Conspiracy of silence ? Release Irabanta
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: July 21, 2012 -

Release Irungbam Irabanta now. This is the call which should have resonated across the length and breadth of not only Ukhrul district but the entire State but inexplicably everyone seems to have taken a vow of silence.

Or is it a conspiracy of silence ?

Nearly sixty days down the line since he left home on May 27 and no one seems to know what has exactly happened to him.

The only thing that is clear is the rising tension with each passing hour. And this does not augur well for the people at all.

The better half of the missing man has already gone on record to state that the family members suspect the hands of the NSCN (IM) in the abduction of Irabanta, on the basis of the last time he communicated with his family on May 28, one day after he left home.

This is not to jump to the conclusion and confirm the involvement of the outfit, but it stands that he has been taken hostage somewhere in Ukhrul district.

Taking someone hostage and keeping him or her in custody for nearly sixty days without being detected is not a cake walk.

It is not something which a rag tag group of desperadoes can do and it is here that the hands of a well organised outfit emerge.

Even if the NSCN (IM) is not involved in the case, as an organisation, it is always possible that some of its cadres are indeed involved.

All the more reason for the outfit to get to the bottom of the matter and try to defuse the tension.

The memory of Dr Th Kishan and his two subordinate staff is chillingly too vivid to brush aside. Civil society organisations exist for a reason and there are reasons why they enjoy a certain status in the public domain.

Chief amongst this is their ability to mould and sway public opinion and act as pressure groups in the interest of the general well being of the people.

Ukhrul district has its fair share of such organisations and the natural question that follows is what proactive steps they have taken up to resolve the situation.

A 60 hour bandh has been called by the JAC Against the Abduction of Irungbam Irabanta starting from 5 am of July 21 and while the intent of the bandh is clear to all, extra measures need to be taken up to ensure that it does not get reduced to an exercise of community bashing or district bashing.

There are trouble makers of all hues and types. It is these elements which everyone should be wary of or else the very purpose of airing the grievances and angst of the people will turn topsy turvy.

No community should be targeted, no district should be at the receiving end. The abduction is against humanity and downright abhorrent.

To air this message one need not go into an exercise of picking up anyone along community affiliation. The situation calls for people cutting across community divides to come out and openly condemn an act as blatant as taking someone hostage and keeping him in captivity for nearly 60 days.

Let the civil society organisations of Ukhrul too extend their solidarity to the grievances of the JAC and the people.

A united voice should be rung out loud and clear. For far too long armed groups, and there are many of them, have been playing truant with the sentiments of the people.

For far too long the people have been beaten into quiet submission. For far too long the people have been taken for a ride by some high sounding principles trotted out by the armed groups.

Time to say no to this unitedly and perhaps the plea to release Irabanta could be the rallying point for the people.