Voice of the suppressed

Lilika *

Manipur maybe among the smaller states of the country however, we're oddly bundled with violence of every nature- ethnic clashes, human right violations, rebel disturbances, drug traffickings and misuse of power by authorities.

Mere refusal to admit the ground truth simply means dismissal of our responsibility as the citizens of the land. The gravity of the prevailing unrest apparently hints at the degree of acceptability and adaptibility to violence. The present manipuri generation are scattered all over the country in the pursuit of uninterupted education and job opportunities.

Trends of this order translates into a high level of "Brain-Drain." In a crude form, the infrastructure of the state collapses incessantly, leaving the people to adopt the strategy of Charles Darwin's "Survival for the fittest."

Today, Manipuri kids are accustomed with the usual drill of how to take safety cover in case of an army-insurgent clashes. Encounters, gun shots, ambushes, bomb blasts are some of the well versed vocabularies in their acquired wordlists.

At times, the notion insist me to wonder if we as responsible individual have robbed them of their innocence and excessively exposed them to violence. To aggravate the "crisis" (as a I call it on account of the extensive impact of economic failure and political turmoil), the position of Manipur suffers a setback among its sister states.

And, the blame-game goes on with no solution on the table.

On the one hand, the rebellious and the deprived take up arms as a resolution. News of casuality and killing have become the norms of the state.

The most critical introspection demands the analysis on the promotion of dissent in Manipur. The need of the hour is to shoulder "Collective Responsibilty," as denial of individual accountability hamper the freedom and fundamental growth.

History stand testimony to the rich heritage and culture of Manipur. The age old blend of varied communities in a closely knitted harmony.

Ironically, today the same land struggles to maintain law and order.The lack of innovative state policies for the welfare of the people is regretably one among the numerous shortcomings of the great leaders.

Highlighting the plights of the people, I'd like to mention the disproportion in the alarming ratio of HIV/ AIDS infected and/or affected against the mere 23,88,634 lakhs population of Manipur.

The result clearly shows the failure of the Government agencies in formulating effective measures to curb the perils.

Of the many victims of HIV/AIDS, the innocent face of Anmol, a 13 year old girl, who was introduced to me through an NGO haunts my mind. A soft-spoken girl, under medication for HIV is a victim, without any clue of her future ahead.

The girl is a bare truth of the incompetence of the health system in the state.

Endless surveys and constructive implementions on the widespread concentration of HIV/AIDS will yield no gain unless handsomely profited unnamed agencies are brought to books.

The "righteuosness" is to be questioned as it is against human order to benefit from the misery of fellow countrymen.