Re-opening schools amid the madness : A brief look at recent past
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: July 05, 2023 -

One hopes the gravity of the situation is not lost on anyone.

The ‘war’ as one sees it today is not any movement or protest against the Government.

It is a killing spree between two communities-Meiteis and Kukis.

It is not between Hindus and Christians and it is not between tribals and non-tribals.

And it has killed over one hundred people on either side and numerous houses have been razed to the ground.

Thousands are still taking refuge in shelter homes opened across the length and breadth of the State.

Reports of gun fights continue to pour in from the foothills of Manipur and hospitals, particularly Raj Medicity in Imphal, have been overflowing with those injured in the clash between the two communities.

It must be the same thing with the other hospitals located at Chura-chandpur and Kangpokpi.

Curfew continues, though notice of the curfew relaxation period being shortened at extremely short notice has not happened for some days now.

This is about Imphal and it could not be different at say Kakching or Thoubal or Bishnupur at any point of time and it is amid this total chaos and madness that the State Government has decided to re-open schools from July 5.

The concern shown for the future of the young students is laudable and acknowledged, but perhaps there is the need to remind everyone concerned of the recent and not so recent past.

Back in 2001, when Imphal and the adjoining valley districts went up in flames against the ceasefire extension, there were no classes for over a month.

A somewhat similar pattern followed in 2004 when Thangjam Manorama was brutalised and shot dead after being picked up by Assam Rifles personnel and Manipur rose as one to protest the excesses of the security personnel.

The nude protest at Kangla, which then housed the Assam Rifles, jolted the conscience of New Delhi to a certain extent, constraining the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to personally fly down to Imphal and announce the constitution of the Justice Jeevan Reddy Commission to take look into the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

In all those tumultuous days, schools remained closed.

Five years after Manorama, Manipur again rose as one in protest following the broad daylight murder of Ch Sanjit and young housewife Th Rabina in 2009.

Schools then were closed for nearly three months, constraining some parents at Imphal to seriously look into the possibility of sending their children to schools not affected by the series of protests or outside Manipur.

The protest demanding the extension of the Inner Line Permit System to regulate the inflow of non-locals into the State must still be fresh in the minds of the people and young school boys and girls taking to the streets and facing the water cannons from the cops are pictures that are still fresh in the mind.

This happened sometime in 2015-2016 and not only schools, but even private tuitions were banned or boycotted back then.

In all the cases that have been pointed out in brief here, the protests were against the Government and it never involved people killing each other, as is the case right now.

And it is amid this that the State Government announced the decision to open schools from July 5. br />
Note the reality-Even as Chief Minister N Biren announced the plan to re-open schools from July 5 during a media conference, all newspaper houses in Imphal were busy compiling the report of Kuki militants raining bullets on Meitei villages located at the foothills ranging from Chanbirok under Sekmai police in Imphal West, Khoijumantabi in Bishnupur district, Phougakchao village again in Bishnupur district, etc.

It is amidst this reality that the Government has decided to open schools and how many parents would be inclined to send their children to school is best left to their wisdom but a recall of the not so distant past is in line.

Over two months now, and this means Manipur has lost over 60 days in madness and the bigger tragedy is, there is nothing to suggest that sanity will return anytime soon.

What is the way forward must be the question on the minds of every sane citizen of the land, but the important point is, how sincerely is this question being raised by the people in positions of power, people who can do something ?

No answers here and Manipur will continue to burn.

Just keep in mind, too many have met meaningless and violent deaths.