Violence without accountability
- Manipur in deep social crisis -

Amar Yumnam *

Manipur is in deep social crisis. Rape and murder, pension and murder, mob burning down houses of alleged criminals, race among JACs to compete for the frequency of general strikes and one can keep on multiplying the examples. These are much more than law and order problems. These are sure signs of a deep social malaise plaguing the land and society of Manipur.

These are sure signs of collapse of governance and absence of a justice administration system. Manipur indeed is in a deep social crisis. The time is for us now to apply our individual as well as collective mind in exploring the deep determinants of this malaise and act in right earnest on the possible remedies. Here is my take on the issue.

Violence Without Accountability: The worst and most dangerous disease befalling the society of Manipur today is the coming in place of a culture of violence without accountability. Earlier violent incidents were aberrations, but, very unfortunately today, it has become "the" culture of today.

I would trace back the contemporary culture of violence to the late 1980s and early 1990s. The current phase of the conflict situation started during this period. The first prominent cases of violence without accountability were committed legally.

Yes I am talking of the vulgar Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958. In a small and highly integrated society like Manipur's, the multiples of violence committed under this Act could not go without society-wide impacts.

For the first time in the history of existence it was established beyond redemption that violence without accountability could still be legal. This was the worst lesson any society should ever be exposed. The even worse scenario is the continuation of this imposition of a lesson and the false promises on this score by the head of the people of the nation.

This lesson was further reinforced by the manner in which police governance was conducted during the late 1980s and early 1990s in the then undivided Imphal district. The district was then for most part of the period was under a more flamboyant than lawful police officer supposedly highly decorated.

His approach was more of imposition of his will rather than evolution of a culture of rule of law. It helped his style if a mob indulges in something beyond the rule of law in order to impose a pseudo order. The mobs started enjoying his blessing. Well the culture of violence without accountability had now passed on from the state sector to the non-state sector.

All these were happening in a context where the economy was not expanding. There was, as it is today, no expansion of employment and earning opportunities. But, on the other hand, the cost of living has been rising continuously. Besides the long embargo on government employment generation, whatever little which had arisen always carried a price tag irrespective of merit and qualifications of the candidates in the job market.

The violence of corruption was really killing in a context where a culture of violence without accountability was already in place. Corruption is much more than the greasing of palms, but is a veritable violence in a society where there was an unequal balance between expansion of livelihood opportunities and the increments to the stock of educated youths.

Here we should as well remember that there had been many potential youths who could have and wanted to go for higher studies but simply could not follow their dream for want of richness in their respective families. In such contexts, the violence of corruption in the administration would only have violent impacts.

There have been violence on the educational qualifications of the youths. There have been violence on the merits of the youths. There have been violence on the poverty of the families. These definitely must have led many of our initially non-violent youths towards the violent path. Here I am definitely not referring to the original stream of youths who have vowed to fight for freedom of the land.

Atmosphere Conducive to Goons: The question to be asked here is: who thrives in an atmosphere of violence and absence of a justice governance system? Naturally in every society, there are individuals who have developed over the years a habit of cheating, an orientation for stealing, a tendency for thuggish activities and, in short, enjoy in indulgence in criminal activities.

It is exactly this type of individuals who would thrive in the kind of atmosphere prevailing in Manipur. We now have all the evidence before us on what happens when this really occurs.

Reversing The Trend: Given the scenario above, the time is NOW for the society to decide on whether to tolerate the prevailing situation, or try to stop the slide for good. Unless the society is irredeemably sick, every society would wish for amelioration from the kind of scenario prevailing today.

I have every reason to trust that our society genuinely wishes for betterment of the present condition. We have now to think of a two pronged approach. First, the time is now for the state to prove that it no longer wishes to continue with its policy of violence without accountability, whether legal or otherwise.

Secondly, the members of the society should now stand together to neutralise the goons who have been capitalising on the unhealthy atmosphere prevailing in the land. I know this is easier said than done for in any collective endeavour there always arises some black sheep who would be shrewdly bent on killing the group effort.

But we have no alternative but to be more vigilant and more assertive now more than ever. I know our social capital would be under great strain, but it has become necessary to create another form of social capital more strongly founded on trust.