A sad song for 2014
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: January 03, 2014 -

Not a bad start, should we say?

Two powerful blasts triggered by remote controlled improvised explosive devices (IEDs) within a short span of 12 minutes in Singjamei areas of Imphal; clashes between two groups of people in Khumujamba area of Churachandpur district leaving four persons injured, perhaps with lifelong scars not just on their bodies but also on their minds; killing of a woman and mother of five kids by her own nephew, who is said to be a drug addict, at Kiyamgei Muslim Awang Leikai under Irilbung Police Station in Imphal East district and the subsequent mob fury of burning down the house of the accused, etc, etc, all on the first day of the New Year, 2014, itself.

What is to be made out of these events? Regardless of the wishes for peace, harmony and development that people in Manipur, right from the Governor, the Chief Minister and the Home Minister to the common men and women on the street convey to each other on the occasion of welcoming the arrival of a New Year every year, it is very clear that Manipur's tryst with peace and tranquillity is still a distant dream that is not going to be realised in the days to come, if what we have witnessed on the first day of 2014 itself are of any indication of the things to come.

This we could easily predict for sure without batting our eyelid even if we are no astrologer or seer.

Though no injury or damage was caused in the twin explosions that took place in the early hours of January 1 as those who were behind the blasts seemed to have pressed the button of the remote control only send out a message, it is more than evidently clear that the problem of insurgency is going to remain at the centres-stage in the days to come in 2014 as well, giving sleepless nights as well as restless days to the State administration and its police force.

And, thus, no amount of assurances given by the State administration with claims of its achievement in containing the law and order problem is going to be of any help in dispelling the fear of the people until it could shield the fortified bungalow of the Chief Minister or the Raj Bhavan from being attacked.

On the other hand, while the clash which broke out between two groups of people in Khumujamba area of Churachandpur district at the slightest provocation has once again demonstrated how fragile the thread binding the hearts and minds of the people in Manipur has become today due to the debilitating impact of various push and pull factors at work, the act of murdering a woman and mother of five children by her own nephew for some money to feed his drug habit and the resultant mob justice of taking the law unto one's hand and burning down the house of the accused has shown how the ethos of Manipuri society has eroded over the years, leaving nothing much to look forward to in the coming days or years.

In such a situation, all that we could do is pray for some sense to prevail in this senseless world of bombs, violence and mob fury in each day of 2014.