. Talk. Run. Fight. Crawl. Fly. Do
whatever you want. But ensure a better future for your children.
They need your service.
When the situation is not right we must take a way to correct
it. Situations make leaders. Neta Irabot was born because of
the need of the moment. Mahatama Gandhi was born for the want
of the people. Nelson Mandela was born for the want of the society.
You must be born again to redeem this society in chaos. There
is nothing in this society except for fear, hatred and pain.
The choice is yours to make.
You and your leadership will pull this society out of chaos.
You cannot be waiting to act only when someone is killed in your
family. You cannot be waiting it to happen.
The choice is limited. Moreover, it is an extremely tricky one
at that. You cannot afford keep quite, however. Hungry thousand
homes are burning. There is hatred in everyones heart. No one
is happy in his or her eyes. No one is content in his or her
thoughts. This is the real test of the time. And this decisive
test is something you must get through. Otherwise, you will fall
like him and her.
Remember, you fail and your children will fail. All will be plunged
into the dark. When the tunnel do not show light on both the
ends you must not just pray it to break. You must prepare a
way out. Because you want to live. And you must live. A good
life at that.
When the journey is the destination you do not choose the road,
the road chooses you. To be or not to be that is the question.
This time you must answer this question.
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